Recent rainfall over the midwest and northern plains states has resulted in extensive flooding in southeastern Minnesota, southwestern Wisconsin, and in Iowa. LoGro reader and frequent commentor Paul Fried suggested via email that we start a discussion thread for this topic. He wrote,
I know that Kitchen Concepts … carries Bertch cabinets (kitchen & bath), made in Waterloo, IA. I don’t think the Bertch factories were affected by the flooding, but I’m sure that some of their employees’ homes were. I’m sure there are other B2B connections between Nfld and areas affected by the flooding, which, in Cedar Rapids, they are saying was worse than New Orleans.
I’d be interested to hear how others in the Northfield are have been affected by these natural disasters. What impact has it had on your family or business? What issues are being faced by people in the flooded areas? Are there suggestions for anything that may be done to help?
A report on the flooding and the Figge Art Museum:
http://ecoartblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/figge-art-museum-stays-open-despite.html
More on the flood in Iowa City:
http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/qa_with_uima_interim_director.html
Thanks to the WSJ for the tip.
Tracy: Thanks for starting the thread. Our family went down to Waterloo a week ago Sunday to help clean my mother-in-law’s basement, which had 4-5 feet of water. When we left, there were many homes closer to the Cedar River that still had 3 or more feet of water in the basement.
My mother-in-law (in her 80′s) had it easy: big family, and a construction company in the family with pumps, and a crane to haul out wet sofas, a piano, and a player piano, via a walk-out basement with patio doors. Many others were not so lucky, and a number of downtown areas were hit especially hard.
We talked to a pilot out at Stanton Airfield last Thursday who had just flown over Cedar Rapids and said that from the air, it was much worse looking than what we have seen in pics and on tv. The look of despair on his face told all.
Another pilot had planned to visit her sister in Cedar Rapids before all the flooding, and had to postpone the trip cuz the roads are all closed.
We have been trying to get to Omaha for six months, but the weather has been so heavy on the weekends we have been free, we have postponed that trip several times.