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• Dodge Vans and Trucks Recalled

  Shannon Weidemann | December 10, 2007 8:30 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  Over 600,000 Dodge pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans have been recalled by Chrysler this week. The recalled vehicles have a faulty gear-shift blocker. The Dodge vehicles were sold in the United States and Canada in 2000 through 2002. Chrysler says long-term wear could cause the shifter to jump out of park without the key in the ignition.It's not known how many of the affected vehicles are in...

• Train Derails and Spills Acid, Many Evacuated

  Jenny Albano | October 30, 2007 2:23 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  On Monday, October 29, a train derailed and spilled hydrochloric acid in Clara City, Minnesota. Hundreds of residents had to be evacuated and many schools had to be closed. The train struck another train that was parked at about 4 a.m., and at least one car leaked hydrochloric acid, a Chippewa County sheriff's dispatcher said. Burlington Northern Santa Fe representative Steve Forsberg said an...

• 35W Bridge Victims Fight $1 Million State Cap

  Shannon Weidemann | October 22, 2007 8:59 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  When the 35W Bridge fell into the Mississippi River on August 1st many lives were changed forever. Around 100 people were injured and 13 people were killed during the Minneapolis bridge collapse. Now they are fighting a state cap on liability that limits damages to $300,000 per person and $1 Million overall for the tragedy. The House State Government Finance Committee will be hearing...

• Inspections Taking Place on Lafayette Bridge

  Shannon Weidemann | September 09, 2007 7:49 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  Inspectors from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) are currently examining the Lafayette Bridge into St. Paul. Reports and previous inspections had placed its safety rating as lower than the 35W Bridge. The 35W Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis at the beginning of August killing 13 people. MnDOT plans to survey the majority of bridges in Minnesota. So far, MnDOT has completed...

• Recall for Spinach with Salmonella Underway

  Shannon Weidemann | August 30, 2007 1:46 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  Metz Fresh has issued a product recall for bagged spinach that may be contaminated with salmonella. The company routinely tests spinach as it is processed in their plants. Metz Fresh reports that most of the spinach was found before going to the consumer. "As soon as we learned of the presumptive positive test, we directed all customers to hold all boxes of the spinach affected as a...

• Preliminary Plan Released to Replace 35W Bridge

  Shannon Weidemann | August 14, 2007 10:01 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  The Minnesota Department of Transportation presented a preliminary plan to the Minneapolis City Council for a bridge to replace the 35W Bridge over the Mississippi River. The 35W Bridge collapsed on August 1st, killing at least 9 people and injuring over 100 others. State authorities need support from the Council to have the new bridge built by December 2008 and ease traffic congestion.But at...

• School Bus and Other Vehicles Removed From Bridge

  Shannon Weidemann | August 12, 2007 10:50 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  Clean up efforts at the scene of the 35W Bridge collapse included removal of the school bus that was on the bridge. The school bus was carrying 52 children when it collapsed on August 1st. Everyone on the bus survived the accident. In all, 44 vehicles have been removed from the bridge since its collapse. About 100 vehicles had been on the structure when it fell Aug. 1, said Minnesota...

• Rain Delays Recovery Efforts at 35W Bridge

  Shannon Weidemann | August 11, 2007 1:35 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  The Mississippi River rose 1 to 2 feet overnight due to rain and there is a dangerous current. Navy divers have halted their search and recovery mission until conditions are safer. The official death toll is eight from the 35W Bridge collapse that happened in Minneapolis on August 1st. "Dive team members assigned to the Navy Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit will continue to assess the situation...

• Minneapolis Bridge Search Progress Gradual

  Courtney Mills | August 10, 2007 2:57 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  Divers continued to search a week after the accident for remains in the recovery effort at the downed Minneapolis I35W Bridge. Two victims were pulled from the wreckage Thursday morning, bringing the total unaccounted for down to six. Difficult conditions in the murky river have prevented aggressive search efforts throughout the past week, making progress to reach victims in the underwater...

• Minnesota has 103 Bridges Rated Worse Than 35W Span

  Shannon Weidemann | August 06, 2007 1:56 PM | 0 CommentsMinneapolis, MN

  The state of Minnesota has around 19,500 bridges and according to state inspectors 103 of them had a worse rating than the 35W Bridge in Minneapolis. 1,141 bridges are rated as being structurally deficient. The rating system is not necessarily for the safety of the bridge but an indicator of when it will qualify for state and federal funding for replacement and repair. Among these are 103...