Thursday, May 10, 2007

Open Thread #24

The last open thread currently has over 70 comments. Can we beat that number if we leave out all of the inflated egos, name calling, and rehashing of past events that has been going on in Open Thread #23? Probably not!

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you ever take 4th Ave S to get to Demers you cant help but notice the graffiti/gang symbols under the bridge. How long must it be there before someone paints over it. I do not want gangs to get a foothold in the area. Whether the grafitti was done by a few gang members trying to get a foothold in the community or local wannabees copying what they see on the web, I wish the stuff was painted over. I call the city and they know about it, but nothing is done. What if any can be done?

GrandForksGuy said...

I think that often the only way the city will actually listen to a resident and follow through with a resident's request is if the resident becomes a real pest. I would suggest you call them again, start sending emails to them, send an email to your city council member or the council member for the bridge's ward, and try to get others to contact the city about the problem too. I really think becoming a huge pest is often the key to getting something done in a timely manner.

Dale Kulas said...

I saw commercials for the 2-disc DVD set of WDAZ's Flood memories. It is $18.95 and was contemplating on purchasing it. Has anyone seen or heard anything about it and can say if it is worth a purchase?

Coffee Guy said...

I, too, noticed that graffiti.

I just reported it to the city, using the web-based form found here:
http://www.grandforksgov.com/gfgov/home.nsf/Concern!OpenForm

I suggest you do the same.

Coffee Guy said...

WOW! Ask and you shall receive! I just had a phone call from the city. A work order has just been put in to clean the graffiti.

Nice.

Coffee Guy said...

..followed up with an e-mail from this city. Man, this is just too good to be true! Maybe next they'll send somebody over to mow my lawn.

Anonymous said...

Does Grand Forks subsribe to "The Broken Window Theory" when it comes to grafitti?

They should.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info....I too sent an e-mail to the police dept earlier this morning.

Coffee Guy said...

They told me they had this already on their schedule, but spring cleanup has had them pretty busy.

Matt BK said...

I would like to complain about the trains. Do you think I can put that on their web-form?

Seriously, there are three gated crossings on the east end of town, before a long stretch where the tracks go under DeMers and nothing crosses the tracks there either. Why must every train blow their horn (at increasing decibles) from the time they hit the east side of the river until they get to Bismarck?

I am seriously going to write a letter to someone about this in regards to the hypocracy of this city on this issue. Why crack down on a few college kids having a party and being a little loud, and let 6 trains go through and wake up everyone in a three-block radius every night.

The Whistler said...

TU Tran did some work on the railroad crossing noise.

Turns out that's a new federal regulation.

Apparently the Washington types don't care about peoples home life.

I think he had a bunch of stuff about it on his blog.

The Whistler said...

Here's the post TU did. I see it got a lot of comments.

http://www.areavoices.com/gfhcitybeat/?blog=3540

Anonymous said...

"I saw commercials for the 2-disc DVD set of WDAZ's Flood memories. It is $18.95 and was contemplating on purchasing it. Has anyone seen or heard anything about it and can say if it is worth a purchase?"

If it's the same as the VHS that came out right after the flood, yes, it's worth it.

Matt BK said...

TU had a good post, thank you whistler. Now I know who to go yell at. I'll also see if I can track down this federal regulation safety equality checklist, or whatever it is.

GFG, if you worry about comment spam here, you really need to chjeck out the comments for the article linked above.

----------------
UND student? Chat it up on Campus Dakota.

Anonymous said...

I've heard rumors that UND seeking a settlement with the NCAA signals a name change announcement in the near future.

Anyone else hear anything on this topic?

Anonymous said...

Just heard Shangri-la is closing it's doors after Sunday...

Perhaps it was the "ambiance" that led to it's demise?

Anonymous said...

I've heard its the same VHS from 97 put on DVD... plus a second DVD with new stuff... a look at where the city has come and some reflections on the past 10 years.

dale said...

I've heard rumors that UND seeking a settlement with the NCAA signals a name change announcement in the near future.

Seeking a settlement would indicate some sort of compromise, or getting the NCAA to see that they're going to lose anyway, so save some money and face and agree to leave it alone.

