A welcomed musical interlude, sad yet inspirational.

For the chart outside the door.

(Corrections as of 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday ... added Mom & Pops and NACC Grille, moved Mac's to the bar column)

NABC's graphics department, otherwise known as staff artist Tony Beard, has been updating the map normally situated to the left of the Bank Street Brewhouse door. I've helped him assemble this list, the purpose of which is to provide quasi-accurate food and drink information to passers-by. In the eventuality that we are not open on a particular day or at a certain time, it is that visitors will patronize another establishment and keep their expenditures local.

The main map's target is downtown because that's within short driving and walking (or biking) distance, but listings have been expanded to include independent local food and drink businesses inside the beltway. Take a look at the updated list. What are we missing?

Coffee

“Earth Friends Café & Coffee Bar” 3211 Grant Line Road (at Summit Square) 812-725-9393

“Quills Coffee” (coming in November 2011) 137 East Market Street

“Hobknobb Roasting Company” 419 State Street New Albany, IN 47150 (812) 944-4555 (also maintains a kiosk in the NA-FC Public Library)

---

Sweets & Ice Cream

“Honey Creme Donut Shop” 514 Vincennes Street 812-945-2150

"Mom and Pop's Cone Corner" 1817 Graybrook Lane 812-945-6711

“Rookies Cookies” 310 Pearl Street (812) 948-8858

“Sweet Stuff Bakery” 323 East Spring Street 812-948-2507

“Zesto Ice Cream” (seasonal) 2740 Charlestown Road 812-944-6845

---

Classic Taverns

“B & B Pub & Grill” 1423 Culbertson Avenue 812-725-9955

“Hitching Post Tavern” 115 West Market Street 812-945-8854

“Hugh E. Bir’s Cafe” 324 East Market Street 812-945-8884

“Mac’s Hideaway” 1636 Slate Run Road 812-945-4256

“Pastime Grill & Pub” 424 East Market Street 812-945-9055

“Uptown Bar” 330 Vincennes Street 812-945-1850

“Vic’s Cafe” 1839 East Market Street 812-944-4338

“Vickie's Good Times Bar” 114 East Market Street 812-941-8000

---

Package Beer, Wine and Liquor (no food)

“Bottles Unlimited” 427 State Street 812-945-6765 (also owns Uptown Liquors at 609 Vincennes Street)

“Bridge Liquors” 110 Knable Lane 812-949-6396

“Keg (New Albany)” 302 Pearl Street Suite B 812-948-0444

“Sunset Spirits” 2706 Paoli Pike 812-944-4031

---

Pool Halls

“Jack’s” 3308 Plaza Drive 812-948-1600 FULL BAR/BAR FOOD

---

Restaurants (with alcoholic beverages)

“(The) Bank Fusion Cuisine and Lounge” 203 East Main 812-944-1929 FUSION/LOUNGE/NIGHTCLUB

“Feast BBQ” (coming in Spring 2012) 116 West Main Street BARBECUE

"Habana Blues" 148 East Market St 812-944-9760 CUBAN

"Irish Exit" 207 East Main Street 812-944-1929 IRISH PUB

“La Bocca Restaurant” 134 East Market Street 812-725-9495 ITALIAN

"La Rosita Mexican Grill" 336 Pearl Street 812-944-3620 MEXICAN

"Louis Le Français" 133 East Market Street 812-944-1222 FRENCH

“Mac’s Hideaway” 1636 Slate Run Road 812-945-4256 PUB GRUB

“NA Exchange pub + kitchen” 3306 Plaza Drive 812-948-6501 GASTROPUB

“NABC Bank Street Brewhouse” 415 Bank Street 812-725-9585 BREWERY/CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN … carry-out beer sales on Sunday

"NACC Grille & Pub" 1706 Graybrook Lane 812-981-7777 AMERICAN PUB GRUB

“River City Winery” 321 Pearl Street 812-945-9463 WINERY/ CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN … carry-out wine sales on Sunday

“Sam’s Food & Spirits” 3800 Payne Koehler Road 812-945-9757 AMERICAN

“Toast on Market” 141 East Market Street 812-941-8582 CONTEMPORARY BREAKFAST/LUNCH

“Tucker’s American Favorites” 2441 State Street 812-944-9999 SPORTS BAR

“Wick’s Pizza” 225 State Street 812-945-9425 PIZZA

---

Restaurants (without alcoholic beverages)

“Dock Seafood” 1125 State Street 812-944-2951 FISH & SEAFOOD

“Jackson's Seafood” 400 West Main Street 812-945-3474 FISH & SEAFOOD

“Hing Wang Chinese Restaurant” 2123 Spring Street 812-542-2728 CHINESE

“Lancaster Cafeteria” 223 West 5th Street 812-949-2400 HOME COOKING

“Little Chef” 147 East Market Street 812-949-7567 CLASSIC DINER

Kevin Hammersmith has died in a car crash.

(8:00 p.m.: News and Tribune update earlier this afternoon)

What I know is this.

