City Hall's trip hazards on Market Street lead the Top Ten list for December 2019.

As noted yesterday:

The NA Confidential blog is being scaled back. Writing for pay as I'm doing now takes time, and the blogging quota will fall to two posts per day, down from four in 2017. If a news item takes more than 20 minutes to write and format, it won't be posted. I'll be riffing off the rising generation of dissidents, and doing longer-form commentary less often. I no longer have 25 hours a week to devote to research.

I haven't decided what this means for the monthly Top Ten wrap-up, and there's a chance I won't do it at all. Probably it will be scaled back to Top Three or Top Five.

For now, the usual drill, in ascending order. Thanks for reading.

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FIVE (5) HONORABLE MENTION for December 2019

609

Marcus Green at WDRB: " ‘Shermageddon’ 2? New Albany waits for Sherman Minton Bridge plan."

It's ironic. The next five years of life in New Albany, especially downtown, will be determined by the ripple effects of the bridge repair project, given that we're a purely automobile-centric metropolitan area. It is of immense significance, but had a space alien been monitoring the recently concluded municipal election, she'd have noted almost no mention of it.

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636

An anchor-free public art tale of two dragons, in New Albany and far away to the east of Silver Creek.

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667

Best wishes to Susan Kerber, as "Bridge Liquors in New Albany has new owner."

GREAT JOB, GUYS. That's endurance. Now have some fun without having to reply to the alarm at 4:00 a.m. when a stray moth activated the sensor.

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682

ON THE AVENUES: These parents oppose their children's exposure to the PURE Initiative as part of the NA-FC Schools curriculum. Here's why.

Let’s have a look at faith-based abstinence as a component of health education in New Albany-Floyd County Schools. But first, just a bit of background to explain how the topic came to my attention.

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687

BEER WITH A SOCIALIST: Why is Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout on tap at Pints&union?

When Nadorff's Jason Mott asked me if we'd like to have the only 1/6 barrel of Bourbon County Brand Stout that his wholesale house was allocated, I thought about it long and hard before immediately agreeing to purchase it. By doing so I was happily patronizing a locally-owned business with deep roots in New Albany.

TOP TEN (10) for December 2019

695

ON THE AVENUES: He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day.

Anyone that clueless with so much money should be opposed on general principle alone, and to repeat, I’ve no regrets at having written the alternative history and formulated the case against Gahan from precepts ranging far beyond simple contrarianism, even if I inherited my father’s stubbornness. Posterity will be kind to me, indeed, and all I need do is live long enough to see it happen.

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713

"Barack Obama is using his post-presidency to attack the Left and protect the status quo."

In the beginning, I was a fan, but in the end, one must allow facts to be facts. It isn't always easy. Maybe we learn something, maybe not. Barack Obama disappointed while in office, and continues to do so amid his post-presidency.

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736

ON THE AVENUES: Four more years? Heaven help us all, but there are five reasons to be optimistic.

My innate stubbornness eliminates the possibility that these kingpin nitwits will ever govern MY head space. Rather than dwell on the dipshittsian dysfunctionals, let’s see if there is a case to be made for this municipal glass being half-full with our delicious Pilsner Urquell, rather than half depleted of their Bud Light Mang-o-Rita pet shampoo. Because I promised ... here are FIVE POSITIVE TAKEWAYS FROM THE NOVEMBER 5 ELECTION.

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825

Forget the ugly sweaters, because here's the winner of the NA Confidential Ugly Christmas Greeting Banner Contest for 2019.

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869

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Social media reports indicate that New Albany's venerable Red Men club will vacate its Main Street space.

Folks are saying that New Albany's 120-year-old Red Men club is giving up its storefront on Main Street (at the very least) or perhaps even calling it quits permanently in the face of declining membership, aging and mortality.

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1,125

The morning after the return from Croatia, Slovenia and Trieste.

