Blackhawk Helicopters and Predator drones are patrolling my city

[greg donovan]

i havent seen the predator yet but the blackhawks have been up and down the river all 24/7 for the last couple days. i am amazed at how loud they are compared to the regular life flight hospital 'copters.

despite them flying over head all day i still go to the window every time i hear one coming. i have been trying to get a pcture of one but they are always gone before i can get one.

they are keeping an eye on the dikes and levees along the red river.

[Kingsumo]

That is cool. Not necessarily the reason they are there, but to be able to see them in flight.

[greg donovan]

That is cool. Not necessarily the reason they are there, but to be able to see them in flight.

they are pretty neat looking and i am really happy they are here. they have big bags that they can fill up with 2 tons of sand bags to airlift into areas where there is a breach in the dikes and save a ton of time getting them where they are needed.

[Blandy vs Terrorism]

they are pretty neat looking and i am really happy they are here. they have big bags that they can fill up with 2 tons of sand bags to airlift into areas where there is a breach in the dikes and save a ton of time getting them where they are needed.

Sweet!



And they're fun to fly in, too!

[Kingsumo]

they are pretty neat looking and i am really happy they are here. they have big bags that they can fill up with 2 tons of sand bags to airlift into areas where there is a breach in the dikes and save a ton of time getting them where they are needed.

That can be a huge life saver. How bad are things looking there?

[RebootedCorpse]

Doesn't that make you feel safe?

[greg donovan]

That can be a huge life saver. How bad are things looking there?

pretty bad in the surrounding areas. but fargo and moorhead are looking pretty good as long as the dikes and secondary dikes hold. if the primaries fail some homes will be lost but the city will be safe.

[greg donovan]

Doesn't that make you feel safe?

yes it does.

[greg donovan]

Sweet!



And they're fun to fly in, too!

my wife's cousin is a blackhawk pilot out of bismarck, ND and he he is in love with the thing. his dad was a Huey pilot in vietnam. his dad actually got to fly with his son on the final huey flight in ND before they retired them here and switched to the blackhawks.

[Kingsumo]

pretty bad in the surrounding areas. but fargo and moorhead are looking pretty good as long as the dikes and secondary dikes hold. if the primaries fail some homes will be lost but the city will be safe.

Damn. That is kind of scary to have to worry about. Sounds like you should be safe though, ya?


my wife's cousin is a blackhawk pilot out of bismarck, ND and he he is in love with the thing. his dad was a Huey pilot in vietnam. his dad actually got to fly with his son on the final huey flight in ND before they retired them here and switched to the blackhawks.

How very cool to have that bonding experience.

[greg donovan]

Damn. That is kind of scary to have to worry about. Sounds like you should be safe though, ya?



How very cool to have that bonding experience.

the entire city is holding their breath for the next week or so.

school has been out since wed the 25th and wont open back up 'till the 6th of april.

the colleges are closed as well as most businesses.

we are totally safe. our only concern is the power and water staying on.

[Kingsumo]

the entire city is holding their breath for the next week or so.

school has been out since wed the 25th and wont open back up 'till the 6th of april.

the colleges are closed as well as most businesses.

we are totally safe. our only concern is the power and water staying on.


I wonder how that will impact the school year. And that sucks for the business. Economy is tough enough without having to lose business like that. :(

[dasNdanger]

we are totally safe. our only concern is the power and water staying on.

Glad to hear that - about being safe, that is. Water is such a powerful force - you really don't know - you think it won't be so bad...until it's too late. So, stay safe, and I hope the city makes it out of this okay.


das

[greg donovan]

I wonder how that will impact the school year. And that sucks for the business. Economy is tough enough without having to lose business like that. :(

they havent said yet. but since it is a disaster of this magnitude i dont think it will extend the year at all. but who knows. my daughter is really bummed out. she is in 1st grade when kids still love going to school.

our economy has been doing really well here in fargo thanks to the hard work of our senators and reps. they have built up a pretty diverse economic base here.

hopefully this wont set us back too much.

[greg donovan]

Glad to hear that - about being safe, that is. Water is such a powerful force - you really don't know - you think it won't be so bad...until it's too late. So, stay safe, and I hope the city makes it out of this okay.


das

thanks!

[Kingsumo]

they havent said yet. but since it is a disaster of this magnitude i dont think it will extend the year at all. but who knows. my daughter is really bummed out. she is in 1st grade when kids still love going to school.

our economy has been doing really well here in fargo thanks to the hard work of our senators and reps. they have built up a pretty diverse economic base here.

hopefully this wont set us back too much.

Aww, that is too bad then. I guess that makes sense though. I know with all the snow we had here this year, it got extended out, but you are dealing with quite a different scenario.


That is surprising, but good to hear. Especially since everywhere else seems to be doing less so.

[greg donovan]

Aww, that is too bad then. I guess that makes sense though. I know with all the snow we had here this year, it got extended out, but you are dealing with quite a different scenario.


