MP Finstad visits Rapidan Dam to assess damage; promises action – ABC 6 News

(ABC 6 News) – Just past the bridge south of the Rapidan Dam, Blue Earth County Sheriffs have cordoned off a small area so the public can view the carnage caused by the floodwaters.

There, Republican U.S. Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota met with county officials to get a first-hand look at the damage around the dam.

In a statement, Finstad thanked the hard-working officials, engineers and helpers who are committed to keeping people safe and keeping casualties to a minimum.

Finstad also expressed his condolences to the Hruska family, who lost both their home and their business, the locally famous “Dam Store”, in the raging river.

“Across the river you could get the best damn piece of pie you could ever find,” said Rep. Finstad. “And the fact that that facility is no longer there is hard to bear.”

He also promised that action would be taken once the situation was under control.

“You can’t look at this with both eyes and tell me a little cement is going to fix this thing,” he said. “And that’s why we need to have a serious and honest conversation about the future of this dam.”

Finstad also said he would leave it to experts and engineers, as well as officials at the local, state and federal levels, to lead efforts to repair the damage.

Several initiatives have been launched to help the Hruska family after the loss of their home and business. For more information, please see the links below: