Madison mayoral candidate Julie Berry faces the 800-lb gorilla: "There is no greater challenge facing the City of Madison than that of substance abuse."

I know nothing about politics in Madison or the mayoral contest there. I've never met Democratic candidate Julie Berry, but the Madison Courier asked Berry:

"What do you think is the biggest challenge the City of Madison is facing? Why? What would you propose the City do to address the issue?"

She answered with a Substance Abuse Plan for Madison.

I'm not sure what else Berry has to offer, but leading with the issue of substance abuse is admirable, even if it isn't what everyone wants to hear.

A: There is no greater challenge facing the City of Madison than that of Substance Abuse. This issue is negatively impacting families, schools, crime, local business, health and social service providers more than any other challenge in a generation. This challenge is not unique to Madison. Most of our nation’s communities are dealing with this as well.

I have spent hours listening to community stakeholders during the last year while preparing to lead our city. These have included:school officials, business leaders, police officers, hospital officials, members of our justice system, and a host of citizens that call Madison home. To a person they identify substance abuse as the most detrimental threat to our community.

I have prepared a Comprehensive Substance Abuse Plan with detailed Jefferson County statistics, local treatment options, and action steps to help stem this scourge locally. While the full 11 page plan can be viewed at www.julieberryformayor.com, the Plan includes assisting local not-for-profits with a Quarter House option to complement our existing Half Way Houses (Ruth Haven and Jefferson House); A strong Common Nuisance Ordinance to effectively deal with real estate used for the illegal drugs; and Raising local Police Salaries to be competitive with surrounding areas. Currently the Madison Police Dept. is down several officers, and salaries must be raised to attract and retain personnel. These salary increases will come from one of three sources (or a combination of the three):possible revenue from the public safety income tax being proposed by the County; budget cuts; or restructuring of existing budget line items. This is specific information – not rhetoric.

Myself, along with many others, have participated in the Healthy Initiatives Program Substance Abuse/Suicide and Mental Health committees. Over 325 people are participating in this effort. Dedicated volunteers have been working diligently to provide recovery options for those suffering from addiction. Over ¼ of the babies born locally are born to addicted mothers, and are therefore addicted themselves at birth. I call that a crisis. I pledge to be personally involved in reclaiming our community from the scourge of substance abuse.

Why Guinness? I'll take a stab at it this evening at A Celtic Symposium in Madison.

Tonight there's A Celtic Symposium at The History Center in Madison, Indiana. It's hosted by the Ohio Valley Celtic Society, and I'm delighted to be one of the speakers. The question I've been charged with answering: Why Guinness?

There may or may not be a definitive answer, but it shouldn't preclude rambling for 20 minutes in search of a few good stories.

Short notice I know, but drop in tonight if you're nearby. Refreshments will be served at 6:00 p.m., with the program beginning a half-hour afterward -- and thanks to Steve Thomas for the invitation.

"To transform the former tack factory into 50 senior housing units, the city of Madison is partnering with Denton Floyd Real Estate."

Maybe I'm missing something, but ever since HWC got the contract to oversee the contract at the future Reisz-Stag, has any construction actually taken place at the re-election campaign's centerpiece?

Following the money: HWC Engineering made city streets even safer for speeding cars. Now the company will oversee the Reisz Mahal. Can campaign donations be far behind?

The primary's right around the corner, with lots of banners and photo-ops. This just won't do.

Good luck, Madison.

Community program helps former tack factory become senior housing, by Rachael Krause (WAVE-3)

MADISON, IN (WAVE) – A redevelopment project will keep an historic building standing in one small Indiana town. The project is the first step toward revitalizing the entire community, made possible because of a stellar community designation from the state.

Built in 1896, the former ‘tack factory’ in Madison, Indiana used to be where locals worked making tacks, nails and hangers. The factory sat empty since 2007 when it shut down.

“It’s kind of an eyesore for us,” said Nicole Schell, city planner for Madison.

The city was designated a stellar community by the state of Indiana in 2017. The program provides access to grants for projects to revitalize unused spaces and renew interest in rural communities. To transform the former tack factory into 50 senior housing units, the city of Madison is partnering with Denton Floyd Real Estate ...

THE BEER BEAT: Mad Paddle Brewery is coming to Madison, and there's a New Albany connection.

It's déjà vu all over again.

For an amuse-bouche in two parts, Strong Towns offers an explanation of economic growth through "craft" beer.

What the Craft Brewing Boom Can Teach Other Local Industries: Part 1

What the Craft Brewing Boom Can Teach Other Local Industries: Part 2

Having tickled the taste buds, let's have a glance to the northeast. If you ask me, Madison has always deserved a good brewery.

The town's first go-around was Mobreki; for a while it worked, but ultimately sank, with the brewing equipment ending up at Red Foot/Yeti in Jeffersonville. Frankly, the beer quality at Mobreki never achieved a predictable equilibrium, and therein lies the message of pertinence for the owners of Mad Paddle.

As detailed in this article, their plans are very ambitious, not to mention expensive. There's an old building to rehab, and a brewery to be purchased. They already have a beer truck being tricked-out. State of the art self-pouring mechanisms are discussed.

Granted, most major problems and nagging details can be resolved with massive cash infusions. However, as I once learned, reinventing the wheel isn't always the best idea whatever the size of one's stash. Mobreki's lesson is that the beer has to be of quality and consistent, as dispensed by great people -- and even great people can't salvage inconsistent beer.

It's all about the beer. Truly, this is job one.

I'm intrigued to see the mention of Josh Hill and NABC, which signals a contract brewing arrangement, and I've no reason to nitpick a business plan that surely will evolve with passing time, so just a cautionary note: the Mad Paddle beers needn't be avant garde, but they need to be solid, and everything else should rest on this pivot.

Best of luck to everyone involved, and congrats to NABC for taking my contract-brewing advice.

(Insert raised eyebrow here ... and read this update at the same newspaper, which reveals that NABC's contract brew for Mad Paddle will be packaged via mobile canning. Now THERE'S an idea.)

BREWPUB IN WORKS FOR MADISON FEED MILL, by Peggy Vlerebome (Madison Courier)

Brothers with Indiana ties tell Mad Paddle plans

Plans are under way for a brewery and pub in downtown Madison in a former feed mill on the northwest corner of West and Second streets.

Brothers Jerry and Larry Wade said they are developers and investors, not brewers or restaurateurs, so they will get the space ready for partnerships with a brewer and a pub operator. They said they are scheduled to close on the purchase of the building from Peter Ellis this week and hope to have the beer flowing at Mad Paddle Brewery early next year and already have a beer and wine permit from the state.

But the Wades said they plan to make Mad Paddle’s presence known much sooner than that with a 1942 fire truck converted to a beer truck. They bought the fire truck in Osgood and the vehicle is in New Albany for conversion. The truck’s debut will be at the RiverRoots Music & Arts Festival in June, where it will be parked near the festival with a roped-off area to sell beer to customers. It will be at all the festivals, operating with one-day permits from the state Alcohol Beverage Commission, Jerry Wade said.

Until Mad Paddle Brewery is up and running at 301 West St., its first batch will be brewed by Josh Hill, head of brewing operations at The New Albanian Brewing Company in New Albany, Jerry Wade said ...

Sadly, Madison makes the newspaper of record: "Suicides, Drug Addiction and High School Football."

This story appeared on-line a few days ago, and today it hit the print edition. Like many others, I have family and friends in Madison. This hurts all the more knowing that Madison is but one example of the problem (and the tragedy).

Suicides, Drug Addiction and High School Football, by Juliet Macur (NYT)

MADISON, Ind. — An hour’s drive from Louisville, perched along the Ohio River, sits the prettiest little town.

Madison, population 12,000, has won awards for its beauty. Best Main Street. One of the top 20 romantic towns in Indiana. One of 12 distinctive destinations in the United States, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The river walk, down from the main street, is a hot spot for joggers and dog walkers and couples canoodling on benches. In the distance, a soaring bridge that connects Indiana and Kentucky often disappears behind a morning fog.

It’s all a lovely distraction from an open secret. On a reporting trip in July, I learned this in the unlikeliest of places: at Horst’s Little Bakery Haus, a doughnut shop with just a few tables, not far from the river.

A waitress had overheard me interviewing someone at the bakery earlier, and asked if I was a journalist.

She checked over her shoulder to see if anyone was listening. There was an urgency in her whisper as she said: “I lost my son last month. He hung himself from a tree in our yard and shot himself in the head. I cut him down myself, with my own hands. So many suicides.”

She wiped away tears.

“We need your help,” she said.

Madison, in southeastern Indiana, is at the center of a drug-trafficking triangle connecting Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville. It is battling life-or-death problems ...

An oldie but a goody: "The truth got me kicked out of a Mike Pence event today."

This essay from 2014 is a minor classic.

It sufficiently hilarious to observe Pence taking credit for what he opposed, but the funniest moment of all is when the author's relative snatches the protest sign from his hands.

Lemme tell you, pal, I know the feeling.

The truth got me kicked out of a Mike Pence event today, by bradams (Daily Kos)

 ... Today was the official dedication ceremony for the recently-completed but long-overdue Milton (KY) - Madison (IN) Ohio River bridge ...