We took seven flights in all, four outbound (to Zagreb) and three inbound returning to Louisville. All seven were delayed, five of them significantly. In terms of actual time in the air, these series of flights theoretically total 24 hours, or twelve hours each way. The sum total of the delays, not including the usual time spent waiting, cost us 28 hours, including an overnight stay on the way back.

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1,148

Gahan's public records scandal: WDRB's Marcus Green breaks it down as the News and Tribune flails ineffectually.

On Christmas Eve, Marcus Green of WDRB broke down Jeff Gahan's public records scandal; the screenshots and transcriptions follow. Green concludes with three questions:

Why didn't (city hall) respond to the citizens' request before (the judge's ruling)?
Does it believe it doesn't have to respond to requests it deems politically motivated?
Why didn't it respond to the access counselor?

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1,349

Todd Coleman's Classic Furniture (corner Pearl and Main) is sprouting windows.

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1,519

Sadly, Bliss Artisan is closed. The franchise lasted ten months at The Breakwater.

I have little to say; this closing seems to have escaped notice, and I thought it should be noted. As for whether it "means" anything, my hunch is the terms of the lease might tell us a lot. This isn't a good space for a business like this, at least in my estimation.

Martini bar, anyone?

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3,227

ASK THE BORED: The wonderful world of Market Street trip hazards.

These stakes jut up from the cute gravel on the north side of Market Street between Pearl and State, where in 2019 Team Gahan spent lots more money than the Horseshoe Foundation donated to them in order to beautify according to the suburban design templates of HWC Engineering. It's an aesthetic atrocity overall, more reminiscent of Mussolini's fascist Italy than anything belonging in a Midwestern city, but that's a topic for future archaeologists to consider.

There are little bits of many things in NA Confidential's Top Ten posts list for 2019.

Rather than undertake a more elaborate accounting, I went back and calculated the Top Ten posts at NA Confidential for the year 2019. They're a mixed bag, indeed.

The most obvious update in need of appending has to do with the My Scratch & Dent building. Not only did it change hands, but the buyer (the city itself, duh) unceremoniously demolished the building late in the year. More acreage off the tax rolls, eh?

Without further ado, here they are. I've already compiled a list of the top columns of the year.

A six-pack of the most-read ON THE AVENUES columns from 2019.

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2,269 (September 9)

Return of the Fork in the Road public art installation -- bad location, but it's Gahanism, after all.

It's a horrendous location; there's no literal "fork in the road," and the installation will be overshadowed by the parking garage, but in New Gahania we save the best spots for the most generic structures -- because that's how pay-to-play gets done, whippersnapper.

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2,570 (March 23)

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: The My Scratch & Dent building has not changed ownership -- at least yet, but Loop Island luxury might depend on it.

On the one hand, Tiger Trucking is no fan of Gahan's; on the other, everyone has their price. It appears that Nickelin LLC purchased these two properties in 2004 for $2.4 million. It's hard to imagine Flaherty and Collins, or any other well-heeled developers, buying these on their own dime. Tax Increment Financing? That's another story, even before the sewer tap-in waiver gifting.

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2,768 (April 15)

Recbar in Jeffersontown to open second location in downtown New Albany.

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2,855 (April 16)

But didn't taxpayers already forward $750,000 to Denton Floyd to "stabilize" the Reisz Luxury City Hall?

Of course, they might be maypoles. They're certainly not giants.

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2,921 (May 25)

Just another driver "flipping" over the beauty of the East Main Street Project median.

It is a matter of genuine curiosity for me as to why so many drivers bounce off the median eastbound at the starting point of beautification. I'd guess the drag strip speeds coming out of the stop light at Pearl, given that the city refuses to calm the section of Main Street between Pearl and 5th.

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2,949 (October 21)

Hull & High Water is winding down, so go over there and say goodbye.

As I reported earlier at Food & Dining Magazine, Hull & High Water is winding down. Owner Eric Morris made the announcement earlier today at Facebook.

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3,034 (October 8)

Democrat David White: "I am asking ALL the people who have supported me over the years to help Mark Seabrook put People First!"

