WI - 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapses!

[panthera]

CNN - More remains found.

thanks for posting, Buzz

 

[Buzz Mills]

thanks for posting, Buzz

Here's the article:

More human remains found at bridge site

MINNEAPOLIS - Human remains were recovered Sunday from the site of the Mississippi River bridge collapse, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department said.

The remains were found at about 2:30 p.m. They were not immediately identified.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070812/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse

 

[cheko1]

They were lucky today the weather held out for them...
lastnight we had very bad storms. I felt so bad I knew the divers had to quit & there jobs were going to be that much worse.

 

[Buzz Mills]

They were lucky today the weather held out for them...
lastnight we had very bad storms. I felt so bad I knew the divers had to quit & there jobs were going to be that much worse.

I wish they would show day-to-day photos so we could see the changes. Today they removed the school bus from the bridge.

 

[panthera]

8 minutes ago

MINNEAPOLIS - Divers found another body in the Mississippi River on Sunday, 11 days after a highway bridge collapsed into the fast-flowing water, raising the official death toll to nine.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office identified the body as 20-year-old Richard Chit of St. Anthony. His mother, 50-year-old Vera Peck of Bloomington, is still missing.

The other three people known to be missing are Christine Sacorafas, 45, of White Bear Lake; Greg Jolstad, 45, of Mora; and Scott Sathers, 29, of Maple Grove.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070813/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse_281

 

[SadieMae]

I'm watching another discussion on the bridge collapse this morning, and they are wondering if this collapse is enough to trigger a shift in our (nation's) priorities. They figure it will take $188 billion to fix our bridge problems. I think it will take much, much, more, especially considering all of our antiquated crumbling infrastructure in our country.

Our present priority is Iraq and Afghanistan at the cost of $15 billion per month. This $15 billion per month doesn't consider, or include, the replacement of National Guard, and U.S. Military equipment, nor does it consider the long term care of our injured, and handicapped soldiers, many with brain injury.

They spoke of much of our gas tax highway money, up to 40%, being used for pet projects, restoring unused lighhthouses, bridges to nowhere, etc. I
It isn't about raising taxes, as much as it is about, shifting priorities on the way our tax money is presently spent.

Yes Buzz, and from new thread, Bush want to give Mexico MILLIONS to fight drugs. I hate it when they TAKE from us taxpayers and GIVE the money in another country! We have so many things right here in the USA that would benefit those paying the freaking bills!!!!!!! I don't have a problem about paying taxes if it goes to taking care of our own.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Yes Buzz, and from new thread, Bush want to give Mexico MILLIONS to fight drugs. I hate it when they TAKE from us taxpayers and GIVE the money in another country! We have so many things right here in the USA that would benefit those paying the freaking bills!!!!!!! I don't have a problem about paying taxes if it goes to taking care of our own.

SM, I am hoping that noone will take offense, because when these respective bills come up in the Senate, and the House, I'll be reminding everyone to email their Congress persons; I'll even provide the email addresses. We all need to speak up if we want to change things in our country.

 

[panthera]

SM, I am hoping that noone will take offense, because when these respective bills come up in the Senate, and the House, I'll be reminding everyone to email their Congress persons; I'll even provide the email addresses. We all need to speak up if we want to change things in our country.

I totally agree, Buzz! Our priorities shouldn't be to help everyone else when there are things in this country that need attention ~ like the infrastructure. Drugs, imo, aren't as important as keeping everyone safe on a daily basis.

 

[Camper]

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not have fax ability on my puter. BUT I do have a fax machine in my garage that is sort of an antique, but I am going to dig it out and set it up on the end of my kitchen counter and start shooting some faxes out.

Buzz, put those fax numbers out again.

I do believe those elected people show up each day for work, and sit there forgetting where they came from and WHO elected them to do the work of the people that pay their nice salaries.

The old saying that the Squeaky wheel gets the oil will work for us all, if we squawk enough.

.

 

[cheko1]

Count me in too! I'll write letters like crazy too.

 

[cheko1]

8 minutes ago

MINNEAPOLIS - Divers found another body in the Mississippi River on Sunday, 11 days after a highway bridge collapsed into the fast-flowing water, raising the official death toll to nine.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office identified the body as 20-year-old Richard Chit of St. Anthony. His mother, 50-year-old Vera Peck of Bloomington, is still missing.

The other three people known to be missing are Christine Sacorafas, 45, of White Bear Lake; Greg Jolstad, 45, of Mora; and Scott Sathers, 29, of Maple Grove.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070813/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse_281

Thanks panthera for the link.....
I wonder where his Mom Vera Peck is at? I'd of thought since they were in the car together they'd of found them both. Maybe they were unable to get to her.
I was just coming to post they'd found him!

 

[FlowerChild]

I was writing my elected officials long before this bridge collapsed. We are spending BILLIONS a day on a war I do not support (troops yes, war no), on building a totally useless fence at the border, on fighting drugs we cannot possibly eradicate or stop from entering the country - by giving the MONEY to other countries. I support humanitarian assistance and sending troops for humanitarian reasons. I support stopping poaching and illegal fishing with troops or money. I support making sure people are assisted after natural disasters with troops or money. Otherwise our money and troops are needed HERE!

