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Sep 12, 2007 7:13 pm US/Central
How Flood Relief Will Help Victims In Rushford
by Heather Brown
Rushford, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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The August flash floods killed seven people, washed away homes and took out chunks of roads. (File)
Eric Humble
State relief money will be on its way to the victims of the Southeastern Minnesota floods as soon as Thursday.
During a special session, legislators passed and Gov. Pawlenty quickly signed a $160 million relief package.
The Governor said it's the fastest and largest disaster response bill on record.
The money will be used to clean up, rebuild roads and bridges, buy out owners of destroyed properties and provide aid to schools and local governments.
For residents and leaders dealing with disaster, the money passed in the special session can't come soon enough.
In the city of Rushford, Minn., one of the towns hardest hit by the floods, the bank is located in a trailer, the post office is closed and you still can't drink the water in town.
"For me, time stopped about three-and-a-half weeks ago," said Jim Hoiness, owner of Rushford Foods.
Hoiness' supermarket was littered with groceries on the floor and covered in dirty water. Now, his place is gutted with everything, including the installation, removed from the building.
He spent Tuesday night at the capitol waiting for the legislature to act.
"People can't wait ... winter is coming on. There's lots of new furnaces and water heaters ... that have to be put in these homes," said Hoiness.
One homeowner, Helen Novlan, got a little more than $28,000 from FEMA, but eventually she will have to pay much more. Money from the state will help a little.
"There will never be enough, never. I don't have anything -- there's no washer, dryer, furnace, hot water heater -- there's nothing, there's absolutely nothing," she said.
People will have to apply for the money and the legislature hopes that it will be in people's hands as soon next week.
"It's a great concern of ours -- once we get the store done -- how many folks are going to be here and how many customers will we have," said Hoiness, "and we don't know."
Residents hope the flood relief money will encourage people to stay and rebuild. Business like Rushford Foods and the bowling alley bar hope to reopen with 4-5 weeks and 3 weeks, respectively.
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