Finally, it is my belief that Mark will surround himself with people of decency, integrity and a desire to put the best interest of our community first.

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3,103 (March 24)

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Why is the New Albany Housing Authority buying commercial property at the dumping grounds downtown on State Street?

That's right: It's the New Albany Housing Authority, and a "Power to Grab Today" scratch sheet presumably lying atop Gauleiter Duggins' desk next to the moldering Arby's wrappers.

The Green Mouse can find no evidence indicating that Andres has donated to Gahan4Life for the privilege of playing, but maybe the bunker drain trust is taking no chances and hiring him to work at NAHA, as they did councilman Matt Nash.

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4,267 (April 9)

NA Social's about to be dead, so "Long Live NA Social."

Never mind that NA Social did it better than that other organization, because the latter had the official stamp from approval from the "cool kids," and NA Social didn't.

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5,496 (January 15)

We Are All Family In Kentucky (and Indiana): Schedule of restaurants providing meals as a show of support for federal employees.

"We Are All Family In Kentucky

"In an effort to help employees of the Federal Government who are not getting paid through the shutdown, a group of restaurants has banded together to provide meals as a show of support and appreciation for the dedicated men and women who keep our community safe.

"Together, we strive to be better and to overcome adversity as one community."

A six-pack of the most-read ON THE AVENUES columns from 2019.

Funny, but the columns of mine I like the most usually aren't the same ones that score high in terms of readership. This year is an exception. I'm very happy with the columns I wrote detailing the ill treatment endured by Donnie Blevins and Greg Pennell -- and they also were the most-read of 2019.

Yes, I know; the outcome of the year's election cycle was not affected by the these revelations. But these accounts needed to be told, and I'm glad they were, if for no other readership than posterity.

Some sweet day, it will matter.

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682 (December 19)
ON THE AVENUES: These parents oppose their children's exposure to the PURE Initiative as part of the NA-FC Schools curriculum. Here's why.

Let’s have a look at faith-based abstinence as a component of health education in New Albany-Floyd County Schools. But first, just a bit of background to explain how the topic came to my attention.

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803 (August 1)
ON THE AVENUES: The whys and wherefores can drive a man to drink; our lives just ARE, and that's that.

Birthdays get piled into desk drawers alongside rusty paper clips, obsolete business cards and bits of senseless plastic that somehow have evaded landing in the ocean. It would be pleasant bonus if the annual birthday observance yielded something genuinely revelatory; to paraphrase Michael McDonald, we'd trade it all right now for just one minute of real insight.

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866 (September 26)
ON THE AVENUES: Socialists for Seabrook, because we desperately need a new beginning in New Albany.

In 2019, this European-style Social Democrat will be voting for Mark Seabrook for mayor of New Albany.

Before telling you why, just a wee bit of personal background. I’ve come to understand that my political frame of reference is utterly negated by America’s two-party system and the “traditional” call-and-response psychoses stemming from it.

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991 (October 31)
ON THE AVENUES: In which Team Gahan's looming appointment with unemployment is examined.

New Albany political history in my own lifetime reveals that it is entirely possible for a New Albany mayor to be viciously humiliated in a re-election bid. Witness one Warren Nash, Gahan’s cadaverous and enduringly vacuous mentor, who won 60% of the vote in a winning bid in 1971 but then just 34% in 1975 while suffering a cataclysmic landslide loss.

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1,012 (April 2)
ON THE AVENUES: Donnie Blevins tells his story.

When Blevins returned, his supervisor called him inside to deliver the ultimatum he'd just been given. According to the supervisor, who said he had no idea why any of it was happening, Gahan had gone “berserk” about Blevins, referring to him as “that son-of-a-bitch” and promising to “fire his (Blevins’) ass the first chance I get.”

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2,177 (April 30)
ON THE AVENUES: Greg Pennell tells his story.

