Tennis-ball-size hail that pelted central Stearns County on Tuesday evening damaged vehicles and hundreds of homes in the area, authorities said Wednesday.At least 100 homes received hail damage in the city of Albany, said the city's fire chief, Dean Mitchell. Mitchell said the city sustained four rounds of hail starting after 5 p.m. Tuesday.Freeport Fire Chief Noah Van Beck on Wednesday reported similarly widespread damage in that city. Van Beck estimated that almost every home in Freeport had storm damage, mostly to roofs, siding and windows.Mitchell said Stearns County Road 157 between Albany and Freeport was flooded and closed for a period of time during the storms.Insurance agencies in the area also were deluged. The Dina Pierskalla State Farm Insurance Agency in Albany received "hundreds" of home and automobile claims Wednesday morning, agent Lynn Pennie said."It's definitely a different town today," Pennie said. "There are contractors everywhere. The town is hopping."Mitchell said contractors soliciting repair business door-to-door in Albany are required to obtain solicitors' permits from City Hall.Church of Seven Dolors was one of many spots in Albany that looked disheveled after the storms.The church's maintenance employee, Kevin Shay, said 17 windows at the parish rectory were damaged in the storm, as well as several windows on the parish school and streetlights surrounding the church. Shay couldn't estimate the cost of damage done to church facilities, but predicted it would be sizable."It's going to be pretty costly," Shay said.
- RSOE Edis
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