News Cut: December 19, 2007 Archive

Bridge help

Posted at 6:04 AM on December 19, 2007 by Bob Collins (0 Comments)

Five months after the I-35 bridge collapsed, and almost a month after the state set up an emergency fund for victims, it's still unclear how those affected by the collapse get help, at least if an e-mail to MPR News this week is any indication.

"I was in the middle of the bridge when it collapsed," Emily Paden of St. Paul said. "My car was the black Grand Prix that is pictured all over the news. I fractured my back in two places and was out of work for 6 weeks. I wore a brace for 8 weeks, and even though I am declared 'healed,' there isn't a day that goes by where my back is not in pain.

"The government has had almost no contact with the bridge survivors unless they seek it. I am aware that there is a victims relief fund, however I have no idea how a victim is suppose to access this."

I sent this up to Jim Schwartz at the Minnesota Department of Administration, the agency that is overseeing the emergency fund. He reports that the first step is to call the claims helpline at 612-766-3920. And his department is going to contact Ms. Paden.

But her comments are a reminder, especially to us in the media, that we should be doing more to make some of this information available.

There is also the Minnesota Helps - Bridge Disaster Fund (Apply for assistance.) Much of the fund remains untapped, according to the Associated Press. The theory is that people are still trying to figure out what their needs are, but it appears possible that many bridge victims just don't know what they're supposed to do to get assistance.

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Christmas comes to Cass Lake

Posted at 8:46 AM on December 19, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

I'm taking today off for a day of Christmas shopping, but I'm pleased to add one more uplifting post. Last week, I wrote about a computer glitch threatening Christmas for many of the kids in Cass Lake.

Thom Blackbird, from the Cass Lake Family Center sends along this update.

How good people whupped up on the Grinch!!

I wanted to update everyone about Christmas in Cass Lake. Through the efforts of a great group of people the Cass Lake Family Center will be able to put on the toy giveaway.

Sharon Mitchell of the Horizons Program, Joanne Stately of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, Bob Collins of MPR, The Palace Casino and Leech Lake Gaming, John Parsons of Channel 9, Paul Bunyan Broadcasting in Bemidji, The Longville Area Women of Today, Nancy Ludwig, Tech Builders, Peter Ruten,Susan Beaulieu, Steven Papocky,Kathryn Wesley,Laurine Cecil and others who shall remain anonymous. To those and all others who will contribute, we of the Family Center extend our deepest thanks!

May the creator bless you all with health and well being.

Thom Blackbird
Cass Lake Family Center.

Nice!

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Saving history

Posted at 10:33 AM on December 19, 2007 by Bob Collins (0 Comments)

One of the more intriguing images from the live TV coverage of the fire in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington was the removal of items of furniture from the floor that was on fire. One firefighter dragged out a table of some sort, pushed it up onto a railing and was ready to let it go, as if he was fighting a blaze at Joe's Trailer Park and Bait Shop.

For all I know, it was a little something someone picked up WalMart. Or it was a one-of-a-kind, hand carved, cherry table presented to the U.S. from the King of Somewhere.

How would the firefighters know? That the table didn't take a tumble from the burning building at least suggests that fighting a fire in a historic building requires more finesse than just putting the fire out.

And, in fact, it does. The government commissioned a study years ago and came up with a "compartmentalization" approach, in which fire protection is designed around "compartments" within the building, according to Richard Forrest at buildingconservation.com.

The assessment also needs to consider any occupier requirements that may have an effect on fire strategy. For example, where a stately home or a museum is concerned the need to salvage artefacts could well represent an important factor in the final definition of the fire plan for the premises. Having identified and quantified fire risk, the basis of fire safety design must be defined, always taking into account the requirement to satisfy life safety issues, and to balance property protection issues against physical intrusion.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society has put together a disaster plan for historic buildings, although it doesn't specifically address firefighting issues.

(Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

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Photograph of the year

Posted at 5:34 PM on December 19, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

This is the "of the year" time of the year, a time for newsies to dredge up stuff that's old and present it as new. We'll have stories of the year, quotes of the year, people of the year, grinch of the year, songs of the year, and idiot of the year.

UNICEF, the United Nations organization, has already jumped the route with the picture of the year. It comes from freelance photographer Stephanie Sinclair.

"The groom, Mohammed, looks much older than his 40 years. The bride, Ghulam, is still a child; she just turned 11. 'The UNICEF Photo of the Year 2007 raises awareness about a worldwide problem. Millions of girls are married while they are still under age. Most of these child brides are forever denied a self-determined life,' says UNICEF Patroness Eva Luise Köhler at the award ceremony in Berlin. According to UNICEF, there are about 60 million young women worldwide who were married before they came of age, half of them in South Asia."

The second and third place pictures (see link above) are equally disturbing. "Favorite" is the wrong word choice here, so let's just say the photograph of a child celebrating atop a red sofa in the darkness of a garbage dump is the type of image that can keep a good person up at night.

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