Stammering and visibly uncomfortable, Bailey replied that he had only a quick minute, so Pennell got straight to the point and asked about the signed agreement for his return to chief of detectives. Bailey told Pennell he could go back to the detective division, but not as a captain, meaning Pennell would have to give up his merit rank of captain, which he had earned through the testing procedures put forth by the New Albany Police Merit Commission.

Steinert's redevelopment fix tops an abbreviated Top Five most-read posts for November, 2019.

The timing of our trip to Europe, coupled with post-election regrouping and an accompanying contemplation regarding a possible move to anywhere in the fucking world except doltish New Gahania, suggests a quick compilation of top posts in November.

First, an honorable mention.

All hail the victorious drinkers of Gahan's Kool-Aid BUT let the record show that the pirate bested the copperhead.

And here they are, in ascending order.

NOVEMBER TOP FIVE

912

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Is this the next public art installation in New Albany?

(December 7 update: I'm told it is. Follow-up coming)

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964

Indiana mayor, a Democrat, is arrested after an FBI investigation.

Did I mention the mayor in question is Dennis Tyler, the mayor of Muncie?

For all of those who have ever asked why some of us pose the questions we do, Muncie is the reason.

What's happening in Muncie could happen in any city in the state. All the potential moving parts for malfeasance are there, defined in terms of business as usual, behind the scenes and out of view; there's lots of money, and precious little transparency.

This is why a municipal habit of ignoring and obfuscating public information requests is worrisome.

Someone in Muncie wouldn't let it go, and the feds got involved.

Were it so, just a little bit closer to home.

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996

But wait -- I thought there aren't any homeless people in NA, much less a need to feed them.

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1,078

Reader differs with Team Gahan: "They're disrespectful of other peoples' time, dismissive, arrogant and secretive."

"I've also worked with other city administrations as a freelancer and it's easy to compare how others do it with TRANSPARENCY, versus how the Gahan team goes about things. We don't have the benefit of TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, or RESPECT in our current administration, and I think we deserve better."

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1,844

The Tell-Tale Fart: This peachy "apartments at Steinert's" project may seem to be free-market capitalism, but the deal's a lot more tangled than it first appeared.

Our Shopping Cart Napoleon already had this Steinert's fix quite firmly into place. Before linking to the local chain newspaper's story, let's have a look at the interconnected participants.

Here's Vitor Bueno.

David White's endorsement of Mark Seabrook wins the Top Ten post review for October.

Thanks for reading NA Confidential, where we enjoy reconnoitering the neglected periphery for uniquely local perspectives on life in New Albany.

Otherwise your only choice would be the Jeffersonville News and Tom May's Evangel-bune, and that's a fate almost as unrewarding as insipid light beer consumption. In fact, judging from the strong numbers for posts about local politics, there is considerable interest in the topic that the local chain newspaper simply refuses to serve.

As Bluegill noted just the other day:

Another story of a Gahan administration refusal to provide public information to the public. This was pretty early in Gahan’s tenure. Nothing has changed and refusals are ongoing regardless of who asks or how much money is involved. The News and Tribune has been aware of these refusals for years on end but never bothered to report the behavior. Now that a formal lawsuit has been filed, though, they give Gahan whatever column inches he needs to claim the suit is just an election year stunt - something the News and Tribune has long known isn’t true. An actual newspaper doing its job would’ve demanded information for years, accurately reported the refusals, and likely filed their own suit. This is front page news that the “newspaper” simply chose to ignore in favor of ongoing advertising dollars.

Yep. Sad but true.

October was a fine month by the numbers. Following are five honorable mentions, followed by the top ten posts.

Last month: Gahan's ineptly reinstalled "fork on the sidewalk hidden by cars" leads September's Top Ten at NA Confidential.

OCTOBER HONORABLE MENTION (5)

733

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast 2019: "That is one hell of a big tent right there!"

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738

Gahan can't even tell the truth about Warro the K-9 dog's tenure. Seems a desperate Slick Jeffie will say ANYTHING to get re-elected.

