Minnesotans dig out following storm
Published 12:00 am Monday, February 26, 2007
By Sarah Light and The Associated Press
About 1,200 Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services customers were still without power this morning after a winter snowstorm dumped about 9 inches of snow and a thick layer of ice on the area, said Roberta Czaplewski of the co-op at 7:30 this morning.
At the height of the storm, Czaplewski said, there were 2,800 customers without power. And to help with the problem, the co-op has called in 28 additional lineman from outside the area to work with Freeborn-Mower crews to help restore power to those affected.
Czaplewski encouraged customers in Freeborn, Alden, Mansfield, Bancroft, Exol and Glenville who might still be without power to call in.
&8220;We would like to stress that we are making progress in restoring power and ask for patience as our crews work diligently to restore power to all members,&8221; she said.
Around the state, accumulations from the weekend generally ranged between 8 and 15 inches in most places, and many areas were likely to break records for biggest-ever February snowfall.
And the same forecast is expected for this week, with more snow, possibly mixed, on Wednesday and Thursday, according to KIMT weather forecasts.
Snow will move in Tuesday night to the west with lows in the teens across the state, KIMT reports stated.
In addition to snapped power lines in the southern part of the state, the weekend storm slowed road and air travel, forcing the closure of the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport for several hours Saturday. Airport spokesman Pat Hogan said Sunday that two of three runways were up and
running again, but he said many travelers would continue to experience delays.
Authorities reported nearly 500 traffic accidents, but no fatalities as of Sunday. Authorities said it was lucky that the storm hit over the weekend, making it easier for people to simply stay home and avoid the snow-clotted roads.
Hundreds of snowplows were working Sunday to clear roads and highways.
A man found partially frozen to the pavement in a residential part of Chaska died Sunday at Hennepin County Medical Center. Sean Patrick Humphrey turned 19 Sunday. Police said he had no hat, coat or gloves when he apparently fell and hit his head on the curb.
However, Sgt. Mike Duzan said, police weren&8217;t sure yet whether his death was caused by the
storm. Temperatures were in the upper 20s, and the area had received some freezing rain and a dusting of snow. Duzan said they didn&8217;t know what caused him to fall, if that&8217;s was indeed what happened, and that the cause of death hadn&8217;t been determined.
A snowplow driver found Humphrey just before 5 a.m Saturday. Authorities said he was there at least a couple hours, and his core body temperature was 77 degrees when he was first taken to the hospital. Police didn&8217;t suspect foul play, but Duzan said it still wasn&8217;t clear Sunday night he was doing out, and that police hoped to hear from anyone who might have information on his whereabouts Friday night and early Saturday.
Several parts of the state were hit hardest. Winona and the southeastern corner of the state were tallying up to two full feet of snow for the weekend &8212; a foot on Friday into Saturday, and another 24 hours later.
Winona hotels were turning away guests both nights. The Holiday Inn was allowing stranded travelers to sleep on couches, cots and even the floor, exhausting its supply of extra blankets and pillows.
&8220;We just tried to fit people in as much as we could,&8221; hotel employee Chrissy Rybarczyk said.
Near Lewiston, dairy farmer Jean Rowekamp said a barn roof collapsed while cattle were inside.
&8220;There were some trapped. I don&8217;t know how many, were in there,&8221; she said. &8220;They did get them out.&8221;
Rowekamp said some of the cattle were injured, but she&8217;d have to wait and see how they fare in the coming days. The farm has about 200 milking cows. It took about six hours to clean out the barn and remove enough debris to allow the cows back inside.
While the snowfall was tapering by Sunday afternoon, Krause said another storm was shaping up that could give the state more snow by Wednesday or Thursday.
&8220;But it&8217;s certainly not going to be anything like we&8217;ve seen this weekend,&8221; Krause said.