KTRF / North Country News

Tuesday July 3rd 2012

Well, it was just hours after our interview with Dave Chattin that the Bemidji City Manager was faced with one of the biggest challenges of his career, the clean-up from severe weather that included hail and straight line winds …

Winds of up to 80 miles per hour blew through the Bemidji area in a severe thunderstorm right around 7pm Monday night that downed trees and power lines citywide. Bemidji remained under curfew until 6am this morning as chainsaw crews moved through, clearing roads for safe travel. The storm flattened a fireworks stand, destroyed a greenhouse behind Bemidji’s Ace Hardware, tore the Dairy Queen and McDonalds signs to shreds and ruined the tent and canopies from the Jaycee Water Carnival.

Power outages remained widespread earlier today. Emergency relief areas were also opened today in other areas hit by the storm including Cass Lake and Walker … and in Duluth, the city council has approved a publicity campaign telling potential visitors that Duluth is open for business and tourists are welcome.

Severe flooding put a damper on the city’s tourist industry earlier this month, but officials say most of the damage was in residential areas and not the city’s popular waterfront, downtown and harbor destinations.