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741

In a mounting sign of desperation, Gahan and the DemoDisneyDixiecrats are going full-tilt negative slimeball against Mark Seabrook.

Read about Tricky's latest Goebbels moment, right here -- and don't forget that at least one DemoDisneyDixiecratic council candidate has told the truth this campaign season.

Jason is said to be a close friend of Seabrook's. I wonder how he feels about his party's decision to plunge to rock bottom with negative campaigning?

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749

These 30 free-spending special interest donors top Jeff Gahan's 2019 pay-to-play campaign finance windfall of $150,000 (so far).

827

Election 2019: The buying and selling of a city, or our updated master list of 73 Gahan wheel-greasers, a veritable pornographic potpourri of pay-to-play.

We've been plumbing the depths revealed by almost nine full years of the Committee to Elect Gahan's CFA-4 campaign finance reports, and I'm happy to announce that my gag reflex has been tamed by the sheer numbness of repetition -- and gin.

Let's repeat some numbers.

2011: $56,515
2012: $16,575
2013: $30,350
2014: $58,795
2015: $103,532
2016: $51,799
2017: $56,225
2018: $64,250
2019: $147,739 (first three quarters)

Total: $585,780

OCTOBER TOP TEN

907

Gahan predictably AWOL from Sherman Minton repair meeting as Republicans seek to avoid a total bridge closure.

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977

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Kind words at my workplace, and I'm touched.

It was a fine Guinness pour on my part, and I'm reminded that it's time to lose thirty pounds; a few too many chins, but I'm almost 60, and nowadays my primary vice seems to be gluttony, not drunkenness. Anyway, Cassie gave me advance notice of my turn as subject of the employee profile, and she did a fantastic job with it. It hasn't always been easy finding my footing these past four years, but verily, it's getting better all the time.

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991

ON THE AVENUES: In which Team Gahan's looming appointment with unemployment is examined.

Against this backdrop we see that Gahan dropped 1,000 votes between 2011 and 2015, then hemorrhaged another 300 in the 2019 primary. Some of these departing voters succumbed to low-turnout indifference. Others sided with David White during his two Democratic Party primary insurgencies and did not return in the fall. Some died; some moved.

Some may have found a different religion. Others want to know when they can vote for Trump again. Conversely, perhaps getting to know Gahan better isn't a tremendously positive experience.

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1,113

The curious question of 3rd district candidate Alex Bilbrey's yard signs.

It's hard to imagine Bilbrey (R) breaking 40% of the vote in the 3rd council district against two-term incumbent Phipps (D); after all, the 3rd district is to pretend-progressive Kool Aid as Porto is to vintage port wine, and Bilbrey -- who registered to run at the last possible minute without the knowledge of his party's chairman -- has been all but invisible for the entirety of 2019.

Except for yard signs.

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1,142

CFA-4 Follies: OMG, just look at Gahan's huge pile of special interest donor cash flowing to out-of-towners.

So far in 2019, Jeff Gahan has raised $147,000 (on top of roughly $128,000 cash on hand) and spent $204,800 to remain mayor.

$140,000 of these expenditures has gone to companies and individuals outside New Albany's city limits.

That's 68%.

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1,163

Time erases: Signs, signs, everywhere signs; some coming, some going.

Quite a few of us always will love Chef Israel Landin and his food, and we enjoyed his ill-fated previous restaurant, La Rosita's, but isn't it pleasant at long last to see the old sign gone, the building being painted and a business (RecBar 812) coming close to occupying it? Next up: That annoyingly permanent Preston's signage, always a decaying reminder of the store's demise eight years ago.

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1,447

Homelessness, 8th Street Pizza's move, Clean Socks Hope's mission and an addendum by Exit 0.