Kevin Hammersmith of Duke Energy was killed in a car crash last night on Highway 111. On Facebook, his sister Tammy writes that Kevin was returning from an IUS function at Horseshoe Casino, and was hit head-on by a car that crossed the center line. It appears a guest was accompanying him. It's all on local television news this morning, but I don't watch local television news.

My parents and Kevin's were best friends, and from the earliest time I can remember growing up in Georgetown, our two families socialized pretty much every weekend. Kevin and I were close in those days, although by the time we got out of high school, not so much so. But we never lost touch entirely, and happily, in recent years I saw quite a bit of him, usually during events and fundraisers, and also at Bank Street Brewhouse when it was opened.

I richly enjoyed giving Kevin a hard time about being a stuffed-shirt corporate Republican functionary, and I'm sure he rolled his eyes at the beads in my beard, as well as my ongoing failure to assume the responsibilities of adulthood. None of that seems to matter much today, but damn, I'm going to miss him.

It may be winter, but the Dubois County Bombers are planning for baseball.

NABC was happy to partner with the Dubois County Bombers in 2011 to offer craft beer at League Stadium, and we hope to renew the arrangement in 2012. The hot stove league can be about wintertime baseball gossip, but also about craft beers. Here's a 2012 update, as submitted by the team.

Bombers will have local flavor in 2012 ... Season Tickets now on Sale

The Dubois County Bombers are preparing for the 2012 season and are close to signing 5 or 6 local players from the southern Indiana area. Player contracts have been sent out and signings will be announced in the next few weeks. The Bombers will get started in late May with an exhibition game or two before the 60 game Prospect League regular season begins. The season runs until early August and concludes with two rounds of playoffs.

Season Tickets are now on sale and renewal letters to existing subscribers are in the mail. Individual Adult Ticket Prices will be $5 for General Admission, $7 for Reserved Seating (Orange seats) along the first and third base lines and $8 for Reserved Seating (Red seats) behind home plate.

Season Ticket Prices are $116 for General Admission, $148 for Orange Seats and $162 for Red Seats. Fans should take advantage of sale prices and order now. Orders taken by January 31st are $109 for General Admission, $128 for Orange Seats and $144 for Red Seats.

Bomber Owner John Bigness looks forward to the coming season. “League Stadium is such a great venue for baseball. I can’t think of a better place to watch a game. We’ll have top-notch baseball and great fun, food and drink and with a few exceptions, a whole new roster with more local players than we’ve had in the past. We’re going to generate some excitement early on to bring in bigger crowds and create a buzz throughout the southern Indian region. We’ll make it easy for families and friends to enjoy as many nights at the ballpark as they want.”

Entering its 50th year in 2012, the Prospect League (formerly the CICL) has seen over 1000 alumni play professional baseball with 175 including two former Bombers – Steve Cishek (Florida Marlins) and Cory Wade (New York Yankees) make the big leagues. Other notable alumni include new new Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon, Yankee manager Joe Girardi and Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame outfielder Kirby Puckett. For further information please visit the Bombers web site at www.dcbombers.com

Requests for season ticket order forms can be made by calling the Bomber offices at (812) 683-3700 or via email at DCBombers(at)psci(dot)net. Requests and checks can be sent to:

Dubois County Bombers
P.O. Box 332
Huntingburg, IN 47542.

Douglas England will be remembered primarily for fixes like this one. It's why he had to go.

Nothing much needs to be said about this revelation apart from what we already knew, because you can only vomit so much before the dry heaves begin in earnest. Thanks to the newspaper for publishing the information, albeit belatedly; the margin of defeat might have been even worse, but we'll take what we can get -- just like she did.

THE HOUSE IS IN ORDER: Administration defends DNA president’s NSP contract; State says New Albany meeting requirements for $6.7 million project, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune; beware of pop-ups)

Mayor Doug England’s administration was within its right to hire Develop New Albany President Susan Kaempfer at a rate of $50 per hour to serve as program manager of the Midtown neighborhood housing project, state officials have confirmed.

Kaempfer — who was vice president of the nonprofit Develop New Albany when she was awarded the contract — was paid $108,401 from June 28, 2010, to Aug. 18, 2011, according to records provided by the administration.

And the name is: The Bank Fusion Cuisine & Lounge.

Here's the answer to my question earlier this morning: It's The Bank Fusion Cuisine & Lounge.

The new name of the hottest new bar/restaurant/lounge/nightclub is ... The Bank Fusion Cuisine & Lounge! Soft opening Wednesday Thanksgiving Eve with DJ Stingy!! Our upstairs will be called "Dellinger Room," where we will have another stage and full bands perform.

(photo borrowed from The Bank's FB page)

The ear X-tacy gone-out-of-business sale is Thanksgiving weekend.

As addressed on ear X-tacy's Facebook page.

Hello Friends and Family,

We’re sending this out to you today with some information about the last sale at the store! (Finally!)

ear X-tacy will be open for 2 final days on Saturday November 26th and Sunday November 27th. Hours for both days will be 12 Noon – 5pm. We’d love to see all of you one last time at the store. Everything will be sold. Information regarding any discounts will be sent closer to time. We will be accepting cash, credit cards, and gift cards. PLEASE BE AWARE THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME TO REDEEM ANY GIFT CARDS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES.

