Street lights around Lake of the Isles to be repaired by end of next week, park commissioner says
Walking and running around Lake of the Isles is a regular routine for Kris Ensrud and her dog Kellie.
"You're starting to see it be darker, especially when I start out," said Ensrud. Ensrud's start time is before dawn, so she noticed when lights around the lake started going dark last winter.
"Like infectious disease, just spread around," said Ensrud.
About half the lights around the lake currently are not working, she said, calling it problematic. In the meantime, her dog has been wearing a reflective vest and she has been wearing a light of her own.
"The lights are a safety feature. I think we need them for safety," said Ensrud. "I'm not just talking about assault or something like that, I'm talking about bikes and humans . . . so that we can see each other."
The city has said the problem is due to copper wire theft. Back in May, city officials announced they would spend $1 million to fix 450 street lights that were out across the city.
"It feels like we're in northern Minnesota, and we can look out, and you're almost ready to see northern lights, because it can be that dark around the lake," said Arden Haug, the pastor at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church. "I think there is a sense of danger."
Amid that darkness are signs of progress. Every day this past week, Haug said he has seen workers repairing the lights.
Park Comissioner Elizabeth Shaffer wrote on Facebook said that "14 lights are done and the rest should be complete by the end of next week!"
WCCO reached out to the city for more information on their progress regarding light restoration since May, but did not hear back.
"We keep getting more excited that one day we're going to have lights, but it hasn't happened yet," said Haug.
Meanwhile, Ensrud wants to remain hopeful.
"I think it would be great. Great for the city and great for the neighborhood," said Ensrud.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Atlantic may get its first hurricane of the season - and it has the US in its sights
A tropical storm churning in the Atlantic may become not only the first hurricane of the North American 2025 season, but also the first to bring severe tropical storm conditions to the continental U.S. this year. Tropical Storm Erin is gaining power in the eastern Atlantic, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. The storm began as a small cluster of rain storms off the western African coast, but has now intensified and could be designated as a hurricane as soon as Wednesday, according to CNN. While the first hurricane of the season, on average, shows up by August 11, major hurricanes don't typically start forming until at least the first of September. But forecasters believe Erin could be an unseasonably early major storm. That is thanks, in part, to a lack of barriers to its intensification. "Several factors are working in its favor, including lack of dust, warm water and a lack of disruptive breezes," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. Hurricane season in the U.S. typically lasts from June 1 to November 30. Forecasters believe the storm will move west over the Atlantic for the next week and will then begin a slight northwest curve from Thursday to Friday. That course adjustment should prevent the main body of the storm from hitting the northeast Caribbean. AccuWeather warned that residents of Bermuda and the Bahamas should keep informed about the storm's progression and direction. In some scenarios forecasted, Erin will turns north and away from the U.S. But if the storm becomes powerful, the tropical storm conditions at its periphery could stretch for 100 miles or more, meaning even a northward turn might bring severe storms, high winds, and damaging surf and rain to the coastal U.S. In that scenario, the east coast of the U.S. from North Carolina to New England would likely bear the brunt of the storm. "Any development could bring impacts for a large swath from the Caribbean to the United States East Coast," AccuWeather warned in a social media post. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that it would release advisories on Tropical Storm Erin sometime on Monday. If storm does spin up into a hurricane, it will become the first hurricane in a season that the NOAA predicts will be more active than usual. The NOAA believes between 13 and 19 named storms will whip up, and of those that approximately six to 10 will become full fledged hurricanes — with wind speeds of 74 miles per hour or greater. The NOAA believes three to five hurricanes will become major Category 3, 4, or 5 storms, which have 111 mph wind speeds or greater. The federal agency said it had 70 percent confidence in its forecast. 'This outlook is a call to action: be prepared. Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you're ready before a storm threatens," NOAA's National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said in a statement.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Milwaukee area drying out after weekend rain causes record flooding on multiple rivers
CORRECTION Severe Weather MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee area began drying out Monday after weekend rain hit unofficial state records of more than 14 inches (36 centimeters) in less than 24 hours, leading multiple rivers to flood at record-high levels, washing out vehicles, flooding basements and cutting power to thousands of homes. No fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning from the storms that began Saturday night and stretched into Sunday. Road closures were more isolated Monday as flood warnings continued in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties. About 3,000 homes in the area remained without power as of Monday morning. Tom Groppi told WISN-TV that the basement of his Milwaukee home never flooded in more than 50 years, but he had 3 feet (about 91 centimeters) of water in it this weekend. 'What are you going to do?' he said with a laugh. 'I've been lucky.' The National Weather Service predicted more rain for the area Monday night, but nothing like the prolonged deluge Saturday into Sunday that caused the flash flooding. 'We are not expecting the level that we saw over the weekend, but there could be some areas that get some heavy downpours," said Sarah Marquardt, a National Weather Service meteorologist at the Milwaukee/Sullivan office. That could prolong areas with standing water but not result in additional flooding, she said. The National Weather Service said four rivers in the Milwaukee area hit record-high levels over the weekend. The official two-day rain total at the Milwaukee airport of 6.91 inches (about 17.6 centimeters) was the second-highest on record, Marquardt said. The record was 7.18 inches set in June 2008. The single-day total at the airport on Saturday of 5.74 inches (about 14.6 centimeters) was second only to the record of 6.81 inches set in 1986, Marquardt said. Unofficial two-day rain totals in the 10- to 12-inch range, with one reading exceeding more than 14 inches (about 35.6 centimeters) in northwestern Milwaukee County, would set record highs for the state once verified over the coming weeks, Marquardt said. The current state record is 11.72 inches (about 29.8 centimeters) set in 1946. The Kinnickinnic, Milwaukee, Menominee and Root rivers all hit record highs over the weekend, with the Milwaukee River going more than 4-feet over flood level, Marquardt said. A teenager clinging to a tree branch and standing on a submerged log was rescued by firefighters on Sunday afternoon after getting swept away in quickly moving water on a road flooded by the Root River in Franklin, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Milwaukee. He was rescued by firefighters on an inflatable boat about 100 yards (91 meters) downstream from where he entered, the Franklin Fire Department said. He was unharmed. The flash flooding led to the cancellation of the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis outside of Milwaukee on Sunday, as well as USA Triathlon's Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee. Thousands of athletes from around the country were expected to participate in that event. Firefighters responded to over 600 calls including for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Tropical Storm Erin Forms Far Out in the Atlantic