Interestingly, this is one of those infrequent times when food and social issues actively collide, because to put it bluntly, City Hall's stance on homelessness is as clear as alluvial mud -- not at all clean like white socks. Ronald Reagan famously avoided saying the word "AIDS" aloud; Jeff Gahan's bugaboo is the word "homelessness," as he doesn't communicate well and as a suburbanite generally avoids topics he finds personally distasteful.

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1,546

River Run Family Water Park: Why won't the city of New Albany comply with the law and grant Randy Smith's public records request to view the financials?

NAC: Do you think River Run is losing money?

RS: That’s actually beside the point. The city’s water recreation facility probably loses money — a lot of money. That’s OK. Elected officials can choose to lose money to provide a wading pool, splash pads, waterslides, and a “lazy river.” Those of us who thought the “pool” was a poor use of borrowed money can but criticize it now.

But, we are entitled to see the numbers.

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2,949

Hull & High Water is winding down, so go over there and say goodbye.

As I reported earlier at Food & Dining Magazine, Hull & High Water is winding down. Owner Eric Morris made the announcement earlier today at Facebook.

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3,034

Democrat David White: "I am asking ALL the people who have supported me over the years to help Mark Seabrook put People First!"

In our country’s current political climate, we have seen so many being marginalized. I find it important now more than ever to stand on the right side of history, even if it means standing alone.

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to endorse Mark Seabrook for mayor of New Albany. Mark clearly understands and shares my passion and vision for the future of our city. I am asking ALL the people who have supported me over the years to help Mark put People First!

Your participation in this election cycle is supremely important and every single vote will matter.

Gahan's ineptly reinstalled "fork on the sidewalk hidden by cars" leads September's Top Ten at NA Confidential.

After, being ineptly dumped by Carmel-based vandals.

Thanks for reading NA Confidential, where we enjoy reconnoitering the neglected periphery for uniquely local perspectives on life in New Albany. Otherwise your only choice would be the Jeffersonville News and Evangel-bune, and that's a fate almost as unrewarding as light beer consumption.

September proved to be a good month for readership, so we'll list ten honrable mentions, followed by the top ten posts, preceded by a new special category.

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SCOURGE OF NEW ALBANIAN IRONY SICKNESS POST OF THE MONTH

A reader writes, we answer: "Roger, when you ran for mayor, didn't Extol Magazine have a profile about you?"

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(10) HONORABLE MENTION FOR SEPTEMBER

663

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Did Team Gahan really eject former mayor James Garner from its campaign kickoff love-in last Saturday?

"At some point I saw (former mayor) James Garner, and I thought good, this means we're past the primary, and the party can get back together again, but then the mayor's son-in-law (Chris Gardner) and police chief (Todd) Bailey went over and started barking orders at Garner. I could only hear some of what they were saying -- they were telling him to leave! I couldn't believe it, chasing an ex-mayor and a lifelong Democrat away from the kickoff. I mean what have we become? Are we Democrats or some sort of gangsters?"

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691

Vote for Thunder the Wonder Ferret as a write-in for New Albany City Council District 3.

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694

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Slick Jeffie's snarling true colors in last evening's non-debate.

"Gahan raised his voice and made this petulant snarl about how his balance was perfectly budgeted and the city's finances were in great shape. He yelled at Seabrook and said 'you're one to talk' since he's never had a balanced budget, and some other inaudible crackling.

"Slick Jeffie did a great job of showing his true colors. Seabrook definitely got under his skin last night."

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735

"Not a Cool Kid in High School? Study Says You Should Probably Be Relieved."

In NA politics, it’s all about sitting with the Cool Kids at lunch.
-- attentive blog reader D

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792

Happy 10th birthday to Toast on Market.

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821

C.R.E.A.M. y'all: Slick Jeffie releases cookout menu for Saturday, September 7 love fest.

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866

ON THE AVENUES: Socialists for Seabrook, because we desperately need a new beginning in New Albany.

In 2019, this European-style Social Democrat will be voting for Mark Seabrook for mayor of New Albany.

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869

Mark Seabrook attended the mayoral forum at the Southern Indiana Realtors Association. Jeff Gahan skipped it. Remember that, voters.

