Sunday, September 25, 2005

Let's discuss the good news for New Albany.

Upon returning from the continent, I nestled in the vicinity of the espresso machine for an intimate hour, with a song in my heart ("Sweet Neo-Con" off the new Stones album, to be exact) and two weeks of New Albany Tribune back issues by my side.

Although you’d be forgiven for concluding that irony has been bred out of the American gene pool, the fact remains that life brims over with it, and during a span of time when all forms of media were justifiably focused on covering the unprecedented catastrophes in and around New Orleans, most of the news emanating from New Albany was delightfully favorable, at least for men and women of taste and vision.

Mind you, it's not good news for one political party or the other. It's simply good news for the city. Off the top of my head, here are just a few of the headlines since our departure on September 8:

Ordinance Enforcement Officer Pam Badger on the job, and approved by the City Council in a rare, though in a few individual cases reluctant, show of unanimity.

City Council’s obstructionist Gang of Four currently rocked on its heels, and increasingly exposed to public scrutiny.

County Commissioners and County Council on board Scribner Place, then the Scribner Place bonding issue approved, and finally the contract awarded for Scribner Place site cleanup.

Cannon Acres sports park another step closer to reality.

Jeffersonville getting serious about the approach to the Big Four bridge bicycle and pedestrian link to Louisville, and New Albany businesswoman Valla Ann Bolovschak appointed to the Greenway Commission.

Brandon Smith appointed to the Historical Preservation Commission, and work underway to save an historic home on Paoli Pike.

And, to give credit where it is due, two fine editorials by Managing Editor Chris Morris, both berating New Albany’s regressive tendencies, happily indicating that the Tribune itself is increasingly confident and willing to say what needs to be said as we get this thing on the move.

I’m probably omitting a few welcome nuggets, but it’s worth noting that with the sole exception of the ongoing Sanitation Debate and the predictably emotional, partisan wrangling that it has generated, progressivism is on the march in New Albany.

While Mayor James Garner is not personally responsible for all of the preceding, it remains that the city of New Albany is visibly moving forward as we approach the midpoint of his tenure in office -- and that's powerful electoral medicine.

Of course, all this good news is taking place against a comic opera backdrop of rumblings and grumblings from the terminally and perpetually disaffected, who are at the point of vein-bursting disagreement with the Mayor if he were to announce that the sun is expected to rise in the eastern skies and set in the west, and who have yet to offer an alternative vision for the city of New Albany beyond the vacuous "gallantry" of the lynch mob.

Progress indeed is ascendant. It may be disturbingly slow, it cannot be taken for granted, and there is much work yet to be done – but we’re getting there.

And that’s good news for New Albany.

With Harvest Homecoming on the horizon, I've got some good news of my own, but it must remain a secret for a bit longer. Stay tuned.

5 comments:

Jeff Gillenwater said...

One of the nuggets worth mentioning again:

Arts Council of Southern Indiana has moved to a new, larger location at 820 E. Market and is looking at new initiatives and increased community involvement.

This comes on the heels of the formation of the new Partnership for Creative Economies in Louisville (inclusive of Southern Indiana).

I'll hopefully have more in-depth information later but, for now, take note that Greg Gapsis got a front page headline today in the Tribune that asks the question: Could the arts revitalize downtown?

Greg's an excellent writer so it's not surprising to see that question from him. What's encouraging is that the editors and publisher thought it worthy of the front page on Sunday.

His article, by the way, highlights that Mark Barone, co-founder of Paducah, Kentucky's Artist Relocation Program, will be speaking at a public forum on the "Visual Arts and Public Priorities". It's 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Louisville Visual Arts Association Water Tower on River Road.

Take 71 to the Zorn Avenue exit and hang a left towards the river. Can't miss it.

The New Albanian said...

A reminder much appreciated. I completely forgot about the Arts Council news.

edward parish said...

Hey here is a big concrete positive, the retaining wall and ditch work built and paid for by NA at Councilman Bill Schmitt's relation at the end of Cedar Street. A must see by all.

The New Albanian said...

There's text floating around that's being attributed to Mr. Schmidt, but I don't know whether it's live or Memorex.

Someone posted it (anonymously) on a Volunteer Hoosier thread if you want to take a look at the councilman's purported version of events.

The New Albanian said...

Here's the reference:

Group working to save Paoli Pike house

The article is by Kyle Lowry of the Tribune.