 ... The dedication ceremony was attended by both Governor Steve Beshear (yeah!) of Kentucky and Governor Mike Pence (boo!) of Indiana. As we all know Mike Pence was the #3 Republican in the House in 2009. He strongly advocated against the stimulus, saying:

“[The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act] won’t work to put Americans back to work. It won’t create jobs. The only thing it will stimulate is more government and more debt. It will probably do more harm than good.”

RiverRoots Music & Folk Arts Festival is May 16 & 17 in Madison, Indiana.

I've only missed one of them: In 2009, when I was overseas.

May 16 & 17 is RiverRoots 2014 in Madison IN, with music, folk arts and Indiana craft beer

It’s almost time again for RiverRoots, the annual music and folk arts festival on the banks of the Ohio in historic Madison, Indiana.

RiverRoots takes place on Friday and Saturday nights, May 16 and 17, and for the ninth year running (actually, since the fest’s very inception), NABC will be on hand to share beer vending duties with craft-brewing Hoosier friends: Upland Brewing Company (Bloomington IN), who’ve been there with us from the beginning; Great Crescent Brewing from Aurora; Indianapolis stalwart Sun King; and Power House out of Columbus.

Don't forget the pre-party being held at the Boneyard Grill on Thursday night:

BoneYard Grill, NABC & the Tillers: RiverRoots pre-party in Madison on May 15

On RiverRoots and NABC's wonderful fan base at Madison's annual fest.

The RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival was far less stressful this year. Our friends from the organizing committee couldn't quite manage to displace AB-InBev, but the swill dispensing tent was moved far away, further up the hill, and the absence of mass-market beer in the vicinity of the craft tent had a salutary effect on all of us.

There were two clear choices: Craft and crap. I haven't seen the final numbers, but it's a fair guess that craft dominated sales.

NABC brought 14 kegs and brought back 11 empties, including four cashed Hoptimus kegs. It represents about the same amount of beer vended last year, in spite of an additional brewery on the scene (five of us this year), and the threat of rain throughout the day on Saturday.

RiverRoots is a fine idea. Each year, the working arrangement reflects differing points of view among members of the governing committee, and for 2013, we participated under a scheme radically different from the first seven years. It worked out about the same in the end, because the same friends and fans we've seen from the start know to find NABC's table.

We appreciate it very much, and we hope the tradition continues in 2014.

This weekend: RiverRoots Music & Folk Arts Fest (with craft beer) in Madison, Indiana.

RiverRoots Music & Folk Arts Fest returns to Madison on Friday and Saturday (May 17 and 18). 

NABC's lineup at the craft beer tent is Black & Blue Grass, Hoosier Daddy ... and Hoptimus (which should have been at Woodstock when the sun rose on the Who's set, but I digress).

Upland, Sun King, Great Crescent and Power House also will have beer at the fest. This is a rare pairing of music and craft beer (and food, of course), held in a cool town. Come on up.

RiverRoots Music & Folk Arts Festival runs May 18-20 in Madison IN.

For the seventh year in a row, NABC is delighted to occupy the beer vending stations at the RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival in Madison, Indiana, formerly known as the Ohio River Valley Folk Festival.

The festival kicks off on Friday, May 18, at 5:00 p.m., resumes on Saturday the 19th at 11:00 a.m., and concludes with a Sunday (May 20) session that begins at 12:30 p.m.

Musical headliners this year include The Band of Heathens (Friday), Hayes Carll (Saturday) and The Black Lillies (Sunday). Over the Rhine also will perform on Saturday night. Complete listings are at the web site, with more information available at the RiverRoots page at Facebook.

As we have since the festival's inception, NABC will share beer vending duties with our friends from Upland Brewing Company (Bloomington IN). There'll also be draft beer from Great Crescent Brewing in Aurora and Madison's own Mobreki Brewing, as well as the first-ever appearance by Sun King out of Indianapolis. Currently we're all huddling to formulate a beer lineup, which I will post at the Potable Curmudgeon blog when done.

There's also a first annual "RiverRoots Brew-Off" homebrewing competition on Sunday afternoon. It's open to all home-brewers, and the deadline for entries is May 14, so you are sitting on some IPA (the featured style), you still have time to be a part of it. Complete competition information is here.

Whole lotta steamboats goin' on.

On Friday evening, I took a respite from Harvest Homecoming to pour beer samples in Jeffersonville at the Howard Steamboat Museum's annual fundraiser.

Next weekend, it will be steamboats yet again, this time upriver in Madison as the town hosts a celebration commemorating the bicentennial of the first steamboat journey up the Ohio River and back by Nicholas Roosevelt in 1811. Hanover College’s River Institute is coordinating a series of steamboat bicentennial events.

At the Soup, Stew, Chili and Brew in Madison next Saturday (October 15), NABC will unveil a "Steamboat Common" beer brewed collaboratively with our fellow Hoosier brewers at Great Crescent (Aurora) and Main Street (Evansville). The eating and drinking runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with festivities including tasting and judging soup, stew and chili, and live music. The Steamboat Common formulation likely will be the model for NABC's New Albany bicentennial beer, coming in 2013.

Lastly, keep this book in mind: “Full Steam Ahead: Reflections on the Impact of the First Steamboat on the Ohio River 1811-2011” from the Indiana Historical Society Press. It is a book of essays edited by Rita Kohn, the Hoosier state’s First Lady of craft beer appreciation, who to the surprise of no one was the motive force behind NABC's commemorative brewing of Steamboat Common. As always, we'll drink a toast to Rita with the tapping of the very first keg.

"New Life for Old Factories" today in Madison.

Here's where I'll be today. More later.

----

* FROM HISTORIC MADISON INC.

**"New Life for Old Factories" Presentation Slated for June 26
* A program entitled "New Life for Old Factories: Strategies forRehabilitating Historic Industrial Properties" will be presented onThursday, June 26 at noon in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 519 E. 3rdStreet in the Madison, Indiana National Historic Landmark District. MyrickHoward, President of Preservation North Carolina, and an expert inpreserving and reusing old mill buildings for new uses is the speaker.

The program is aimed at real estate developers, realtors,elected officials, community leaders and owners of older factory andcommercial properties. However anyone with an interest may attend theevent. A light lunch will be provided.

Myrick Howard has 30 years of experience in the preservation andredevelopment of endangered historic properties as President of NorthCarolina's statewide historic preservation organization. He has overseenmore than 500 rehabilitation projects resulting in more than $200 million ofprivate investment. He has been widely published and has made presentationsthroughout the United States and abroad. His most recent book isentitled *BuyingTime for Heritage*.

Mr. Howard's presentation is a joint program by HistoricMadison, Inc. and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Funding forthis program was provided by the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and theNational Trust for Historic Preservation.

For additional information contact Historic Madison, Inc. at(812) 265-2967 or by email at hmihmfi@seidata.com.

Ohio River Valley Folk Festival in Madison this weekend, May 16 & 17, and NABC will be there.

The coming weekend (Friday & Saturday, May 16 & 17) is the 3rd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival, held along the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. NABC poured beer in 2006 and 2007, and will be doing so again along with friends from Upland Brewing Company (Bloomington, IN).

This year, with our brewers Jesse and Jared off in Washington D.C. to represent NABC at the prestigious inaugural SAVOR beer and food pairing, it looks like John Campbell and the Publican are doing the pouring both days. If readers are interested in helping and have a valid Indiana server permit, let me know, ASAP.

Last year I wrote about the folk festival’s conceptual basis in my Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) column, Mug Shots - Folk Fest celebrates handcrafted brews, and included within my account was this explanation from the festival’s organizers:

In keeping with the Ohio River Valley’s artisan tradition, we proudly offer handcrafted beer and wine from the people who make it. Like the folks who select their wood for a fine musical instrument, these small-production, high-quality vintners and brewers are engaged in the entire process, from the selection of the grain and fruit, to pouring your glass!

Bravo for that. Recaps from previous years can be found here at the PC blog:

2006: Another good reason to run upriver.

2007: Ohio River Valley Folk Festival recap: Great weather, and beer and music to match.

As of Monday morning, weekend temperatures are expected to be in the 60s, with clouds but no rain. I’m hoping to see many readers at the festival, so stop by the beer tent and say hello.

Madison's successful Ohio River Valley Folk Festival is a model, but ya gotta want to emulate it.

The second annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival is history, and the city of Madison could not have asked for a better weekend in terms of weather, even if it was a bit nippy on Friday evening.

As in 2006, the crowd was well-behaved and the music superlative. The festival’s organizers persist in espousing the apparently revolutionary notion that a gathering dedicated to the diverse ethos of folk music should also reflect grassroots choices in food and drink.

Consequently, Budweiser was not available, there was no California box wine in sight, and Taco Bell didn’t have a concession. It was enough to gladden a contrarian’s heart – although the Thomas Family Winery’s delightful hard cider helps on that count.

There was a noticeable sprinkling of New Albanians in the crowd, and most probably were thinking much the same as I: Why can’t New Albany use its riverfront more often? Or hold more than one festival a year? Or work together in some fashion resembling a team to stage events that bring money and tourists from outside the city limits?

Is it in the water?

But it’s the same river, isn’t it?

2nd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival in Madison, IN, this weekend.

Man, I'm just having one of those days, but good times are around the corner:

2nd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival in Madison, IN, this weekend.