Contractor Gives Tips On Seeking Help Repairing Damage
Recent storms have left many people scrambling to find contractors to help repair damage. But how do they know they're not getting scammed?
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Recent storms have left many people scrambling to find contractors to help repair damage. But how do they know they're not getting scammed?
Several communities are cleaning up after powerful winds, heavy rains and at least four tornadoes tore through southern Minnesota Thursday night, leaving more than 70,000 people without power and some schools closed.
Severe thunderstorms developed Monday afternoon in central and southern Minnesota, causing damage in at least two communities.
Small tornadoes are to blame for some of the storm damage earlier this week in the south metro.
Alyssa Glover, who moved into her Cottage Grove neighborhood two months ago, woke up to a new landscaping project.
Some contractors and insurance companies are using drones to inspect homes for damage after storms.
Although weather officials said there were possible tornadoes Wednesday night in Olmstead County, there are no reports of damage.
Officials say the tornado that touched down in western Minnesota Tuesday evening caused no damage or injuries, but straight-line winds later in the night damaged farms and homes.
Blaine residents were busy on Monday, dealing with downed trees and damaged siding to waiting on contractors.
Matt Stachowski was seriously hurt after making electrical contact during storm clean-up in Becker on Sunday.
Many towns on the northern half of the Twin Cities metro found themselves pounded with heavy rains and enough hail to make it look like it snowed in June.
Authorities say a tornado that left one man dead and dozens hurt in western Wisconsin last week caused an estimated $10 million in damage.
Strong storms swept through Minnesota in two waves Saturday. Kayla Hegna took photographs Saturday morning as firefighters tried to save The Hawk Creek Lutheran Church in Sacred Heart Minnesota.
Minnesota apple orchards are reaping the benefits of a bumper crop this season, yet one grower in Watertown won't see the full harvest.
A Hudson man is shaken, to say the least, after lightning rocked his home last night. Lightning hit the roof, the power went out, and several appliances and electrical outlets were wiped out.
A severe storm swept through the Brainerd Lakes Area one month ago. It knocked out power for thousands in the area, and did extensive damage to homes and businesses. It took nearly a week before power was restored for some homeowners, and cleanup continues.
Federal officials are headed to the Brainerd Lakes Area on Monday and Tuesday to assess the damage after severe storms tore through the area earlier this month. Residents in the area will find out if the damage was enough for counties to qualify for disaster assistance.
Almost all of the 250,000 Xcel Energy customers who lost service early Saturday morning during severe storms have now had their power restored.
Xcel Energy says the number of Minnesota customers still without electricity after a weekend storm continues to shrink. A company spokeswoman says as of about 10 p.m. Sunday, the number of customers without service was down to about 5,400 around Twin Cities metro area.
The timing of the Saturday morning storm could not be worse for the Watertown area. The town was celebrating its annual Rails to Trails summer festival, but organizers canceled the event after surveying the damage.
The National Weather Service says an EF-1 tornado touched down in Carver County early Saturday morning during a loud and windy night of severe weather throughout the Twin Cities metro. The tornado caused extensive damage to trees and homes in Watertown and neighboring Hollywood Township.
A chorus of chainsaws and generator moans defines Jack Smith's Brainerd backyard. "I know the first place you go is to Fleet Farm, get a generator and try to get back in business," Smith said.
Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan will travel to the Brainerd Lakes area on Friday to tour storm damage. Dayton and Nolan also plan to meet with resort owners, emergency managers, local officials, residents and volunteers.
Parts of a Brainerd-area resort badly damaged by Sunday's severe storms are re-opening.
Storm cleanup continues in northern Minnesota during the height of vacation season. Some of the state's most popular resorts and campgrounds have shut down, causing many vacationers to make new plans.
Anthony Edwards returned to Minnesota with his All-Star Game MVP award and scored 40 points to help the Timberwolves hold off Dallas 122-111 in the 10th straight loss for the Mavericks.
A 15-year-old boy is in the hospital after the car he was driving, which was reportedly stolen, rolled at the end of a pursuit by a deputy in Becker Township Friday morning, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
A federal judge who took the extraordinary step of holding a government lawyer in contempt of court earlier this week blasted the Justice Department for its handling of immigration cases on Friday.
A major setback for President Trump's tariffs has left Minnesota businesses and shoppers in limbo.
One of the best goalies in Minnesota is on one of the best teams in the state. Chase Jerdee doesn't overcomplicate it.
A major setback for President Trump's tariffs has left Minnesota businesses and shoppers in limbo.
