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May 4, 2009

Cornish serves Dam pies

Republican representative shows off local Dam Store

By Robb Murray

RAPIDAN — Isn’t it just like Tony Cornish to show up at the Capitol with 11 dam pies?

“Every year I’ve been up there, I buy treats for everyone on my birthday,” Cornish said Monday on his way — dam pies on board — to the Capitol. The Republican representative from Good Thunder turned 58 Sunday.

This year the treats are coming from The Dam Store, the well-known local restaurant perched a few dozen feet away from the Rapidan Dam. If you haven’t had a slice of pie from The Dam Store, know this: The pies are damn good.

Heading up with Cornish were 11 fruit pies. Cream and meringue pies were out because he didn’t have the means to keep them refrigerated. So the House floor populace was to be treated to berry and apple pies as well as a scoop of ice cream.

Different this year is that Cornish is adding a message to the meal. While he’s planning no proposed legislation this year, in the future (maybe even next year) he may put forth a bill that would send a little more money to the Rapidan Dam.

The dam needs an energy dissipater, which is a fancy way of saying a concrete apron of sorts is needed below the dam to prevent further undermining.

Cornish has other plans for the dam, too. He wants better connections made to area bike trails, and electronic binoculars at either end for site-seers, at a quarter a pop, to get a better look at the dam.

Also part of his dam mission is getting Blue Earth County’s commissioners to change their minds about how the nearby park can be used. Currently, only so-called “primitive” camping is allowed. Cornish, who agreed with the county’s decision at the time, now says it was a mistake, one that has adversely affected the dam experience, and the pie-producing Dam Store.

“The ‘primitive campground’ has been a flop of an idea and has really hurt (The Dam Store),” Cornish said. “We could make that place (the park) the crown jewel of Blue Earth County.”

Says Dam Store owner Jim Hruska, “This is the oldest and prettiest campground in southern Minnesota.”

For today, pie is the focus. Last year Cornish brought enough White Castle hamburgers for everyone on the House floor. In years past, he and another representative, whose birthday falls within a few days of his, jointly brought sheets of cake, usually with a theme design on top.

Hruska said he’s proud of his pie. Monday morning before Cornish picked up the pie, Hruska and the Dam Store crew cut the pies into pieces.

Cornish has been an active representative when it comes to the dam. He helped get $60,000 to fund a study, and another half million for upgrades.

He hopes he can convince the County Board to allow smaller campers to come in, “But maybe not the big RVs,” he said. “We’re losing to Lura Lake and all the other ones in the area.”

He said he’s also hoping for the county’s help in replacing the Dodd Ford Bridge on County Road 147 near Amboy.

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