SENATORS KLOBUCHAR AND SMITH TO VISIT NEW RICHLAND

Minnesota U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith will visit New Richland this afternoon (2:30) to survey damage from last weekend’s devastating flooding and discuss recovery efforts with residents and local leaders. Nearly nine inches of rain fell Friday into Saturday, flooding an estimated 80 percent of homes in the southern Minnesota community. The city now expects 10 to 12 homes could be declared total losses, and some low-lying areas still have standing water. State emergency-management officials have requested FEMA and Small Business Administration participation in a preliminary damage assessment, an early step toward determining whether federal assistance may be available.