We can and do help many people and countries BUT - we MUST MUST take care of our own health needs, disasters, environmental issues, endangered species and infrastructure FIRST!

We are not going to stop drugs and people from getting to the USA no matter HOW much money we throw away trying. If the economy in other countries was improved both their citizens and their drugs would stay there - without fixing THAT we have no hope of stopping the influx of people or drugs to the US with things like task forces and fences. For all we know the countries are BUYING illegal drugs with OUR money - once they have the $$$ we have no control over how it's really used.

And do NOT get me started about the money we are pouring into the war. How many US bridges could we rebuild for what we are spending in ONE MONTH in Iraq? How many pedophiles could be ferreted out and removed from society? How many drug addicts could get a free month in rehab? How many needy kids could go to college? How many homeless people could have a safe, warm/cool place to sleep at night and 3 meals a day? How many seniors could get FREE prescription drugs? How many poor children (and their parents) could get medical and dental care? How fast would New Orleans get on the road to recovery? I am tired of other people and places getting the "best" while we get the dregs and have bridges collapse and families murdered in their own homes by drug addicts and children kidnapped and murdered and abused by pedophiles. Where are our taxes going? Somewhere else to help someone else or for a drug war or border defense we know won't work no matter how much we spend on it.

People are dying HERE - and will continue to die here - but it sure seems nobody cares about US - but they sure keep taking our hard earned MONEY.

My Opinion, Really

 

[cheko1]

:clap: :clap: :clap: Great post FlowerChild!!!!

I was writing my elected officials long before this bridge collapsed. We are spending BILLIONS a day on a war I do not support (troops yes, war no), on building a totally useless fence at the border, on fighting drugs we cannot possibly eradicate or stop from entering the country - by giving the MONEY to other countries. I support humanitarian assistance and sending troops for humanitarian reasons. I support stopping poaching and illegal fishing with troops or money. I support making sure people are assisted after natural disasters with troops or money. Otherwise our money and troops are needed HERE!

We can and do help many people and countries BUT - we MUST MUST take care of our own health needs, disasters, environmental issues, endangered species and infrastructure FIRST!

We are not going to stop drugs and people from getting to the USA no matter HOW much money we throw away trying. If the economy in other countries was improved both their citizens and their drugs would stay there - without fixing THAT we have no hope of stopping the influx of people or drugs to the US with things like task forces and fences. For all we know the countries are BUYING illegal drugs with OUR money - once they have the $$$ we have no control over how it's really used.

And do NOT get me started about the money we are pouring into the war. How many US bridges could we rebuild for what we are spending in ONE MONTH in Iraq? How many pedophiles could be ferreted out and removed from society? How many drug addicts could get a free month in rehab? How many needy kids could go to college? How many homeless people could have a safe, warm/cool place to sleep at night and 3 meals a day? How many seniors could get FREE prescription drugs? How many poor children (and their parents) could get medical and dental care? How fast would New Orleans get on the road to recovery? I am tired of other people and places getting the "best" while we get the dregs and have bridges collapse and families murdered in their own homes by drug addicts and children kidnapped and murdered and abused by pedophiles. Where are our taxes going? Somewhere else to help someone else or for a drug war or border defense we know won't work no matter how much we spend on it.

People are dying HERE - and will continue to die here - but it sure seems nobody cares about US - but they sure keep taking our hard earned MONEY.

My Opinion, Really

 

[panthera]

Thanks panthera for the link.....
I wonder where his Mom Vera Peck is at? I'd of thought since they were in the car together they'd of found them both. Maybe they were unable to get to her.
I was just coming to post they'd found him!

I'd think they would've been together too, unless she was washed down the river? Not knowing of course, if the car was crushed or if she could've gotten out of it somehow. I can't find any news updates for today.

 

[cheko1]

I'd think they would've been together too, unless she was washed down the river? Not knowing of course, if the car was crushed or if she could've gotten out of it somehow. I can't find any news updates for today.

I listened to the local news / they never said anymore bodies were found.

Divers probably won't go down tomorrow. We've been hit with severe storms. They say that will halt diving. They're saying 3 to 4 inches of rain. Will be close to impossible for divers to get into the water way to dangerous. Have more on the way for tonight also.

 

[Buzz Mills]

China bridge collapse kills 22

BEIJING - A bridge under construction as a tourist attraction in central China collapsed, killing at least 22 people and leaving 46 missing, China Central Television reported Tuesday.

The official Xinhua News Agency said 64 people were rescued, including 22 who were injured when the 1,049-foot bridge spanning the Jiantuo River in Hunan province collapsed Monday. The cause of the collapse was under investigation, it said.

The bridge in Hunan's Fenghuang county had four decorative stone arches and was scheduled to open at the end of this month, Xinhua said. It collapsed as workers were removing scaffolding from its facade, it said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_re_as/china_bridge_collapse

 

[Buzz Mills]

New bridge design presented in Minn.

