Over the past week, working downtown is becoming hazardous. Thursday, there was a gas leak behind the building I work in, and I was never informed. I found out today that there was a fire on the 8th floor of the building I work in on Saturday. And then today, this happens…

Downtown streets, businesses reopen after suspicious package cleared
Mike Nowatzki, The Forum
Published Monday, October 29, 2007

A suspicious-looking package found this morning in an alley behind Moxie Java in downtown Fargo turned out not to be a bomb, allowing businesses and streets to reopen about 10 this morning on the east side of the 100 block of Broadway.

The Red River Valley Regional Bomb Squad used two water blasts from its robot, and a member wore a protective bomb suit, to determine the package wasn’t a threat.

… read the rest …

I work at 118 Broadway … right across the street from Moxie Java.

My Mom called me before I left for work to tell me about it (which freaked me out in itself … Mom calling that early in the morning … can’t be good). I wasn’t sure what to expect … if I could get to my parking lot or if I could even get in the building. It turned out that I could do both. I was on the “safe” side of Broadway, I guess. Robin called about 8am or so. She heard about what was going on and wanted to make sure I knew about it (especially since I wasn’t informed about the gas leak last week). It’s good to know I’ve got friends looking out for me.

I really wish I could see a picture of the “suspicious” package. The newspaper reported that it was a mannequin head with wires coming out of it attached to a computer tower. Someone went to a lot of work to put that together. Chris, Justin, and I were talking about it … Chris said it was probably someone’s art project or something … LOL. Who knows. I just hope nothing else crazy goes on downtown any time soon … at least not while I’m at work.

Downtown Fargo buildings evacuated after skid-steer loader hits gas line

Several buildings in the area of First Avenue North and Broadway in downtown Fargo were evacuated about 10:15 a.m. today after a skid-steer loader hit a natural gas line in an alley.

[snipped]

Eileen Ketcham was among the workers in the Black Building at 118 Broadway evacuated by firefighters. She said she didn’t smell gas in her mezzanine-level office, but firefighters told her they detected gas in the basement.

…read the entire article …

I found out about this around 1pm when a former co-worker ICQ’d me. And I WORK IN THE BLACK BUILDING!!! The article says that they evacuated the Black Building … apparently it wasn’t the entire building … or at least not 4th floor. I guess we’re just not important enough.

I understand that the gas probably didn’t make it up to the 4th floor, but if there was gas in the building, there was a chance of an explosion. And if there had been one … me being on the 4th floor … I would have been screwed. That building could have had some MAJOR LIABILITY on their hands. I don’t know who to blame … the building management or the fire department. Either way, I was less than happy to find out about this well after the fact. If it involves an area that I am in … I DESERVE TO KNOW!!!

It doesn’t do any good to complain to either management or the fire department now. But I hope if this ever happens again (and I hope it does NOT), they’ll inform the ENTIRE building.

My mom called me earlier tonite when I was at the grocery store to tell me about a bridge collapse in Minneapolis. It was on 35W over the Mississippi River during rush hour. Part of an article from the local newspaper’s website is below.

Freeway bridge collapses into Mississippi River during rush hour in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS - The entire span of an interstate bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

The Interstate 35W bridge, which spans between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was under construction when it broke into several huge sections.

It was not clear how many people were injured. A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab, while at least eight cars and a truck were submerged in the river.

Read the rest

I’ve been watching the coverage … flipping between the local channels and national new channels. The pictures/video is just amazing (and NOT in a good way). All those cars. I heard a report that there were 50 cars involved or that went in the river, I don’t know for sure. The bridge has 8 lanes and it was during rush hour. The ABSOLUTE WORST time for it to happen.

And I believe some former co-workers of mine are in Minneapolis now. I don’t know for sure, but I think I remember hearing that Mike got a job there. I’ll have to ask Justin tomorrow at work. If they are there, I really hope they are both okay.

I’m also checking out news stories on various websites … CNN, MSNBC. I guess they’re having a press conference at about 8:30pm. I just can’t imagine something like this happening. I’ve been on that bridge before … back when I was little and one of my aunts (and uncle) lived there.

I’m gonna go and watch the coverage. Like I said before … I REALLY hope Mike and Amy are okay if they do live there. And I hope there are very FEW casualties.

Yesterday, Carla mentioned hearing in the news that someone was beat up on the MSUM campus. It turned out it was the intern that was working for them (they are in our old office, which is across the hall from our current office). I found this article on the Forum website this morning: Possible hate crime incites students (a snippet follows since you have to register (for free) to read the articles)

Local college students are speaking out about an assault on a Minnesota State University Moorhead senior last week that police are investigating as a hate crime.

Paul Marquardt, 23, of Edina, Minn., said he was attacked Thursday night by four men slinging homophobic slurs at him as he walked to his car. The men shoved him down and he was knocked out, waking up a few minutes later, face down in the dirt.

In response to the attack on Marquardt, a local gay rights group has organized a march Thursday on MSUM’s campus to raise awareness and stop hate crimes.

Moorhead Deputy Police Chief Bob Larson said such attacks are unusual and police have no suspects and little to work from in the ongoing investigation.

Marquardt said he has no idea what the men look like.

Then on the news tonite, they had a story about it … that things didn’t add up. And I found this article on the Forum’s website … Police refute hate crime claim (again, a snippet of the article)

Moorhead police said late this afternoon they do not believe a hate crime occurred on the Minnesota State University Moorhead campus.

On Friday, MSUM senior Paul Marquardt, 23, of Edina, Minn., told police he was attacked by a group of people Thursday night who yelled homophobic slurs at him as he walked to his car.

He said the men shoved him down and he was knocked out.

Moorhead police, noticing some discrepencies in what Marquardt was telling people, questioned him further and Marquardt eventually stated he was not confronted by attackers and did not hear anti-gay comments.

Police said Marquardt maintains he was pushed down and injured by persons unknown.

Now, I have met this guy, but don’t really know him. I do know that from what others have said, he’s not the “brightest bulb on the tree”. If he did give a false report, that’s just sad … and wrong. It should be interesting the next time he comes in to work.