When a hurricane is approaching and the authorities issue an evacuation order, you may not have much time to protect your home and your family from the storm — and from flooding — before you must head for safer ground. Here's what you can do to get ready ahead of time, ride out a storm safely and bounce back after the skies clear. Before the Storm Make a family plan. Prepare an emergency kit, including cash, prescription medicines and three days' worth of food and water (for people and pets). If your house floods and you can't return immediately, these will be is essential. Be sure to consider provisions for those with special needs, like older people. If you need help coming up with a list, this one from Wirecutter, a New York Times company, has suggestions for any household. If you live in a coastal area, it's important to be familiar with community evacuation plans, evacuation zones and evacuation routes. Plan a meeting spot for your family. Deanna Frazier, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said that forgetting to do that was one of the most common mistakes when Hurricane Harvey landed as a Category 4 storm in Texas in 2017. 'Cellphones may not work, or you may not have your cellphone with you,' she said. 'There were a lot of people who were looking for loved ones and disconnected from them. Those are the kinds of things that you need to think about.' Listen to local news reports for the most up-to-date information on how to prepare and when to evacuate. 'The biggest issue I see people running into is that they just wait too long,' said Alberto Moscoso, a former communications director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management. 'When it comes to hurricane and storm preparation, now is always the right time.' Protect your documents and valuables. Photograph or scan important documents like driver's licenses, Social Security cards, passports, prescriptions, tax statements and other legal papers. Upload the images online for safekeeping. Store physical documents in a fireproof, watertight container, or take them with you. FEMA's Emergency Financial First Aid Kit has a checklist of documents that you would be likely to need to claim insurance and other benefits. When the time comes to evacuate, take irreplaceable keepsakes with you, if possible. Otherwise, move belongings with sentimental or monetary value upstairs or to high shelves where floodwaters might not reach them. It's common for people to underestimate where and how high the water will go. If possible, make sure that your home has flood insurance. Most homeowners' policies do not cover flood damage, and flood insurance policies generally take 30 days to become effective. As the Storm Approaches Bottle water and freeze food. The Food and Drug Administration recommends switching your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest possible settings and moving fridge items to the freezer so they will stay cold longer if the power goes out. A tightly packed freezer can stay cold for as long as 48 hours without power. If you can't fit everything into the freezer, add containers of ice to the fridge. Keep thermometers in the fridge and freezer, so you can check the temperature when you return. Anything that has remained at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is safe to eat. Move pantry items and a supply of bottled water to high, secure shelves, so they will be safer from floodwaters. Take stock of household chemicals. Look for any potentially dangerous products, like bleach, ammonia or drain cleaners. Check in the garage as well as the house. Make sure all their lids are tightly closed, and move these items to high shelves, as far from potential flooding as possible. Chemicals that mix into floodwaters can be hazardous to your health and may cause fires and explosions. Think about power. Move electronics, small appliances, portable heating systems and other things with wires to upper levels and high shelves — as far away from water as possible. If you have a portable generator, keep it away from moisture. (Never use it indoors, or plug it into a wall outlet.) Clear the yard and secure the windows. Trim and safely dispose of tree branches that might break and fall during hurricane winds, or become projectiles if left on the ground. Secure rain gutters and downspouts, and clear any clogged areas that might stop water from draining from your property. Move bikes, trash cans, outdoor furniture, grills, tanks and building materials to a secure place, either indoors or tied down, as these can fly in high winds. Board up your windows to prevent leaks and broken glass, and, where necessary, secure doors with storm shutters. Image Shop windows were boarded up in Boquerón, P.R., in anticipation of Tropical Storm Dorian in 2019. Credit... Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press After the Storm Stay safe. Avoid driving or walking through floodwaters, which can be hazardous in many different ways: They could be electrically charged from downed or buried power lines; they could conceal debris like glass, dead animals or even venomous snakes; they could be contaminated with sewage or hazardous chemicals. Just six inches of moving water can knock a person down; a foot of fast-moving water can destabilize a vehicle. Don't enter your house until officials say it is safe to do so. To avoid electrical hazards from flooding, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker panel, or ask for professional help. Proceed inside with caution — don't touch electrical equipment, and use a flashlight to light your way rather than anything flammable. When in doubt, throw it out. Only bottled water, canned and well-packaged foods may be safe to consume after a flood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises throwing away any food that may have come in contact with water. If cans get wet, remove their labels and wash the cans in a bleach solution before opening them. Waterborne diseases are also a risk. Drink fresh bottled water if it is available; if it is not, boil water according to C.D.C. guidelines before drinking it. Clean up properly. Hazardous chemicals, mold, asbestos and lead paint are some of the potential dangers in the aftermath of a flood — so follow official recommendations and wear gloves, eye protection and face masks when on any flood-damaged property. Before beginning to clean up and remove debris, take photographs of your home its general condition and any damage and contact your insurance company; after that, air the place out and remove any water-damaged items. This is the most important step in minimizing the growth of mold, which can cause asthma attacks, eye and skin irritation and allergic reactions. Johnny Diaz and Kate Christobek contributed reporting.
