Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited storm-wracked Bemidji on Tuesday morning to witness the destruction that befell the area last weekend.

After driving past the worst-hit spots in the city, Walz stopped to speak about the devastation and the swift recovery process at a home along East Avenue.

“This is an unprecedented storm that hit right in Beltrami (County) and its surrounding areas,” Walz said, “but I saw a lot of other things. I saw neighbors helping neighbors. I saw professionalism of crews that have restored power to almost every single person. I also saw the grace of God and a lot of preparation by the professionals ... with no injuries or loss of life.”

Nearly immediately, state legislators were in contact with county and city officials following the storm, he said.

“We were watching as these storms were developing in North Dakota,” Walz said. “I think alerts were going out once that started to happen ... our folks were already activated and calling. There were folks within hours up here starting to do this. This is a process that’s in place. These are the professionals. They extend beyond administration.”

Beltrami County officials have said a survey of the storm damage to buildings, trees and power lines found wind speeds may have reached 120 mph when the storms barreled through early Saturday. That’s equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane. The same weather system spawned tornadoes that were blamed for three deaths in eastern North Dakota.

Both Bemidji and Beltrami County have announced separate emergency declarations that were each extended during separate meetings Monday.

This allowed the state to put together a disaster assistance contingency account that will help the area fund some of the recovery process up to a 75% reimbursement. The state currently has $24 million within the fund and it will refill in October to continually aid the county as long as the emergency persists.

It’s unclear whether federal assistance will be forthcoming or, if it is, whether it will be sufficient.

— Forum News Service

2 teenage boys injured in Frogtown shooting

Two 15-year-old boys were injured in a Monday night shooting in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood.

The teens were riding scooters, stopped near the Mount Airy Community Center near Arch and Mount Airy streets and heard gunshots, which led people to scatter, said St. Paul Police Sgt. Toy Vixayvong.

Officers responded about 10:35 p.m. to multiple 911 callers reporting shots fired and that someone had been shot.

Police found one of the teens in the immediate area and the other injured teen a few blocks away in the 100 block of Arch Street. St. Paul fire department medics took them to Regions Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Vixayvong.

The victims, who are friends, weren’t aware who shot them, Vixayvong said.

No one was immediately under arrest. The St. Paul Police Department’s Non-Fatal Shooting Unit is investigating.

Shootings continue to be down in St. Paul, with 29 people shot non-fatally as of Tuesday. There were 46 injured in shootings as of the same date last year, 61 in 2023, 93 in 2022 and 78 in 2021, according to police department data.

— Mara H. Gottfried

Valley Outreach reveals its renovations today

Valley Outreach in Stillwater recently underwent a makeover paid for with a grant from Bayport-based Fred C. & Katherine B. Andersen Foundation.

An open house is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the social-service agency and food shelf, located at 1901 Curve Crest Blvd. W., to celebrate the remodel, which includes fresh paint, new awnings, better signage, new lights, modern sliding doors, and more accessible entrances, said Jess Hauser, director of communications for Valley Outreach.

“These improvements to our building’s exterior will make Valley Outreach a safer, more welcoming and accessible place for all who walk through our doors,” Hauser said. “The building is critical to our mission, and we’re committed to being a good caretaker for years to come.”

The amount of the one-time grant was not disclosed, but Hauser said it was designated for the building’s renovation and is separate from the nonprofit organization’s operating budget, meaning it could not be used to buy food or expand programming.

The open house is free and will include food, live music, tours, kids’ activities, raffles, prizes and a sidewalk sale.

For more information, go to valleyoutreachmn.org.

— Mary Divine