May 6, 1997 - The Minnesota Senate has approved a PERMANENT gas tax increase of four cents, along with an additional PENNY tax for ONE year to help pay for repairs to roads and bridges damaged in Spring floods. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: The vote was close...34-to-31...and debate often broke down along urban-rural lines. It's a split that OFTEN surfaces over debates concerning transportation dollars, and was most evident during an exchange between DFL Senator Jane Ranum of Minneapolis, and Minority Leader Dean Johnson of Willmar: BITE: 22-secs Metropolitan legislators want the formula for divvying up
May 6, 1997 - Grand Forks' only hospital is slowly beginning to provide care again. United Hospital was completely shut down for two weeks during the height of the Red River flooding. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson visited the emergency room today (TUESDAY) which is the first area of the hospital to begin seeing patients again. JOY: "I have a sore throat so I'm gonna see the doctor. Joy Jordheim sits patiently with her mother Pat, while she waits for medicine to cure a possible case of strep throat. Joy has been sick for five days, but her mother didn't take her to the doctor right away because it has been a major hassle getting medical care in Grand Forks:
May 8, 1997 - As flood clean-up continues in Grand Forks, a group of specialists has moved in to try to save part of area history. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports. Sun 28-MAY 19:40:15 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
May 8, 1997 - This week, Govenor Carlson signed into law, a 21-million dollar flood relief bill for the state. It's in ADDITION to three-million set aside by lawmakers this past winter when severe storms stretched local government dollars for such things as snow removal. But as the legislative session winds down, many agree this funding will only provide IMMEDIATE state relief...and lawmakers expect to reconvene to appropriate additional money. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: --------------------------------------------------------- | D-CART ITEM: 1114 | TIME: 4:00 | OUTCUE: "...soc." --------------------------------------------------------- The Governor has hinted at the probability of a special session later this year. Once officials know the total cost of the recovery, a session COULD be called for either late July or early August. The Bill Carlson sig
May 8, 1997 - By the end of this week, residents in East Grand Forks, Minnesota may be able to drink their water straight from the tap. The city's more than 8-thousand residents have been without drinkable water since flooding shut down their water treatment plant three weeks ago. As Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, city crews and an army of volunteers have been working around the clock to fix the problem and are now only days away from making life a little bit easier for everyone. 253 - Driving...Car doors slamming...10-4 clear Saint Paul Water Department tester Mary Hiber (HIGH-burr) drives through
May 9, 1997 - As the Red River continues to recede, the extent of damage left behind emerges. Hundreds of Federal Emergency Management Agency Inspectors have surveyed more than 20-thousand homes damaged by the blizzards or the recent Red River flooding. Heidi and Maurice Borud live south of Fargo along the winding Red River. During the flood, the water came over their earthen dike and permanent floodwall... first filling the backyard swimming pool, then the yard itself... and ultimately both floors of the house. Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher spoke with the Boruds and with a FEMA inspector. | D-CART ITEM: 1163 | TIME: 4:03 | OUTCUE: "...soc"
May 9, 1997 - In the aftermath of spring's record flooding in the Red River Valley, Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger reports on one of the most visible and immediate legacy of disaster…trash.
May 9, 1997 - THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN GRAND FORKS NORTH DAKOTA AND EAST GRAND FORKS MINNESOTA ARE BUSY CLEANING CLEANING MUD AND SOGGY BELONGING FROM THEIR HOMES. HUGE PILES OF DEBRIS LINE MOST RESIDENTIAL STREETS. BUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS CLOSE TO THE RED RIVER THERE ARE NO TRASH PILES..AND LITTLE ACTIVITY. THESE MOST DEVASTATED AREAS WILL LIKELY BE DESTROYED TO MAKE ROOM FOR A NEW SYSTEM OF LEVEES. RESIDENTS OF EAST GRAND FORKS WILL GET THE BAD NEWS AT A TOWN MEETING TODAY (FRI- 4PM) MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIOS DAN GUNDERSON REPORTS..
May 12, 1997 - The tiny northwestern Minnesota town of Ada is in the midst of a medical crisis. The city lost its only clinic, hospital and nursing home to flooding last month. The facilities are doubly important because together they comprise the town's biggest employer. At first, Ada heard it would probably get enough federal funds to rebuild the hospital. But recent visits by federal inspectors have not been so optomistic. As Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, the hospital's future is now in doubt: Ada was one of the first communities to be hit hard by flood
May 13, 1997 - Thousands of businesses in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota hurt by flooding have applied for government disaster loans. For many, the weeks after the flood have been spent analyzing whether they can stay in business. Mark Steil of Mainstreet Radio reports: The flooding Chippewa River left a big hole in the ground near a convenience store/gas station in Montevideo. Standing on the lip of the pit, six feet deep....bordered by twisted, broken pipes; station operator Jeff Knutson says it once contained gasoline storage tanks: