Dayton, Nolan to assess storm damage with officials in Brainerd area
Published 9:53 am Friday, July 17, 2015
ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan will travel to the Brainerd Lakes area on Friday to tour storm damage.
Dayton and Nolan also plan to meet with resort owners, emergency managers, local officials, residents and volunteers.
Storms ripped through the Brainerd area on Sunday, closing resorts, displacing vacationers and leaving thousands without power at the height of the summer tourist season.
Two popular resorts, Madden’s and Cragun’s, lost power and were forced to shut down.
Minnesota Power says the number of customers without electricity in the Brainerd area is down to 1,700 from a peak of about 8,000. Spokeswoman Amy Rutledge said the utility hopes to have 95 percent of the power restored by Sunday.