We took a different way home from the movie this evening. We went over and got on the Highway 36 freeway westbound that would end at I-35 as it snaked down toward downtown Minneapolis. We knew what would happen. Continue reading →
August, 2007
3
Aug 07
Wendy responds to concerned friends
Hi you guys-
thanks for you note, Jean. Yes our family and friends are ok here. My sister-in-law’s mother approached the bridge 10 minutes after it went down, traffic obviously was being re-routed at that point. creepy. Continue reading →
3
Aug 07
Photos of the bridge collapse not in the media
These are not in the media. The photographer must have arrived on the scene minutes after the collapse because authorities obviously did not yet have control of the scene.
Letters to the Star Tribune August 3, 2007
http://www.startribune.com/letters/story/1340580.html | | Username = lafondblog | Password = lafond
2
Aug 07
A letter to Minnesota Sen Amy Klobuchar
Dear Sen. Klobuchar: It’s not as sexy as a new baseball stadium or as macho as a new war in the Middle East. It’s no the kind of thing that has a constituency. No lobbyists. Only a few nerdy civil engineers writing report cards from dusty hidden offices. No one gets on a bus to Washington, DC, to demand that the government DO something to ensure that our nation’s bridges, water systems, steam service lines and power grid are up to modern standards. Not until yesterday. Continue reading →
2
Aug 07
Bridge in Troubled Waters
We’re not in the natural disaster business here in the center of the country. We don’t have either of the oceans at our doorstep. There is no large lake on which a large ship can sink in a withering storm. We have tornadoes that barely warrant mention, occasionally mussing our hair a bit but not doing much more. Rain comes our way and Dave Dahl runs his hand through his receding blond hair and tells us how many minutes is the storm from our zip code and block. During 9/11 authorities decided to evacuate the IDS Center, 55 stories, the tallest building in Minnesota. It seems a little silly now. Continue reading →
2
Aug 07
Years of neglect
Since this is front page news in the London Times and the New York Times there isn’t a lot I can say to illuminate. Here is a ink to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s slide show. One of their photographers,Jeff Wheeler, is part of our block club. We’ve been watching TV for about four hours now and we’re drained.
Tribune day one photo gallery | Username: lafondblog | Password: lafond
2
Aug 07
Incremental Terrorism
HI All … Yes, the gov and Norm Coleman showed a unified front even as they spoke in separate news conferences. They even used the identical phrase when speaking of the victims and their families “who were impacted.”
But even more painful than their horrendous choice of language is their insistence on methodically eroding the quality of life in this state (to echo what Patrick said about the neglect, the cuts). Continue reading →
2
Aug 07
Four Point Six Miles
According to Google Maps we are 4.6 miles away from the east bank anchor of the I-35W bridge. It is not a structure we use very much because the natural alternative routes are the more logical way to go. A friend called from California and was concerned about some friends who live straight south of us in Saint Paul. She hadn’t been able to reach them. Continue reading →
1
Aug 07
The Collapse of I-35W Bridge
If you turn on your news about now you will learn that Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River which carries more than 100,000 cars a day has collapsed in its entirety during the tail end of rush hour. All fire-rescue departments in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are being asked to go to the scene. National Guard helicopters on the scene. Emergency helicopters evacuating injured. News helicopters asked to leave the scene. Cell phone system is overwhelmed and customers are being asked to not use their cell phones if possible. This is about 15 minutes by car from our house. We can hear sirens of vehicles rushing to scene. This occurred at 6:01 pm. Continue reading →