Black Eyed Peas to hold a benefit concert in Minot, North Dakota, for flood victims

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The Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas have been confirmed to hold a benefit concert in Minot on September 3rd, 2011.  No exact date has been published on when the tickets will be available to purchase, but the cost has been confirmed at $100.00.  The price of the tickets have already caused a stir among some of the victims, as they are engulfed in the expense of renovating their lives.  But not to worry, if you’re familiar with the city of Minot, the concert will be held at the Fairgrounds, so if you can’t afford to go, there are plenty of places to set up camp nearby, and listen from a short distance away.  If you can’t go, but you can afford to purchase the ticket, know that your money is going to a good cause, and why not donate the ticket to a flood victim that afford it.

All proceeds of this concert will go to the Minot Flood fund.  A special thanks to Josh Duhamel, who is married to Fergie, who quite possibly pulled some string for this great event to happen.

Editor’s note: This post was by blogger Marisa Mescia

In the wake: Images from post-flood Minot, North Dakota – taken 7/23/11

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Thanks to Marisa Mescia for these images of post-flood Minot, North Dakota. Click on one of the images to see a larger version of that image. There are links to more images below.

Photos from Minot, North Dakota, flood – Taken 06/21/11 .

Aerial images of flood in Minot, Burlington, North Dakota – Taken 06/28/11.

 

“Flood of Information” – How Minot flood victims can get help

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There is a wealth of information and resources for flood victims to take advantage of.  Because of the different needs of each individual/family, special pages and help have been separated to help support the demand of each.

Most recently, the Salvation Army in Minot has set up funds to help flood victims with $50.00 gas cards, $200.00 gift card to Walmart, free groceries and school supplies for your children.  A greater portion of the donations received goes back into the community.  They don’t have the overhead costs and expenses to pay like national foundations do.  If you would like to make a donation directly to them, or if you are in need yourself, you can call them directly at 701-838-8925.

You can also help Oak Park win $100,000.00 voting online.  Just go to:  http://www.livepositively.com/#/americasparks/vote

Enter “Minot” in the search box at the top.

If you are looking for help to clean out your house, you can contact members of the Southern Baptist church.  The number is 678-982-4670, or you can stop by at  524 21st Ave. NW.

You can help rebuild Minot.  If you purchase a T-shirt from the “I Help Rebuild Minot”, this organization donates sheet rock to flooded victims.  Simply go to:  http://ihelpedrebuildminot.com/minotflood/

Command Center has immediate openings for approximately 500 jobs.  Call 701-839-9675.

Anyone needing a licensed contractor can go to minotnd.org

Here are some other resources available:

Flood Hotline: 701-858-9366

Red Cross (local): 701-852-2828

Minot Central Dispatch: 701-852-0111

First District Health Unit: 701-852-1376

Souris Valley Humane Society: 701-852-6133

Road Conditions (from ND): 511

FEMA Assistance Registration: 1-800-621-FEMA

Editor’s note: This post was by blogger Marisa Mescia

Photos from Minot flood – taken yesterday

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These photos were taken in Minot yesterday (July 21, 2011). Most of the photos are from the flood-ravaged Lowe’s Garden Center and Floral in Minot, North dakota. It’s a decades-old, family-owned business (not to be confused with the corporate home improvement chain). Thanks to Allison Kay Steen of Fargo for sharing the photos with us.

Click on one of the small images below to see a larger version of that image. If you have photos you’d like to share with this blog, please email smercer@forumcomm.com.

Aerial images of flood in Minot, Burlington, North Dakota – Taken June 28, 2011

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These aerial photos of flooding in Minot and Burlington in North Dakota come to the blog courtesy of Burligton resident Alyssa Marie Casavant. Thank you, Alyssa. They were taken June 28, 2011. Click on one of the small photos below to see a larger version of that photo.

Velva, North Dakota, determines return dates for businesses, residents

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A tentative date of Thursday, June 30th, has been scheduled for Velva businesses  to return to the city and Friday, July 1st, a return for those residing in the evacuated areas.  These dates on contingent on safety and river levels.  Currently, the Mouse River at Velva, as of 7:00 a.m. June 28th, was at 1513.8.  It needs to read 1512.8 for a reentry.

The levee system and channel streamlining was done in the 70′s  with a dike level of 1515.  Settling, over the course thirty-plus years, has made for  lower levels in some areas.  It was determined yesterday the  flow through Velva was at 28,500 cfs.  The channel, on a typical summer day, can flow at about 2-3,000 cfs.  These numbers pale in comparison to the Missouri River  at 150,000 cfs, but the Mouse River is not a wide bed of sandbars and slow rising banks. The Mouse twists and turns and in many places  looks like a little sister of the Red River.

Twenty-eight thousand five hundred cfs roars.  Really roars!

Obama to Minot, North Dakota?

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Editor’s note: ABC News reported that President Obama might come to Minot today. However, Forum Communications learned through North Dakota Senator John Hoeven’s office that the president would not be visiting Minot today (June 28, 2011).

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ABC news is reporting that President Obama will be in Minot today to survey the damage.  My questions is will he do a fly-by or will he hit the pavement?

A new, post-flood Minot, North Dakota

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We finally received some good news yesterday that the river crested at 1561.72.  However, driving from North Minot to the South hill has been very slow.  People are trying to get to work on this Monday morning there is a traffic jam on the highway 83 bypass – estimated time to drive this route is 1 to 2 hours.  The mayor said they will not open Broadway which will alleviate that heavy traffic for a least a week, leaving people going no where fast.

I had an interesting discussion about what will happen to people in the valley.  Will we move everything that was compromised out of the valley, businesses, schools, homes etc.?  Or will the bank lend the money to tear down and rebuild in the same area that flooded.  Some people have lost everything and the only tangible possession is the little strip of land where their home stands.

We also need to build something so this disaster does not happen again next spring.  One of the major problems is when will have have time to build anything?  Are they going to leave up all of the temporary dikes over the winter and make the necessary fixes next year?  I would say we need to build another dam to save this from happening again, but when the water is flowing as fast as it did to Minot, no amount of new dams will stop the water from flowing.

What do you think is going to need to happen so Minot can prevent a flood like this from happening again next year?

Bingo!

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Last night, in the city of Minot, a  dedicated bingo patron earnestly tried to get from one local bingo bar hotspots to another bingo site.  She must have forgotten the city was having an historic flood.  Right now travel through the city  is complicated, to put simply.  In her flurry, she plowed through the barricades established to block traffic – right smack dab into dark murcky water, requiring rescue.

She came out unscathed, but owning a DUI.  That was  after she dried out (you may take that any way you please).  It is most unfortunate that hard working EMS and law enforcement personnel had to take time away from their well-worn schedules and frazzled nerves to complete this rescue.   But it did bring a chuckle to a few in the depths of crisis.  There is one in every crowd.