By Sara StrongAsk almost any longtime Luverne resident, and you’ll hear the same thing: "I’ve never seen anything like it." Winds at nearly 90 miles per hour swept the area Tuesday, Aug. 3, and returning appearances to normal could be a few weeks away.For most of the week, Luverne looked like a tornado touched down — but most of the damage was in trees. Some homes and vehicles, signs, fences and other property were damaged, but the downed trees were most visually striking. Mike Leach has worked throughout the country for Jacobsen Tree Service, cleaning up after storms. He said, "It is unusual that there isn’t as much damage to homes or cars, or even more windows broken, considering the amount of tree damage there was."All streets and alleys were passable by 9 p.m. Tuesday.The city is working alone from now on, and has to remove stumps, fix fences, cut hanging branches and replant trees.Public Works Supervisor Ken Vos said, "One good thing is, that trees can always grow back. Nobody lost their life or entire home."Accepting helpWith all the cleanup ahead, Vos said he is thankful for the extra help that came the city’s way."I can’t even mention everyone who helped because I’ll forget somebody," he said. "The entire Public Works Department is appreciative of all the help."The cleanup has stalled regular Public Works duties, like mowing, mosquito spraying and street patching, but the department is taking it day by day.Four private contractors and four city and county groups added extra labor and equipment to the Luverne crew. In all, 40 dump trucks were hauling trees, and 65 to 75 people were working on the cleanup each day.The city crew itself was expanded by adding other city employees.Vos said, "Everybody from the city mechanic to the liquor store manager helped. We had a lot of good workers out, and everyone I asked to help, did."City electric and water/wastewater workers also left most of their regular work to help the Public Works Department. City employees put in 928 hours as of Tuesday.Workers had taken about 1,200 loads of trees out of town by Tuesday.Vos estimated that if the department hadn’t had extra help, it would’ve taken the city until Thanksgiving or Christmas to get the cleanup project completed.The extra help from private contractors will cost the city about $120,000 in the end.City Administrator Greg LaFond said, "Considering that there was no loss of life and no injuries, and we lost 1,000 trees, the cost is unfortunate, but it is not unreasonable."One of the extra contractors, Don Gayken, of Don Gayken Trucking in Sioux Falls, S.D., said he was impressed with the city’s clean-up efforts and service. He said it’s more than he’s seen in most towns."I told the guys, ‘Boy, you really take care of these people. About the only thing you don’t do is vacuum their lawns for them,’" Gayken said.Paid workers aren’t the only ones helping to return the town to normal.Band students cleaned school grounds Thursday morning instead of their regular practice.Rock County, Jackson County, Rich DeSchepper, city of Hills, city of Edgerton, state of Minnesota, city of Marshall, Luverne Fire Department, Community Corrections all donated equipment and labor to the cleanup. Lewis Family Drug, Harveen Gluf, Joyce Bennett, Casey’s, Glen’s, Sears, Sheriff’s Department, Methodist Church, Medical Center, Jason Graves, Ace Hardware, Subway and Pizza Ranch all donated food, refreshments and beverages to workers.Minnegasco donated $1,000 to the city to go toward replanting trees. Save or don’t save a tree?Rock County Master Gardener Mary Tilstra contacted the Star Herald office shortly after the storm to issue a warning about salvaging damaged trees."While driving around Luverne and seeing all the tree damage, I was concerned about all the trees that were partially blown down," said via e-mail. "When people lose lots of trees, they often want to save any tree that they can. But a lot of these trees are considered 'hazard trees' and will need to be cut down."Tilstra encouraged property owners to contact the Extension Office or visit the Web site for an Extension bulletin," Storm Damage to Landscape Trees" that gives suggestions for treatment.The site is www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD7415.html"It's so sad to see all those beautiful trees destroyed," she said.