A sneak peak into the new Mathes Pharmacy building at the corner of Vincennes and Charlestown Road.

The final shift will happen any day now, but Mathes Pharmacy's new building is finished, and moving has started. Prescriptions are still being filled at the current store a few yards away. The oldest of two buildings making up the Mathes campus already has been emptied.

It's available, so if you know anyone interested in leasing this space, let Joe Dones know. There's at least one apartment in back.

Meanwhile, the hub on the corner awaits official word from the regulatory authorities, then all operations will be under one brand new roof. Afterwards, the old building will be demolished, to be used for parking.

Inside the new:

Joe's incorporated lots of history in the interior decor.

I'll conclude with a zoom. Did you know that once upon a time, the Mathes building on the corner was a bar?

Best wishes to Joe and the crew at Mathes.

Teaser: Thursday column excerpt.

You'll have to wait until Thursday to read the rest of my weekly column at the Tribune's web site. Until then, know that the fly on the wall didn't make the final cut.

Sputtering and coughing, the Regress Express eased onto Spring Street and headed west.

“Watch out, CC,” exclaimed Li’l Stevie. “You’re in the bike lane, boss. It’s illegal to mow the bike lane.”

I wouldn’t worry about that,” replied Cappuccino through clenched teeth. “We’re against ordinance enforcement, remember?”

Councilman Cappuccino prepares for tonight's city council meeting by throwing neighborhood tantrum.

Here's the agenda for tonight's city council meeting.

Last on the list: The zoning ordinance that wouldn't die, as The Gary emerges from the Wendy's value meal graveyard to once again challenge his sister's ethical sensibility -- a challenge that she'll once again fail according to the ironclad dictate that New Albany politicians forever and always aim for the lowest of common denominators, not the higher ground.

Meanwhile, the inexplicable and inexcusable presence of the Wizard of Westside on any commission with the most remote connection to commonly shared concepts of "redevelopment" was again made laughingly obvious yesterday:

Dan Coffey upset over selection for homeownership bid in New Albany, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune).

New Albany’s bid for neighborhood stabilization funds targeted the S. Ellen Jones area — a move that angered Redevelopment Commission member and City Council President Dan Coffey.

Benumbed copperheads, "I Wanna ROCK" and Joel Grey: Just another council Thursday.

As I eagerly await the arrival of the insurance adjuster, tonight’s city council meeting agenda is here.

Rest assured that we’ll be watching the head gavel to see if the effects of last meeting’s massive sedative dosage have yet worn off.

Also, ROCK has promised to turn out its Legion of the One Trick Pony to sit quietly past mundane considerations that range past its limited objectives and await the very last agenda item, New Albany’s new adult cabaret ordinance.

Tonight, instead of the Pledge of Allegiance, why not break out in precautionary song:

No use permitting
some prophet of doom
To wipe every smile away
Come hear the music play
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret!

The adult cabaret ordinance will be quickly approved, the “soldiers” will hastily decamp to return to their exurban homes for ritualistic soilings of the Constitution, and the rest of us can sit around the white-hot campfire in anticipation of the lawsuits to follow.

Go get ‘em, Guido.

There will be a higher level of controversy preceding, as the question of salary hikes for city employees returns after an earlier tabling and a legal cabal:

New Albany City Council attorney: Salary increases must come from council, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune).

On a more cheerful note, my new municipal sewer bill arrived yesterday.

Looking ahead to March, I’m told that after some months of white water rafting amid the flotsam and jetsam of the credit collapse, the king of exurbia is returning with a zoning-approved proposal for dramatic, transformational economic revitalization (either the “threeconomy” or the “meconomy,” although I can’t recall which one) at precisely the same hallowed battle site where he was soundly spanked throughout the year of our ROCK, 2008.

That’s right: It seems that “The Gary” wants to build a Wendy’s on Charlestown Road, and after all, it’s not just fast food, it’s Wendy’s, and we can expect the neighborhood activists to be back for another thrilling round as the developer’s sister again fails to refrain from voting.

Can’t we have a progressive ordinance that restricts “The Gary” to the area past the beltway?

See you tonight.

Council agenda slim -- time for a field trip to the II Horseshoes?