The Edina wife and mother of three said she felt called to go and protest in south Minneapolis after learning that Alex Pretti had been shot and killed by two Border Patrol agents.
A federal judge has ordered the release of a man who authorities say was fleeing from federal officers when he crashed in St. Paul last week.
Measles cases in the U.S. are rising at the fastest rate in a generation, and the trend now includes five cases in Minnesota since the start of the new year.
Prosecutors working on the case of Vance Boelter — the man accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in a politically motivated spree that also injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife — say they have not yet made a decision whether to pursue the death penalty.
A 15-year-old boy is in the hospital after the car he was driving, which was reportedly stolen, rolled at the end of a pursuit by a deputy in Becker Township Friday morning, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
A trial date has been set for a former Minnesota state senator charged in connection with an underage prostitution sting.
Two New London, Minnesota, brothers, who died when their UTV collided with a pick-up truck, are being honored in a special way.
Inside Port 104 restaurant and bar in Lake City, Minnesota, the reaction was absolutely electric when hometown hero Taylor Heise earned her her first Olympic gold medal.
Minnesotans got a brief taste of spring over the weekend, but the relief didn't last long, as a snowstorm pummeled parts of the Twin Cities and northern Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon.
Excitement is in the air in northern Wisconsin with the 52nd annual American Birkebeiner underway.
The longest-serving Assembly speaker in Wisconsin history, who acted as a block on the battleground state's Democratic governor and also drew the ire of President Donald Trump, isn't running again.
Wisconsin Republicans who long blocked a bipartisan measure to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage plan to pass the measure following pressure from Democrats.
Three people are dead after a house fire in a small western Wisconsin town early Saturday.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
The Edina wife and mother of three said she felt called to go and protest in south Minneapolis after learning that Alex Pretti had been shot and killed by two Border Patrol agents.
Tuesday afternoon, more than 20 people gathered on the Highway 62 bridge between Minneapolis and Richfield after a small protest sparked a confrontation there last week.
Karmel Mall has been mostly silent, with shops closed at the building on East Lake Street. Operation Metro Surge has caused many Somalis to stay home.
The ongoing presence of ICE and federal law enforcement in the Minneapolis area has kept many immigrants at home for fear of being arrested. Now, their neighbors are crowdsourcing to cover their rent.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations aren't only happening in the Twin Cities. Federal agents are also working in smaller towns, and in some, seeing similar resistance from the community.
A federal judge who took the extraordinary step of holding a government lawyer in contempt of court earlier this week blasted the Justice Department for its handling of immigration cases on Friday.
President Trump signed an order that will impose 10% tariffs on imports from all countries, just hours after the Supreme Court struck down a different set of sweeping global tariffs.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will join several other Democratic elected officials and well-known actors in giving unofficial responses to President Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night, according to a news release about the event.
The man accused of killing a top Minnesota House Democrat and her husband appeared in court Friday.
"I guess I can say I am considering that," President Trump told reporters when asked about the possibility of a limited strike on Iran.
On Friday morning, workers held a press conference to reflect on how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge has impacted the food industry.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
Amid ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, a local company is filling a desperate need for on-demand legal help.
Outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday, demonstrators, including many students and teachers, pleaded for Gov. Tim Walz to enact an immediate eviction moratorium to help families impacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge.
It's part of broader protests calling on the Minneapolis-based retailer to respond more directly to immigration enforcement.
A 15-year-old boy is in the hospital after the car he was driving, which was reportedly stolen, rolled at the end of a pursuit by a deputy in Becker Township Friday morning, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Prosecutors working on the case of Vance Boelter — the man accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in a politically motivated spree that also injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife — say they have not yet made a decision whether to pursue the death penalty.
A trial date has been set for a former Minnesota state senator charged in connection with an underage prostitution sting.
Jackie Rahm Little pleaded guilty to one count each of arson and damage to religious property for setting fire to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis in April 2023.
A man who was found guilty of killing three people at a Minneapolis homeless encampment was sentenced Thursday to 86.5 years in prison.
Measles cases in the U.S. are rising at the fastest rate in a generation, and the trend now includes five cases in Minnesota since the start of the new year.
It's a place that sees patients in the worst of times. And now, Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis is in the worst of ways.
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter. A physician with Hennepin Healthcare breaks down how long an individual may be contagious after they start to feel better.
North Minneapolis resident Kate Varns is a bonafide Ironman, meaning she's finished the toughest of toughest triathlons. But after surviving a stroke several years ago, that accomplishment paled in comparison to what laid ahead.