That is surprising, but good to hear. Especially since everywhere else seems to be doing less so.

cabin feaver has set in with the kids. every time i turn my back i expect to find several stuffed animal heads on spears surrounding the playroom doors.

i can deal with that as long as they dont bash me over the head with a boulder to steal my glasses to make fire.

[Kingsumo]

cabin feaver has set in with the kids. every time i turn my back i expect to find several stuffed animal heads on spears surrounding the playroom doors.

i can deal with that as long as they dont bash me over the head with a boulder to steal my glasses to make fire.

:lol: Excellent reference there, sir.

[greg donovan]

:lol: Excellent reference there, sir.

the circus is supposed to be in town next weekend. perhaps they need a few more 4 foot tall clowns...

[Kingsumo]

the circus is supposed to be in town next weekend. perhaps they need a few more 4 foot tall clowns...

Four foot clowns?

*shudders*

[greg donovan]

Four foot clowns?

*shudders*

not a fan of clowns?

my youngest spent the day in a super girl costume.

[costello]

The army is now hovering over our gay community? What the hell happened to this country?

[greg donovan]

The army is now hovering over our gay community? What the hell happened to this country?

:)

[hotdogdownahallway]

You are aware they are doing this to gather intelligence and for surveillance?

[Kingsumo]

not a fan of clowns?

my youngest spent the day in a super girl costume.

Oh, not even a little. I have always found them super creepy.


How very adorable :)

[greg donovan]

You are aware they are doing this to gather intelligence and for surveillance?

beware the black helicopters.

[greg donovan]

Oh, not even a little. I have always found them super creepy.


How very adorable :)

same here, clowns and mascots creep me right the fuck out.

especially mascots. you have no idea what the hell is going on behind those hollow eyes. i hate their "wacky" antics and i am disturbed byt he fact that you have idea what they will do next.

her sister didnt think so as it was her old costume that no longer fits her. a fact of which she is in total denial.

[Kingsumo]

same here, clowns and mascots creep me right the fuck out.

especially mascots. you have no idea what the hell is going on behind those hollow eyes. i hate their "wacky" antics and i am disturbed byt he fact that you have idea what they will do next.

Hm. I had not heard of a fear of mascots before. I guess because the assumption is they are less likely to go homicidal at a moments notice.

But shit, now I am going to be eying the next one I see.

[Kingsumo]

her sister didnt think so as it was her old costume that no longer fits her. a fact of which she is in total denial.

It really is tough to grow up sometimes.

[greg donovan]

Hm. I had not heard of a fear of mascots before. I guess because the assumption is they are less likely to go homicidal at a moments notice.

But shit, now I am going to be eying the next one I see.

as well you should.

[greg donovan]

here is a great article about our mayor:

http://www.valleynewslive.tv/artman2/publish/valleynewslive_topheadlines/11204.shtml


He's the rumbling voice of Fargo's flood fight, the 6-foot-5 big guy from a small town who tempers a gruff exterior with constant quips and a tendency to break down in tears when he visits volunteers.

Now Mayor Dennis Walaker faces his biggest test as residents count on him to save their city from the swollen Red River.

Those who know him best say he's up to the challenge.

"I don't think we would want anyone else in this situation," Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn said. "He's Denny. He's authentic. People like that."

For Walaker, a native of nearby Leonard, N.D., who spent 32 years working for the city before he was elected mayor in 2006, flood fighting is nothing new. As director of the city public works department, he was on the front lines during the 1997 Red River flood, when Fargo escaped the devastation that ravaged Grand Forks. His confidence and humor during press briefings made him a hero among citizens and a media favorite.

He has shown the same flair in the current crisis, leading a frantic weeklong sandbagging effort to raise the city's dikes to 43 feet. The mayor was cautiously optimistic about predictions Saturday that the river was ebbing after reaching nearly 41 feet on Friday.

Walaker usually begins each morning's flood briefing with a joke. One day he told residents they should conserve water by showering together.

Fargoans have applauded their mayor at community meetings, even some who were told that their houses would be on the wrong side of backup levees if the river topped the reinforced dikes. He told residents that once it was all over, he would buy everyone a beer.

"Dennis is like one of those big teddy bears," said Brad Wimmer, another Fargo city commissioner. "Dennis has been to tears several times during this flood, with neighbors and friends and working with staff."

Eva Fredrickson professed her love for the mayor Saturday at Teamsters Hall. She said his approach to the flood instilled confidence in everyone.

"He just looks like an ordinary man to me. An ordinary, run-of-the-mill man," Fredrickson said. "He's not highfalutin' and acting like he knows more than anyone else. He makes people feel real good. And every once in a while he tells a little joke."

Walaker was 65 years old when he decided to run for mayor in June 2006. When someone told him it was a good idea to run for city commission first, he said he didn't want that job. He promised a modest campaign and delivered, getting 34 percent of the vote against five challengers. Flood protection was at the heart of Walaker's platform.

"It was a field of very good candidates and they all spent a tremendous amount of money," Piepkorn said. "Mayor Walaker basically spent nothing and won."