It may be time to end my self-imposed exile and attend a council meeting, if for no other reason than to hear what the council president has in mind for New Albany’s tithe to One Southern Indiana – an idea that first surfaced so long ago that I can’t even locate our archival reference to it.

(Not really … I just don’t feel like looking.)

NEW ALBANY: City Council to set elected officials salary, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune).

The New Albany City Council has a light agenda for its first meeting of December, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday. Only three ordinances and resolutions are set to go before the council: a resolution providing money for homeless services at Haven House, an ordinance setting salaries for elected officials and an ordinance to establish funds for local economic impact groups.

I'll take Daniel's word for it; last time I checked, the agenda wasn't yet on-line.

Could tonight be the long-awaited occasion when the fireworks finally begin popping and one or another of the council persons (Cappuccino remains my choice) picks the perfect spot to grandstand on the general topic of the West End porno invasion, i.e., the II Horseshoes Gentleman’s Club?

(Psst ... wanna brief gander at the atmosphere being conveyed right across the street from the mayor’s historic pad?)

Check out this link: What, you were expecting good taste?

Umm, racy wallpaper, eh? There's nothing quite like strippers locking lips to make a man crave Bud Light -- or frot row seats at a R.O.C.K. rally.

I'll be the one wearing the Groucho mask, back in the cheap seats.

Tribune reporter Daniel Suddeath previews tonight's council meeting: Withdrawal from Riverboat Fund up for vote in New Albany City Council.

It's a light agenda, barring unlikely but always conceivable additional smoking ordinance pyrotechnics, although it should be noted that arson by novelty lighter is strictly prohibited.

Enforcement? Don't ask.

With non-smoking civic issues queued outside the council chamber like Indiana cars in front of West End liquor stores at 12:57 p.m. on Sunday, 2nd and 3rd readings of the appropriation described above are the only items of new business for the council, which -- if you're just tuning in -- spent the past month wasting everyone's time on an issue entirely off the city's radar screen.

However, tonight the council is being asked to approve an appointment to the Historical Preservation Commission, and this should provide the likes of Dan Coffey the opportunity to pontificate, grandstand and entertain the somnolent gallery with his trademark nonsensical banter. I'll be disapointed if he doesn't flash his Bazooka Joe degree in vinyl siding installation (permit, schermit ... cash is fine, ma'am).

Merriment like that keeps me coming back for more – that is, whenever I’m permitted to remain. Soon there may be an ordinance against me, and until there is, the council president presumably is soaking his ejection thumb in IcyHot.

After all, the only other choice tonight is to watch the geriatric John McCain on television, and contemplate the levels of theocratic fascist torture that former political "mavericks" are able to withstand before breaking down and crying "Uncle".

Nope. I'll take my chances wth Steve's nickels and dimes.

Must reads, strange bedfellows and the continuing saga of city council Monday.

Required reading of a non-political nature, all of which surfaced during a sultry high summer’s weekend:

Downtown Saturday: Everything’s waiting for you in New Albany (Harold J. Adams; Courier-Journal)

Thirty New Albany merchants joined yesterday in the launch of an effort to bring weekend crowds back to the city's downtown area with the first monthly "Downtown Saturday."

“Downtown Saturdays” organizers Curt and Pam Peters had this to say about the inaugural effort in a Sunday e-mail:

Thanks to everyone for your work on the first Downtown Saturday. Many good things happened, and it will only get better. We stopped by at over half of the Downtown Saturday merchants, and almost all said that they had increased traffic. We had 72 visitors at the Gallery on Pearl - by far the best Saturday we have had since we opened. We can meet Tuesday, August 14, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. at the Speakeasy on State Street (in their large room) to share comments and suggestions. Our next Downtown Saturday will be Sept. 1. Please invite additional merchants to participate and to come on August 14 if possible. Best wishes to all and thanks to everyone.

Meanwhile, it is axiomatic that New Albany must be smarter to succeed. Here’s one way that the city will defy the Luddite limitations imposed by its no-progress-at-any-Steve-Price faction:

Students, staff await Purdue campus in New Albany (Dale Moss; Courier-Journal)

Purdue is building on one of the best corners in New Albany. But the project is not what you might figure. It won't be Purdue University Southeast, like nearby Indiana University Southeast.

