Midwest

Minnesota bridge on verge of collapsing following torrential rain, flooding

Published

2 years ago

July 5, 2024

Minnesota bridge on verge of collapsing following torrential rain, flooding

A bridge near a Minnesota dam is on the verge of crumbling into the Blue Earth River following a barrage of heavy rain and flooding.

The County Road 9 bridge, a roughly 40-year-old bridge near the Minnesota city of Mankato, may topple over if the weather doesn’t subside to allow proper structural reinforcements to take place.

Heavy rain and flooding have pummeled the Midwest for days with Blue Earth River’s water levels rising dramatically, testing the structural integrity of the Rapidan Dam.

SECTION OF HOME FALLS INTO RAGING RIVER AFTER MINNESOTA DAM PARTIALLY FAILS, VIDEO SHOWS

The County Road 9 bridge, left, and the Rapidan Dam, right. The bridge is in danger of collapsing, officials say. (Michael Goldberg/AP)

The dam has already suffered a partial failure, which resulted in a house along the Blue Earth River near the dam falling into the river, and the dam store nearby being demolished. The Rapidan Dam is located about 14 miles south of Mankato in Southern Minnesota.

“Unfortunately, we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature at this point,” Ryan Thilges, the public works director for Blue Earth County told reporters Tuesday. He was flanked by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other officials who went to the dam to get an update on flood conditions and recovery efforts.

Thilges said that the bridge’s piers are piled through sediment and sit atop of sandstone bedrock, and not driven into the bedrock. The gushing water has washed some of the sediment away, putting the bridge’s stability at risk.

“All of the lateral stability for the piling was achieved through the sediment that was in place, that had been impounded in the river basin over the life of the dam,” Thilges said.

“So as we’re seeing dramatic levels of river head cutting, as the river’s lowering itself down and washing away tremendous amounts of sediment, we’re losing stability.”

He said the water is flowing too fast to take measurements of the sediment in the river or at the pier. Locals use the bridge to commute across the dam from rural patches of land to nearby towns.

MINNESOTA AMUSEMENT PARK STAYS OPEN WHILE CLOSING POPULAR RIDES AFTER UNPRECEDENTED FLOODING

Floodwater going around the Rapidan Dam on June 27, 2024, near Mankato, Minn. (Mark Vancleave/AP)

“Right now, again, we believe it’s approximately 50 percent exposed. And as the river level continues to decrease and cut the riverbed elevation down, we’re very concerned about the potential for partial or full failure of the bridge,” Thilges said. “With that being said, the bridge has been closed since the dam began to overtop Monday morning and we’ll continue to keep it closed for public safety.”

Officials say they began shoring up the west pier of the County Road 9 bridge last week with loose stones — known as rip rap — as an emergency mitigation strategy to avoid further exposure at the base of the pier. The riprap remains in place and the bridge remains closed as officials continue to monitor it for stability.

Walz said he fears the bridge will collapse and will need to be replaced. He gave locals assurances that it would be built back should the worst case scenario come to pass.

“The one thing I think Minnesotans should be reassured about… we will rebuild. The cost will be shared by all of us,” Walz said. “So, the burden will not fall on these county commissioners.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, left, speaks to Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges (Michael Goldberg/AP)

Last week, the governor’s office announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a federal disaster declaration for 22 counties in Minnesota impacted by flooding. State funding provided by the Minnesota Legislature will also be provided to help communities, Fox 9 reports.

The dam partially failed after heavy rain last week pushed water around the west side of the structure instead of through the gates of the dam.

Construction of the Rapidan Dam was finished in 1910. While it was built to generate electricity, it has been damaged by several rounds of flooding in recent decades. An April 2023 assessment conducted by the National Inventory of Dams found Rapidan to be in poor condition, and officials have been studying the possibility of removing it.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated for accuracy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for July 7, 2026

Published

3 minutes ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 7 drawing

02-31-35-36-63, Mega Ball: 12

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 7 drawing

Midday: 1-3-9

Midday Wild: 5

Evening: 8-5-4

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 7 drawing

Midday: 8-1-4-4

Midday Wild: 0

Evening: 2-6-7-0

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 7 drawing

Early Bird: 09

Morning: 08

Matinee: 15

Prime Time: 01

Night Owl: 10

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from July 7 drawing

12-16-17-28-31

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood faces frustrated constituents at second town hall of year

Published

13 minutes ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood faces frustrated constituents at second town hall of year

Bellevue, Neb — Some Nebraskans arrived early with signs outside U.S. Rep. Mike Flood’s second town hall of the year, hoping to press the congressman on issues ranging from food assistance to the conflict in the Middle East.

Rhonda Mays said she brought a sign to show Flood what some constituents think and to encourage others heading inside to speak up. “People walking by that plan on going in there need a reminder to speak out, to ask the right question, and don’t just go to listen but to actually challenge the representative,” Mays said.

Flood said Nebraskans are able to treat each other with respect while also having tough conversations.

During the hourlong event, attendees asked about a range of topics, including multiple questions about SNAP benefits. Some Nebraskans said there is a large population facing food insecurity. Flood responded, “I understand your concerns with SNAP I work often with the foodbanks and with Nebraskans that need assistance. I appreciate the question and I will double back with some of my sources when I get a chance this week, but I have not heard anything about that from any of my sources.”

The crowd became particularly rowdy during discussion of the conflict in the Middle East. Flood said, “We have no greater ally in the middle east than Israel. We have no greater ally than Israel.”

Asked about the outcry after the town hall, Flood reiterated his position, saying, “Isreal was attacked by Hamas; a terrorist organization and horrific things were done to Israelis. At the same time Hezbollah working to do the same on the northern border and then you have the Houthis. Israel has the right to defend itself and we would as well if we were put in that situation.”

Flood holds three town halls a year. It was not known where his third town hall will be.

The town hall was held in Bellevue.

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North Dakota

Gov. Armstrong seeks federal disaster declaration after storms cause $4.6M in damage across North Dakota

Published

43 minutes ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Armstrong seeks federal disaster declaration after storms cause .6M in damage across North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Gov. Kelly Armstrong on Tuesday requested a presidential major disaster declaration following a pair of severe storms that caused more than $4.6 million in damage across seven North Dakota counties.

Armstrong submitted the request through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, seeking federal public assistance funding to help cover the cost of repairing and replacing damaged public infrastructure.

The storms struck June 7-9.

The first round, on June 7, produced a derecho-like wind event with straight-line winds estimated between 80 and 100 mph. Two days later, supercell thunderstorms brought tornadoes, baseball-sized hail, and additional damaging winds.

“Just as communities were starting to clean up from the first round of storms on June 7, another round hit two days later, compounding the damage and complicating response and recovery for our citizens,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate the administration considering this request to help cover the cost of significant damage to public infrastructure from this one-two punch.”

The storms knocked out power to more than 25,000 people, toppled trees, and caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and public utilities. Preliminary damage estimates to public facilities, including debris removal, exceed $4.6 million.

Armstrong declared a state disaster on June 30 in response to the storms.

The federal request covers seven counties: Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, and Williams. A presidential major disaster declaration would make FEMA public assistance available to eligible applicants in those counties.

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