Fargo Forum Alternative http://fargophantom.com Fargo Phantom is Fargo's news source for the Red River Valley. Fri, 17 Dec 2010 23:16:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 FM Derby Girls http://fargophantom.com/fm-derby-girls http://fargophantom.com/fm-derby-girls#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:11:57 +0000 admin http://fargophantom.com/?p=749 Continue reading →]]> Interleague Bout December 18th

The FM derby girls are proud to present live roller derby

MN Roller GirlsNorthern Plains VS Minnesota Rollergirls Rockits

Prebout Fargo Furies Vs Forx Rollers

Doors at 6:30 Action starts at 7pm

Tickets $12 to free….

tickets can be bought threw ticketmaster


]]> http://fargophantom.com/fm-derby-girls/feed 0 Suspected Drunken Driver Led Officers on a Chase http://fargophantom.com/suspected-drunken-driver-led-officers-on-a-chase http://fargophantom.com/suspected-drunken-driver-led-officers-on-a-chase#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 06:24:48 +0000 admin http://fargophantom.com/?p=729 Continue reading →]]> West Fargo police say a suspected drunken driver led officers on a short chase early Sunday. Officers attempted to pull over a silver Audi for speeding at 2:25 a.m. in the 3900 block of Veterans Boulevard. The vehicle kept going through a green light at 40th Avenue South and accelerated to speeds of about 70 mph, according to a news release from West Fargo police.  A roundabout slowed the vehicle at 44th Avenue South, and the driver pulled over just past the roundabout. After several police commands to shut the car off, the driver exited the vehicle, the release stated. Michael Wald, 28, of Fargo, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and fleeing in a motor vehicle.

?

]]> http://fargophantom.com/suspected-drunken-driver-led-officers-on-a-chase/feed 0 Franz, Chapman and the Minard Hall Collapse Behind the Scene. http://fargophantom.com/franz-chapman-and-the-minard-collapse-behind-the-scene http://fargophantom.com/franz-chapman-and-the-minard-collapse-behind-the-scene#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:12:05 +0000 admin http://fargophantom.com/?p=352 Continue reading →]]> Toward the end of the NDSU academic year a couple of interesting e-mails appeared on faculty list-serv.  First, Bruce Franz, then director of facilities management, sent a message about the effects of the 12th Avenue project and other construction on  NDSU’S operation.  He described the schedule of meetings he would be attending during the nest week about these things,  The next day. faculty list-serv announced that Franz had resigned with a minimal severance package.  Obviously there’s more here than meets the eye, so I decided to do a little digging to see what I could discover.

From talking to low level administrators and faculty leaders, here’s what I came up with,  We should be aware that at the moment this is hearsay, but informed hearsay that fits the facts and the situation.

The Minard hall project that lead to the Minard Hall collapse was one of those projects that was expensive enough that it would require board approval.  Hence, apparently under pressure from Chapman, Franz divided the project into four separate ones and let bids on all four.  Unfortunately, to perform all four separately was unsafe, a fact known to Franz.  But, like the former vice president for business and finance, caved in to pressure.
and accepted the bids.   And sure enough, Minard Hall collapsed, an event now connected to Chapman(former NDSU President and Forum’s Man of the Year).

I recall Franz saying at the time of thee collapse that it was fortunate there was no-one in the building at the time of the collapse.  I guess.  Try to imagine the legal implications if there had been.

When this comes out, and I imagine that it will and I think there’s more, the state board of higher education will come up with more ides that will be reported in the media as means to prevent/control NDSU’s actions in some areas.  But if one understands NDSU to mean the faculty and students as well as academically qualified administrators, NDSU hasn’t done anything wrong.  Only state board appointees, and, in the case of Chapman, selected with the guidance of a search committee appointed by the state board and containing few NDSU faculty or students.

Many think this search committee. chaired by the current Fargo mayor, suggest Chapman since he would bring Division I athletics to NDSU, a move never very popular with the faculty.  If so, I hope some think it was worth it.

]]> http://fargophantom.com/franz-chapman-and-the-minard-collapse-behind-the-scene/feed 0