SILVER LAKE, WI — Piles of carpeting, water-soaked furniture and countless household items dotted the lawns of homes closest to the banks of the Fox River Monday.
Blue portable toilets sat on some residential streets while orange cones and “Road closed” signs blocked others.
Nearly a week after river-swelling rains and heavy flooding swept through Kenosha County, some residents were still cleaning out their homes, hoping for a quick return to normal after some of the worst flooding in recent memory.
Uncertain future
While some homeowners are rolling with the punches, others, like Shaun and Debbie Goshinsky of Salem Lakes, are looking at an uncertain future.
“We lost everything,” said an emotional Debbie Goshinsky. “We’re living out of totes. The water came to the top of the floor-level kitchen cabinets. Everything is ruined, totally ruined.”
The Goshinskys were forced from their home at 7816 Shorewood Drive. The flooding has left the couple homeless.
“I want to keep my home, Debbie said. “My husband’s paycheck goes to pay the mortgage. I have worked three jobs to keep this home. We don’t have money,” said Debbie.
They currently are living with a son and are likely to stay with other offspring in the coming months.
The couple tried to salvage some of their keepsakes, especially items that belonged to Debbie’s mother, who died in February. Piles of water-soaked carpeting, toys and other items were lying on their front lawn.
Walter Ellis, a former volunteer firefighter, was pumping water out of his Silver Lake home Monday, waiting to hear from an insurance adjuster.
“In the 17 years that I’ve been here, the Fox River has never gotten this high,” Ellis said. “It’s flooded two times in eight years, but not to this level.”
The street that winds behind his house remains covered by water. His vegetable garden is underwater. He fears the plants now are contaminated.
“I guess i won’t be eating these zucchini,” he said, pointing to the produce in the garden.
Carpeting, the hot water heater, a freezer, a washer and a dryer were lost.
Red Cross aid centers
The Red Cross has established aid centers in the former Silver Lake Village Hall and at Salem Grade School. Flood victims can pick up bottled water, bleach and cleanup kits. Eligible homeowners will be offered financial stipends to cover some of their expenses. Temporary shelter is available at the school.
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Flooding Destroys All Wisconsin Bank's Cash
Bank's president says the Fed has to replace it
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 19, 2017 1:17 AM CDT
(Newser) – Flooding last week destroyed all the cash in the vault of a southeastern Wisconsin bank. Fox River State Bank president Keith Polleck won't disclose exactly how much money was ruined, but he says the Federal Reserve will have to replace every dollar, the AP reports.
Polleck toells WISN-TV that the vault at the bank in Burlington, 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee, is water-resistant but not waterproof. As the Fox River rose above flood stage, water flooded the bank, rising up to 21 inches deep inside the facility. Now that the river is back below flood stage, restoration crews have started to clean up. The bank's documents are drying, though most are backed up electronically.