June 18 – Severe thunderstorms, packing heavy rains, left a trail of devastation across northeastern Minnesota tonight. Streets, roads, and highways across a wide area ended up being flooded or even washed out. One of the hardest hit communities was the City of Cook. The nearby Littlefork River overflowed its banks and flooded the downtown area. Businesses like the VFW, Comet Theater, Montana Cafe, and Frank’s Pharmacy had extensive damage from the high waters. Public safety and public works officials shut down streets leading into the downtown area. City officials and business owners are now assessing damages and preparing information that will be used to seek state and federal disaster assistance. Governor Tim Walz and other high ranking state officials toured the city and vowed to help restore the community’s public infrastructure.