Following is another stellar contribution from a youthful local “guest columnist,” whose essays have been so good that it makes us wonder why our local newspaper doesn’t have its own regular columnist:

ROBISON: A better New Albany (Daniel Robison; Tribune)

With some time off before school beckons again, I decided to take a backseat spot in a car headed to Colorado last week. Not only did I welcome spending some time away from New Albany, I particularly wanted to compare how our community measures up with others I encountered along the way.

But regrettably, now it is time for NAC’s twice monthly John Entwistle Memorial “Fiddle About” city council meeting preview, today prefaced by these local press hors d’oeuvres:

No-bid contracts split council; New Albany debates 2 agreements’ validity (Dick Kaukas; Courier-Journal)

Members of the New Albany City Council will be asked … to authorize litigation to determine if a $3.3 million, no-bid contract awarded by the sewer board and another for $507,000 awarded by the storm water board are valid.

Both contracts went to Environmental Management Corp., the company that has operated the New Albany sewers since 2001.

The issue of whether bids should have been sought for the contracts has split the council.

And, closer to home …

Court challenge faces New Albany City Council vote (Eric Scott Campbell; Tribune)

Quite frankly, we’re at a loss to explain why the council’s factions have lately realigned in such an inexplicable manner, with progressive stalwarts like Jeff Gahan combining with arch-reactionaries like Dan Coffey to make us scratch our heads in ever-escalating wonderment, but such is the climate as the fall campaign season approaches.

A few days ago, at-large Republican councilman Kevin Zurschmiede circulated the following statement via e-mail to neighborhood associations, constituents and others on his contacts list:

Hello,

As your City Council Representative I am asking that all concerned citizens of New Albany come to the next City Council meeting.

It will be Monday August 6th at 7:30.

Some members of the Council are bringing forth a resolution that will essentially become the initial steps for an increase to our Sewer Bills.

The resolution calls for spending unlimited tax payers dollars towards hiring an attorney to determine the validity of two recently signed contracts between the city's Storm Water Board and the city's Sewer Utility.

I am tired of our citizens finding out after the fact that their tax dollars have gone to waste on frivolous law suits and attorney expenses.

I would like to see as many folks turn out at this meeting as possible.
Please pass this information on to your friends, neighbors, and families and please come to the meeting and voice your concerns to the City Council.

I am thanking you in advance for passing along this information and attending the meeting.

Sincerely,

KEVIN W ZURSCHMIEDE

NAC’s senior editor has a prior obligation to entertain an out-of-town guest and will be unable to attend the melee, err, meeting, but it is hoped that we’ll have someone in attendance to provide coverage of the session.

Good luck, good luck … whomever you are.

Cold coffey, stale biscuits, lumpy gravy and Cappuccino's planned mass deportation of functionaries.

Amid rumblings of discontent inside his hermit kingdom of Westendia, Councilman Cappuccino is expected to leave the secured perimeter of his West 7th "green with envy zone" compound in order to attend tonight’s city council meeting, where he has promised to kick-off a star-studded witch hunt in an effort to expose the identities of “political appointees … who are not needed."

New Albany council to look at city's ongoing expenses; Using 'rainy day' funds has uncertain support, by Dick Kaukas (Louisville Courier-Journal).

Unfortunately neither the CJ’s pliant reporter nor NAC was unable to interview CM Cappuccino at last evening’s official grand opening of Speakeasy Jazz, because, as noted political commentator and bridge player Chico Marx once noted, “He fool us. He no show up.”

Perhaps Cappuccino was busy renewing his auctioneer’s license, planting a pumpkin patch in honor of Whittaker Chambers, or searching for the crucial information that has constantly eluded his grasp.

Meanwhile, having gracefully dodged the poison arrow recently launched in her direction by the villainous and cowardly two-headed Denschak troll, city clerk Marcey Wisman helpfully provides the council meeting agenda here.

---

With the second half of the 2007 political season fast approaching, we’re still scratching our heads and wondering:

Whatever became of the city council redistricting lawsuit?

Will the 3rd council district be graced with a platform from either GOP candidate Brenda Scharlow or Libertarian pro wrestling chronicler Thomas Keister?

Did 5th district Democratic nominee Diane Benedetti ever take advantage of her free ticket to the Muhammad Ali Center?

Will the GOP caretaker mayoral candidate Randy Hubbard risk venturing an opinion – on anything?

Just wondering. And you?