Seabrook?

He shows up.

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902

Watch Jeff Gahan abuse (a) the League of Women Voters' Q&A format, (b) Mark Seabrook and (c) the intelligence of voters.

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943

Slick Jeffie's wasteful masterpiece: $85,000 + $406,522 = the price for traffic lights at a downtown intersection where a four-way stop would work just fine.

The intersection of Bank and Main could be easily calmed and regulated by the installation of a four-way stop, with a few stop signs and red flashers like the ones recently installed at the intersection of 13th and Elm -- itself a stupidly hazardous place that the city's "brain trust" insisted for years wasn't an issue, but finally became necessary to "fix" so that Greg Phipps could have something to campaign on.

Stop signs at the intersection of Bank and Main might cost a couple thousand dollars. So, how do we do it in Jeff Pay-to-PlayHan's Anchor City?

(10) TOP TEN POSTS FOR SEPTEMBER

1,000

"Mayor's daughter arrested on drug charges."

Versailles is a city with fewer than 9,000 residents. Fred Siegelman appears to have been the all too familiar "mayor for life" type with at least three full terms before resigning in 2013. He appears to have been elected to city council in 2018. For all I know he was a competent mayor, seemingly theatrical, but that's hardly uncommon. All of the following is a matter of public record, albeit dated -- and be aware that this blog supports the legalization of marijuana.

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1,007

Vote Al Knable and Christina Estill for New Albany City Council At-Large.

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1,033

Power move: Him Gentleman's Boutique and Mane Alley Color & Extension Bar to transform the moribund Preston Arts Building.

Great story here, with Him Gentleman's Boutique and Mane Alley Color & Extension Bar purchasing and revamping a moribund building. Downtowners have known about this for a while, and it is good news indeed. Construction at RecBar across the street is underway, meaning that quite soon TWO redundant structures will have been put back to use.

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1,046

Resch, Sprigler, Bass and Donaldson present plans for Union Restaurant & GameYard, a new downtown Jeffersonville entertainment center.

"What we're bringing to the table is an asset to Jeff," Resch said. "It's going to be a destination to bring people downtown. You can tell by the drawings that we've put a lot of thought, time and effort into it. We're going to throw the right amount of money at it to make it a good project."

The sprawling layout for Union Restaurant & GameYard will comprise two houses sitting on West Chestnut St., the parking lot that separates them and an empty yard behind one of the houses.

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1,050

Which of these monstrously ugly downtown structures is the worst of all?

Just horrifying.

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1,066

Board and You Bistro & Wine Bar announced for 434 Pearl Street, coming in the Spring of 2020.

Note that 434 Pearl Street is the corner commercial space where Matt McMahan intended to launch a cidery a few years ago. Matt no longer owns the building.

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1,069

An unsolicited testimonial for the Irish Rover.

The Reidys have busted their humps throughout, but the aspect of their business experience that speaks to me is success in executing an existing idea -- the Irish pub, as opposed to the German beer hall or Belgian beer cafe -- by establishing a constant core of daily undertow, while allowing for creativity and evolution around the edges.

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1,244

Recbar 812 build-out underway. Here's my beer advice.

Always a pleasure to link to the IU Southeast newspaper.

Here's a suggestion for Recbar 812. If they're intent on 20 draft lines, then become an unofficial "tied" house for an Indiana brewery (obviously contractual agreements are not legal) and devote half those lines to them.

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1,834

Just tell me why we should refrain from pointing to the wealth amassed by religious personalities like the late Rev. Berniece Hicks.

Hicks was a preacher, and she had a church. Maybe she owned the church; maybe it owned her. Obviously she owned lots of stuff. One needn't devote hours of research to grasp that the church Hicks founded has been controversial almost from the beginning, as this front page from 1979 attests.

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2,269

Return of the Fork in the Road public art installation -- bad location, but it's Gahanism, after all.

Before, where it actually made sense.