If UND decides to drop the Fighting Sioux name, they just do it and drop the lawsuit, no need for a settlement. However, retired or not, Kupchella's head would roll if he did that as a parting gesture.

Just heard Shangri-la is closing it's doors after Sunday

That's kind of sad, but the poor location and plethora of Chinese buffets pretty much ensured that. I haven't eaten there in several years, and it was even longer the time before that.

I'll miss the incredibly strong drinks and red vinyl!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what's going on at the Opera House lofts? There's been a huge dumpster in front for the past week and I suspect that a business might finally be going in on the main level.

Anonymous said...

"Seeking a settlement would indicate some sort of compromise"

I think it indicates that UND realizes that the suit is going to run into the millions before it finally gets decided. And that doesn't take into account the liklihood of an NCAA appeal should they lose.

dale said...

Again, UND sued the NCAA. If they intend to change the name, they just drop the suit and start calling themselves the Flickertails or Force of the North or whatever. There's no compromise.

If UND is trying to settle, it's far more likely to be along the lines of "you dopes are going to lose anyway, so just announce that, like the Seminoles and Fighting Illini, Fighting Sioux isn't hostile and abusive."

Anonymous said...

The NCAA took in half a billion dollars last year. Who do you think has the money to see this through the courts? The NCAA is not going to rest with a decision from a judge who has his JD from UND Law School. UND is going to try to cut its losses with a settlement that allows them to keep its nickname and logo. The NCAA holds the cards, like it or not. Of course they're hypocrites. But they also hold a virtual monopoly on college athletics.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Grand Forks will ever repave 4th avenue south from the point bridge to demers? It has to be one of the roughest stretches of road in town.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Grand Forks will ever repave 4th avenue south from the point bridge to demers?

No. They tried a few years ago, but the neighborhood was against it. They'd prefer the cobble-stone (which is fake, imprinted concrete in some stretches) and potholes, which slow down drivers going to and from the bridge.

Coffee Guy said...

According to the NRIS, that is granitoid pavement, and the cobblestones are listed as historically significant. Maybe that's why they don't repair it.

Anonymous said...

most of that is original cobblestone, not just imprinted concrete. You can tell by how your head hits the roof of your car when you go over it. If it is that significant, take care when they take it out of there and put it in the neighborhood sidewalks - but please, re-do that road...it is getting dangerous as cars bounce around on it all of the time.

Anonymous said...

Is the Gateway McDonalds really closing this month to be torn down? Just wondering considering their board is advertising that they are hiring. Seems a bit odd to me

Anonymous said...

f you ever take 4th Ave S to get to Demers you cant help but notice the graffiti/gang symbols under the bridge. How long must it be there before someone paints over it. I do not want gangs to get a foothold in the area. Whether the grafitti was done by a few gang members trying to get a foothold in the community or local wannabees copying what they see on the web, I wish the stuff was painted over. I call the city and they know about it, but nothing is done. What if any can be done?

Just wondering...how do you know they are gang symbols and gang members painting them?

Matt BK said...

Haha ^ I was just going to ask that.

I'd welcome artisitc graffiti in a lot of places in this city. This is why I love taking photos of the trains that come through town.

Anonymous said...

it was SUR 13 (MS 13 gang set) graffiti that is direcly linked to one of the most deadly street/prison gangs in the nation.
Now if it is done by the gang members or some wannabees is up for debate, and hopefully a police investigation.

The Whistler said...

Regarding whether or not the NCAA will accept the district courts decision because he is a UND graduate.

They can always appeal to the ND Supreme Court where the Chief Justice and 3 of the Associate Justices attend UND Law School. (How'd that Kapsner get in :) )

The NCAA had their chance to remove the case to the federal court (not that Webb or Erickson are without UND ties) and they decided not to do so.

So yes, the NCAA is stuck in ND.

As far as the costs for the case the problem lies in my opinion that the the Attorney General hired an expensive out of state law firm to do their grunt work for them. I think they should have got a local in state firm to do the work.

Anonymous said...

No one fed up with the gas price gouging the last few days yet?

Anonymous said...

While 4th avenuse south has some cobblestone, so did walnut street. They finally repaved walnut street back when I lived in a house there in college around 1999, so obviously they can repave it if they want to.