March snow melt brings April and May flooding. To be honest, I'm not surprised to hear the news and I'm actually surprised it hasn't come every other year as well. There's nothing like a good ol' fashioned flood to make spring more interesting. As in 2009 and 2010, it looks like the Fargo area is gearing up for another flood this year. And I'm sure we're all very excited about it; but at least we're prepared.
Original numbers showed a lower chance of the Fargo area flooding again, but now the numbers are new and it seems that the likelihood of a major flood is high. The good part is, though, is that officials are aware of the situation and can take action now instead of when it's too late. Although we may not be able to know how bad things could get, it's better to be safe then sorry--at least, that's what they say. If we're lucky, officials won't have to gear up for finding hundreds (or thousands?) of volunteers and hours upon hours of sandbagging and workers can just use the heavy machinery to get dikes made.
Likely more permanent steps will be taken to protect the area from this years fate and the years to come. I have a feeling the area is in it for the long run when it comes to floods. What shocks me about this whole situation is that there have been two other major floods in the recent past and yet we still have to work on building permanent flood protection. I believe that's called learning from the past, but hopefully this year steps will be taken and the years to come will be without worry of possible floods.
For those in the Sheyenne River Valley, there is good news. There is only about a 50% chance that a major flood will occur. Many factors play into the possibility of flooding and things could easily change, but for now it looks that we're in the clear for major flood issues. The numbers may be in, but I still have my doubts. I'm expecting another fun filled spring full of water and sandbags, but only time will tell.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Long Live the Ya-Yas
It's hard to find inspiring news stories in our world today. Every once in awhile, though we see a story that catches our eye and we can't help but read it. This article in the Fargo Forum caught my attention especially, because it relates so well to my life. It's a story about 7 best friends who have kept in touch throughout all the years they have been friends...they're now called the Ya-Ya's.
These 7 friends all grew up in Sabin, MN, going to school, church and spending time together at community events. After attending school in Sabin, they went to Moorhead for high school, going their separate ways after graduating in 1965. It's been 50 years since that time and they still maintain their friendships that were as close now as they were then. They were dubbed the Ya-Ya's after one of the women's daughters realized the women reflected the characters in the movie The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
The comedy from 02', The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, is a movie set in Louisiana about 4 best friends who make their own club or "sisterhood" and share their lives together through thick and thin, hard times and the good. The movie stars Ellen Burstyn, Ashley Judd, Sandra Bullock, James Garner and Maggie Smith and centers around Bullock's issues with her mother Ellen Burstyn. Although the movie focuses on one of the women's daughter's, it is an easy movie to relate to.
Life is short, but it's also a beautiful thing and it should be spent with people you love and who accept you for who and what you do. I think that's what makes this story so refreshing, exciting and easy to relate to. My life isn't filled with oodles of people, but the ones I do have around me are my support group and I honestly like to think this story could be my friends and I someday. We haven't hit the point in our lives where we have husbands, careers and children, but even when we do, we'll have each other to go to and share our stories with. To quote Carol Dickelman--one of the Sabin Ya-Ya's--"“The men, the boys, they come and go." “But girlfriends are forever.”
These 7 friends all grew up in Sabin, MN, going to school, church and spending time together at community events. After attending school in Sabin, they went to Moorhead for high school, going their separate ways after graduating in 1965. It's been 50 years since that time and they still maintain their friendships that were as close now as they were then. They were dubbed the Ya-Ya's after one of the women's daughters realized the women reflected the characters in the movie The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
The comedy from 02', The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, is a movie set in Louisiana about 4 best friends who make their own club or "sisterhood" and share their lives together through thick and thin, hard times and the good. The movie stars Ellen Burstyn, Ashley Judd, Sandra Bullock, James Garner and Maggie Smith and centers around Bullock's issues with her mother Ellen Burstyn. Although the movie focuses on one of the women's daughter's, it is an easy movie to relate to.
Life is short, but it's also a beautiful thing and it should be spent with people you love and who accept you for who and what you do. I think that's what makes this story so refreshing, exciting and easy to relate to. My life isn't filled with oodles of people, but the ones I do have around me are my support group and I honestly like to think this story could be my friends and I someday. We haven't hit the point in our lives where we have husbands, careers and children, but even when we do, we'll have each other to go to and share our stories with. To quote Carol Dickelman--one of the Sabin Ya-Ya's--"“The men, the boys, they come and go." “But girlfriends are forever.”
Monday, March 4, 2013
Viking Bailout?
Not everyone may be a sports fan, and especially not a Minnesota Vikings fan--I know I'm not--but fan or not, the issue of paying for the new stadium should and probably does make people angry.
What I will say to start things off is that I'm glad North Dakota doesn't have it's own NFL team, because then we'd have to worry about taking state tax payers money to help pay for a new stadium that, let's face it, isn't necessary. In September of 2012, an electronic pull tab game was created to use through iPad's to help pay for a new stadium that will be built in Minneapolis. The new stadium, expected to be up and running by the 2016 season is estimated at $975 million. Now, six months later, it seems the game "Give It A Pull" isn't doing what was expected and profits aren't looking promising to Jim Schowalter who is the Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner. Lawmakers, amongst others, are looking to find answers pertaining to where the money will come from to pay off the debt of $30 million per year that has ensued the upcoming building project.
Many people who opposed the bill are becoming ever more nervous. In order to get the money needed to pay off the debts for the stadium, money will have to come out of tax dollars which most think should be going to the schools. Representative Mary Liz Holberg states that, "more than $13 million shortfall in the stadium reserve account was covered by money that otherwise would have gone to repay state IOUs to schools." If this doesn't outrage Minnesota residents, I don't know what will.
Much discussion has been and will continue to be made over the issue. Schowalter says that he will wait until this summer to make the decision on whether to put into action the so-called blink-on revenue actions for the new stadium. In the mean time, officials are trying to expand the e-tabs game in hopes that it will start bringing in more money. With no start date for the project we can only hope for the greater good of the people that officials come to their senses and call the whole thing off. But who am I kidding, this is football, and that's worth spending money for...right?
What I will say to start things off is that I'm glad North Dakota doesn't have it's own NFL team, because then we'd have to worry about taking state tax payers money to help pay for a new stadium that, let's face it, isn't necessary. In September of 2012, an electronic pull tab game was created to use through iPad's to help pay for a new stadium that will be built in Minneapolis. The new stadium, expected to be up and running by the 2016 season is estimated at $975 million. Now, six months later, it seems the game "Give It A Pull" isn't doing what was expected and profits aren't looking promising to Jim Schowalter who is the Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner. Lawmakers, amongst others, are looking to find answers pertaining to where the money will come from to pay off the debt of $30 million per year that has ensued the upcoming building project.
Many people who opposed the bill are becoming ever more nervous. In order to get the money needed to pay off the debts for the stadium, money will have to come out of tax dollars which most think should be going to the schools. Representative Mary Liz Holberg states that, "more than $13 million shortfall in the stadium reserve account was covered by money that otherwise would have gone to repay state IOUs to schools." If this doesn't outrage Minnesota residents, I don't know what will.
Much discussion has been and will continue to be made over the issue. Schowalter says that he will wait until this summer to make the decision on whether to put into action the so-called blink-on revenue actions for the new stadium. In the mean time, officials are trying to expand the e-tabs game in hopes that it will start bringing in more money. With no start date for the project we can only hope for the greater good of the people that officials come to their senses and call the whole thing off. But who am I kidding, this is football, and that's worth spending money for...right?
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