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23 Jun 2011 18:47

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U.S.: Rising flood waters force evacuations from Minot, ND

  • The waters are rising: The scene in Minot is looking pretty bad at this stage, and the forecast is not heartening — flooding unprecedented for the region is prompting the government to issue evacuation notices, as officials will deliberately release more waters from the Lake Darling Dam to mitigate the crisis (the dam is near Minot as well as other towns). The expected drainage will be three times what Minot could handle, all but assuring the damage and destruction of countless homes. Our thoughts are with these victims, and we hope people will prioritize their own safety. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jan 2011 13:32

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U.S.: Sen. Kent Conrad will not seek reelection in 2012

  • After months of consideration, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2012.
  • Senator Kent Conrad • The moderate Democrat announced his pending retirement this morning. He’s been in the Senate since 1987, representing North Dakota, a fairly conservative state. With his announcement, the Democratic Party is likely feeling some angst that a new window of congressional opportunity may be opening for their Republican counterparts. Conrad scoffed at the notion he feared losing a potential reelection bid, insisting his age was his primary motivator (Conrad is 62). source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 Dec 2010 12:54

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U.S.: Protip: Don’t drive your car in North Dakota today

We heard a rumor about there being a 100-car pile-up somewhere in this mess in North Dakota, but we can’t seem to make it out. Too much freaking snow. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 Sep 2010 13:33

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U.S.: North Dakota lake gobbles up buildings, towns

  • over the last twenty years, North Dakota’s aptly-named “Devil’s Lake” has almost quadrupled in size, and will probably continue doing so for the next ten years. It’s swallowed hundreds of buildings, thousands of acres, and even two towns. The problem lies with the fact that it’s a “closed basin,” meaning there are no natural waterways by which rainwater can flow out of the lake. So, it just gets bigger and bigger. For an idea of how big, check out AP’s interactive map. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2010 11:01

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U.S.: North Dakota has lots of jobs. But why is homelessness up?

  • 19% increase in homelessness from 2008 to 2009 source
  • » But why? The reason might surprise you – as will the deceptiveness of the number above. In 2008, 832 people were homeless. In 2009, 987 were. That’s a far cry from your average major city. The state has 4 percent unemployment, so there are plenty of jobs. But there aren’t enough homes for people to live in, causing some to make do, for example, in cars parked in Wal-Mart parking lots. There are waiting lists for homes in the state. How crazy is that?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Jan 2010 20:14

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U.S.: Sen. Byron Dorgan, along with his 60th vote, plans to retire

  • The North Dakota senator was seen as super-vulnerable. The clock is ticking on the Democratic supermajority in the Senate, which promises to have many kinks in its armor come November. With Dorgan’s retirement, the seat will likely flip to the Republican column. Even before this, he was seen as one of the most vulnerable senators. Peace, brah. Loved the three terms. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Dec 2009 10:56

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U.S.: Merry Christmas! Here’s a trucker complaining about the weather

  • The wind is killer, especially when you’re empty. Anything that’s boxed, like a refrigerator trailer like I have … becomes like a giant sail in the wind.
  • Trucker Jim Reed • While stopped in Omaha. Reed is trying to drive through a rough winter storm that’s covering the Midwest and Plains states this morning. Parts of Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Texas have blizzard warnings in effect, according to the National Weather Service. Good luck out there today, guys. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

07 May 2009 20:52

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Culture: Police: “Hey, Ron White’s about to smoke a cigar! Wait for it …”

  • The comic got nailed for breaking anti-smoking laws. White, who (by the way) is the only remotely funny Blue Collar Comic, was performing at a show in Bismark, N.D., where smoking in public places is illegal. A plainclothes officer went there specifically to see if White would smoke, and took notes. He nailed the comic taking three puffs from a cigar. Count ’em! Three! White could be fined up to $500 for the far-too-anal incident. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Mar 2009 11:05

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U.S.: Fargo’s mayor: We’re not out of the woods yet with this flood

  • The campus is basically devastated. They fought the good fight. They lost and there’s nothing wrong with that. Those things will continue to happen. I guarantee it.
  • Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker • On the fate of Oak Grove Lutheran School, which flooded after a flood wall broke last night, sadly. Flood levels will be at dangerously high levels for another week, so this could happen again. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Mar 2009 17:45

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U.S.: The flooded Red River appears to have crested. Whew.

  • The good news, or shall we say the cautiously optimistic news, is that the river is behaving rather nicely for us now.
  • Greg Gust • National Weather Service spokesperson, on the lowering levels of the Red River, which should pose relief for North Dakota cities, specifically Fargo. At 41 feet, it’s still higher than the area’s ever seen. As we’ve said before, fingers crossed, guys. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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