MINNEAPOLIS - The preliminary design for a new interstate bridge doesn't include any room for a memorial to the victims of the collapsed span or other key features, worrying city leaders who could jeopardize the breakneck schedule to rebuild the critical transit link. State authorities need support from the Minneapolis City Council to get the new bridge built by December 2008 and ease traffic in the gridlocked region.

But at it's first airing Tuesday before the council, members complained that it wouldn't accommodate a future light rail line and lacked features to make the bridge more like a memorial. "I think the public is asking for a distinctive bridge," said Councilwoman Diane Hofstede. "This is a bridge that got international attention and was the scene of a terribly tragedy." The Minnesota Department of Transportation said it wants a vote of support from the City Council, called municipal consent. Without it, the bureaucratic hassle could delay construction. "To keep the aggressive timeline, having the city's consent would certainly enhance that prospect," said Bob McFarlin, assistant to the state transportation commissioner.

The old Interstate 35W bridge collapsed Aug. 1 during the evening rush hour. Divers and other rescue crews have recovered nine bodies since then. Four people remain missing in the murky Mississippi River and are presumed dead. Navy divers stayed out of the river Tuesday after heavy rains overnight made the currents too treacherous to resume the search, said Randy Mitchell, a spokesman for the dive operation. Salvage contractors used the break to remove debris from the site, something that would be too dangerous to do with divers in the water.

The preliminary design released Tuesday shows little more than an aerial view of a 10-lane span, two lanes wider than the old bridge. It will be up to a contractor, to be chosen from an initial field of five, to flesh out the design for the bridge, which should last 100 years. State officials have projected the bridge replacement will cost between $200 million and $250 million, and they want most of the construction costs to be covered by relief money from the federal government. Officials have said they are concerned a light rail line would not get federal funding. Meanwhile, Minnesota will get another $133.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to ease congestion on Interstate 35W south of the collapsed bridge, between downtown Minneapolis and the southern suburbs, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office announced. The grant, part of a national program to cut congestion, can be used for toll lanes, bus rapid transit and bus lanes, more park-and-ride lots and efforts to push telecommuting and other traffic-reducing measures.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse

 

[Buzz Mills]

New bridge design presented in Minn.

MINNEAPOLIS - The preliminary design for a new interstate bridge doesn't include any room for a memorial to the victims of the collapsed span

SNIP

lacked features to make the bridge more like a memorial. "I think the public is asking for a distinctive bridge," said Councilwoman Diane Hofstede. "This is a bridge that got international attention and was the scene of a terribly tragedy."

SNIP

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse

I'm going to protest the Memorial aspect expense of this bridge. Spending extra money is uncalled for, especially considering how much money is going to be required to fix the antiquated infrastructure in this country. If we begin memorializing every unfortunate accident in this country there won't be anywhere to draw the line; all accidents are unfortunate. This bridge wasn't a "Grand Structure" before and frankly I don't feel like helping pay for a "Grand Structure." Better to just build a brdige that is sturdy and strong, rather than Gaudy and Majestic.

Councilwoman Diane Hofstede
Email: [email protected]

Minneapolis City Council
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/

 

[cheko1]

I'm going to protest the Memorial aspect expense of this bridge. Spending extra money is uncalled for, especially considering how much money is going to be required to fix the antiquated infrastructure in this country. If we begin memorializing every unfortunate accident in this country there won't be anywhere to draw the line; all accidents are unfortunate. This bridge wasn't a "Grand Structure" before and frankly I don't feel like helping pay for a "Grand Structure." Better to just build a brdige that is sturdy and strong, rather than Gaudy and Majestic.

Councilwoman Diane Hofstede
Email: [email protected]

Minneapolis City Council
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/

Thats Mn for you Buzz.....the light rail also don't have to be included in it. You can see now why there was no money set aside for the bridge the bureacrats used it all on there penny ante ignorance.

Gov Pawlwnty brought Hmongs over from Viet Nam. None of them have to work, they're given free housing, food stamps, a monthly check, send them to schools free & don't have to pay any taxes! Welcome to Mn!!!

Thank you for the email addresses I've sent them letters. I also asked them to consider using any extra money towards a new bridge between Mn & Wis before the Stillwater bridge collapses too.

 

[AlohaGal]

I'm going to protest the Memorial aspect expense of this bridge. Spending extra money is uncalled for, especially considering how much money is going to be required to fix the antiquated infrastructure in this country. If we begin memorializing every unfortunate accident in this country there won't be anywhere to draw the line; all accidents are unfortunate. This bridge wasn't a "Grand Structure" before and frankly I don't feel like helping pay for a "Grand Structure." Better to just build a brdige that is sturdy and strong, rather than Gaudy and Majestic.

Councilwoman Diane Hofstede
Email: [email protected]

Minneapolis City Council
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/

I agree! Build it strong and safe, add a plaque, and dedicate it to "the memory of...". No need for bells and whistles. Not trying to be cynical just logical!
Call me SuperTramp!
Bowing out now, I must be going stir-crazy. :behindbar