Fargo's city offices are nonpartisan, and Walaker leaves people guessing about his politics. He voted to keep a Ten Commandments monument outside city hall. He also attended a summit of mayors against illegal guns.

Walaker tried out for the basketball team at North Dakota State University, but he didn't make the cut. He didn't hold it against the school, later becoming president of the NDSU booster team.

When the NDSU men's basketball team qualified for the NCAA tournament earlier this month, Walaker said his beloved Bison had a "positive effect on everything." Then the first flood forecast was released.

"This wasn't the kind of March madness I anticipated," he said.

The biggest display in his office is an embroidered poster from the Coen brothers movie "Fargo." While many residents were offended by the parody, believing the thick accents and simpleton characters put their city in a bad light, the poster is a testament to Walaker's sense of humor.

He also can speak bluntly when others might urge caution.

When an 8-year-old girl died after the car she was riding in spun out of control and was struck by another car, Walaker blamed the crash on a rut that the city failed to fix. He thought it was important to let the driver — the victim's 15-year-old sister — know it wasn't her fault, and he wasn't worried that it could open up the city to a lawsuit.

He angered some Grand Forks residents earlier this month while talking about flood protection. Walaker said the reason Grand Forks received money for a floodway was because that city failed during the 1997 flood. Walaker said he didn't mean to slam Grand Forks — but he didn't back down.

Earlier this week, Walaker admitted he was exhausted by days of fighting the flood and by years of fighting for money for permanent flood protection.

"This is getting old, guys," Walaker said. "Or I'm getting old. That's probably true on both ends."

[greg donovan]

we lost some diking and flood walls around the private grade schools by the river this morning.

they tried very hard to control the water but it was just too much. all of the buildings at the campus have water in them now.

the secondary dikes that were protecting the rest of the neighborhood are holding.

the water is predicted to hever right around 40-41 feet for at least a week.

sandbag production has resumed again to build up a bigger reserve of bags.

just learned that this is the firs time predators have been used in this way.

[dasNdanger]

we lost some diking and flood walls around the private grade schools by the river this morning.

they tried very hard to control the water but it was just too much. all of the buildings at the campus have water in them now.

the secondary dikes that were protecting the rest of the neighborhood are holding.

the water is predicted to hever right around 40-41 feet for at least a week.

sandbag production has resumed again to build up a bigger reserve of bags.

just learned that this is the firs time predators have been used in this way.

Thanks for this. I've been away from the news all day, and have no idea what's going on. Hope those dikes keep holding...and I hope folks can keep their spirits up for the duration. Stuff like this - even if nothing major happens - is just so stressful on a community, and it can be really draining on everyone. So hang in there, and please keep us posted!


das

[greg donovan]

the river is slowly going down and we are returning to some sense of normalcy for now.

12 million gallons of water were flowing down the river every 50 seconds when the river was at its peak.

here is a fun link from last night's The Daily Show about CNN's coverage:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=220617&title=cnn-stop-the-press

we may have a second crest later in april thanks to all this damn heavy we snow we just got.

[Gunter]

Sweet!



And they're fun to fly in, too!

It's even more fun to jump out of one.

[dasNdanger]

the river is slowly going down and we are returning to some sense of normalcy for now.

12 million gallons of water were flowing down the river every 50 seconds when the river was at its peak.

here is a fun link from last night's The Daily Show about CNN's coverage:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=220617&title=cnn-stop-the-press

we may have a second crest later in april thanks to all this damn heavy we snow we just got.


Good to hear things are slowly starting to settle down. Glad you and yours are okay!


das

[EasyE726]

You got one of these patrolling your city:

http://blogs.thetimes.co.za/stompies/files/2009/02/predator.jpg

?

[jugglersdespair]

we may have a second crest later in april thanks to all this damn heavy we snow we just got.

And if the National Weather Service is correct there's a good chance it will surpass the record setting crest we had last weekend. Mayor Walaker doesn't believe it's going to be near that but it appears it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

Holy shit when is this going to end?

[greg donovan]

And if the National Weather Service is correct there's a good chance it will surpass the record setting crest we had last weekend. Mayor Walaker doesn't believe it's going to be near that but it appears it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

Holy shit when is this going to end?

yeah, it is really getting to a little less than fun at this point.

[RegHorsten]

i havent seen the predator yet but the blackhawks have been up and down the river all 24/7 for the last couple days. i am amazed at how loud they are compared to the regular life flight hospital 'copters.

despite them flying over head all day i still go to the window every time i hear one coming. i have been trying to get a pcture of one but they are always gone before i can get one.

they are keeping an eye on the dikes and levees along the red river.

They are called lesbians. Do a lot of lesbian women congregate around the waters shoreline in your state?

[dasNdanger]

And if the National Weather Service is correct there's a good chance it will surpass the record setting crest we had last weekend. Mayor Walaker doesn't believe it's going to be near that but it appears it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

Holy shit when is this going to end?


yeah, it is really getting to a little less than fun at this point.

yeah, just heard something about this on the news...and here I thought it was about over. This sucks...


das