Dr. Michael Osterholm and Dr. Emil Lou, faculty members with the University of Minnesota, have been recognized by TIME as two of the 100 most influential people in health in 2026.
In April 2025, Eric Dane announced he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
The EP, released on Ash Wednesday and called "Days of Ash" is "of the moment we wish we weren't in . . . but are," Bono said.
"The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert criticized CBS on Monday night, saying the network blocked his interview with U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico from airing.
Anderson Cooper will report multiple stories for "60 Minutes" before the end of the television season in May.
Springsteen's Land Of Hope And Dreams tour will start March 31 at Target Center. Tickets will go on sale Friday at noon.
Anthony Edwards returned to Minnesota with his All-Star Game MVP award and scored 40 points to help the Timberwolves hold off Dallas 122-111 in the 10th straight loss for the Mavericks.
One of the best goalies in Minnesota is on one of the best teams in the state. Chase Jerdee doesn't overcomplicate it.
Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has earned the most gold medals at the Milano Cortina Games.
Mara Braun has made a spirited comeback for Minnesota this season.
Inside Port 104 restaurant and bar in Lake City, Minnesota, the reaction was absolutely electric when hometown hero Taylor Heise earned her her first Olympic gold medal.
The political fallout of Operation Metro Surge is expected to be long lasting not just in Minnesota, but across the country.
The political fallout of Operation Metro Surge is expected to be long lasting not just in Minnesota, but across the country. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Abou Amara, a Democratic analyst, and Amy Frederiksen, a Republican analyst, about the political impact.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty will send a letter this week, demanding DHS and DOJ turn over evidence in the shooting death of Alex Pretti.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says she will be sending a letter this week to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to demand they turn over evidence in the Jan. 24 killing of Alex Pretti by immigration officers in south Minneapolis.
Last month, activist Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested following a protest at a Minnesota church. In Talking Points, she shares why she felt it was important to protest, her arrest and White House's digitally altered photo of her arrest.
One of the best views in Minnesota is at the top of a Bloomington hill. But 15-year-old Jacob Larson isn't here for the scenery. He's here for the jump.
Pine trees are a common sight up north. But on a Carlton, Minnesota, road, they're joined by giant lollipops. They serve as the welcoming committee for Sweetly Kismet, one of the largest candy stores in the state.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
Northland Arboretum was built half a century ago on top of what was once a city dump. But over time, nature carved its own path with a little help from a Zamboni.
St. James is a smaller town with a main street and a railroad running though. But inside a local building, the main street and the railroad are even smaller.
On the first day of the Minnesota Legislature, artificial intelligence is giving visitors and lawmakers at the State Capitol a new sense of security.
From the flu to the common cold, viruses keep knocking out Minnesotans this winter. A physician with Hennepin Healthcare breaks down how long an individual may be contagious after they start to feel better.
White House border czar Tom Homan, without offering further explanation, claimed the federal immigration operation in Minnesota uncovered thousands of missing children in the state, but it's likely related to a much larger number the administration has been touting for a few years.
As our weather warms, love is also in the air. Valentine's Day is this Saturday, and while we know many of the traditions, Jeff Wagner wanted to get to the heart of the holiday.
The monthslong Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Minnesota has sparked ongoing protests, some measured tens of thousands of demonstrators, others just a few dozen.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
Feels-like temperatures in the Twin Cities on Saturday will be in the single digits due to windy conditions, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Excitement is in the air in northern Wisconsin with the 52nd annual American Birkebeiner underway.
Temperatures will be in the teens for much of Saturday in the Twin Cities, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer. Sunday will feature windy conditions.
The weather is looking a bit more cooperative for Saturday's American Birkebeiner ski race in northern Wisconsin. Officials earlier this week had to change the date and location of a few events due to the unusual warmth. NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso spoke to an executive director about the condition of the race trails.
Feels-like temperatures in the Twin Cities on Saturday will be in the single digits due to windy conditions, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
The group Neighbors United, created by members of the Somali community at Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, called for state help to offset their business struggles. It's also demanding for justice for Renee Good, Alex Pretti and other victims impacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Two Faribault police officers are being called heroes after they pulled five people stranded on a roof during a house fire to safety. The city's police chief says he shared video of the rescue with permission from the family.
Coming off a down year, the Minnetonka boys hockey program is back among the best in Minnesota. Ren Clayton got to know their goaltender, Chase Jerdee, one of the big reasons for the team's success this season.
Temperatures will be in the teens for much of Saturday in the Twin Cities, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer. Sunday will feature windy conditions.