Also, we will be reaching out to any/all local artists today about a designated pick up time for items in the store. Please be looking for that email, as we only have so much time to get this taken care of. (If you know of a local artist we carry, please feel free to pass along this email).

As always, we appreciate all of you more than you know. We’re very happy to be doing this sale over Thanksgiving Weekend because we feel like the biggest thing we can give thanks for … is you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email manager@earx-tacy.com and we will do our best to answer each and every one of you.

We wish you the very best over this Holiday Season and truly look forward to serving you one last time.

Always,

ear X-tacy

News from the Irish Exit.

From Facebook. I'm not sure what the winning entry is ...

Ok we need some help here from our customers....we have been building a new bar, stage and bathroom in "the billiards room/ aka the Palladio". We will be launching a grand opening and new bar name for just that side Wednesday November 23rd!! That bar and the irish exit will be ran as two separate places....We have a few names picked out but we want some imput from the customers. Let's hear em??

Doomed to dependence on automobiles and foreign oil. That's some way to live.

If all the pain and agony surrounding the ORBP genuinely purports to address any semblance of what the Louisville area's transportation needs will be in 50 years, then why is mass transit not a part of the ongoing conversation? At the end of the day, the reason why I oppose the ORBP paradigm so strenuously is less about tolls or Kerry Stemler's breathtaking arrogance than the fact of its sheer expense and auto-centric scale effectively precluding civilized public transportation construction for THE REST OF MY LIFE.

Links are to articles in OSIN. Beware of pop-ups.

Bridges forum: It’s still about the money

$2.9B bridges project recommended

"Initial cost ... but the money stays in the community instead of 'leaking out' ... We need to look at the bigger picture."

From California, ruminations quite similar to those recently aired by New Albany at-large councilman John Gonder: "Local government has an obligation to take the extra steps to ensure that local businesses are favored over national chains ... "

online.com/news/ivp-news-iviba-and-joint-chambers-ask-supervisors-to-buy-local-20111116,0,2882982.story">IVIBA and Joint Chambers ask Supervisors to buy local, by Alejandro Davila (Imperial Valley Press)

A bid preference ordinance that would benefit locally headquartered businesses was proposed by the Imperial Valley Independent Business Alliance to the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The bid preference would give a 5 to 10 percent preference in government contracts when a business is headquartered in the county, regardless of its size, and bids, said Paul McManus, president of IVIBA.

“We propose that you pass a resolution that would direct your purchasing department to always look for a local source first before dealing with outside vendors,” McManus said to the board.

ON THE AVENUES: Faux thanks and reveries.

ON THE AVENUES: Faux thanks and reveries.

A weekly web column by Roger A. Baylor.

A self-appointed citizen’s activist lurches toward a bedecked podium. There, the winning candidate stands in readiness, basking in the glow of victory as he prepares to deliver his speech before family and friends.

The woman fondles an official, licensed Hillary Clinton charm bracelet, and it jangles all plastic-like as an indulgent crowd, one dreamy with a sense of possibility and a few too many Early Times and Cokes, graciously parts to allow her a clear path to the stage.

Her nicotine-stained fingers are wrapped tenuously around an aluminum can of the very best imported beer Italian lira can buy, at least in those old-school service clubs with ballrooms: Budweiser, a factory-brewed product of the multi-national wunderkind AB-Inbev -- once solidly American, now lost to foreign money amid the recovering stock portfolios of the 1%.

The woman shakily places the can of Budweiser on the floor off to the side, and gestures to the candidate. Confused, and not a little bit horrified, he considers the likelihood of far better beers being poured just down the street. Amid the gathered throngs, there is an odd, brief pause. Who is that woman, anyway? She seems lost, someone whispers. Is she really a professor, or does she just play one on the Internet? And why is she putting the beer can there?

Very soon, the moment passes. The woman cackles back into the rear of the hall, and her votive offering is ignored, to be consumed and recycled later by the facility’s janitor. The speech is made, and eventually, the celebration ends.

Somewhere in the city, a dog barks.

---

But enough about these purely imagined weird scenes in the post-election night of a New Albanian’s perpetually inebriated lifespan – it’s almost Thanksgiving!

A couple of years ago, before those humorless Alabama retirees demanded my newspaper platform be dismantled as punishment for my audacity in seeking local office, I stated that there’s never any better time than Thanksgiving for an iconoclast’s thoughts to be made public.

However, I soon learned the futility of expecting anyone to read such an outpouring of words on the holiday itself. Given the inability of most readers to proceed down any of my pages without scratching their heads in vocabularic confusion, it seemed almost impolite to expect them to waste valuable football viewing time in what surely would become a frustrating, household-wide search for seldom-used dictionaries and thesauruses.

And so, we’ll do it today. First, let’s revisit the notion of “iconoclast”:

1. A breaker or destroyer of images, esp. those set up for religious veneration (like the untended can of warm Budweiser stained by venom and tobacco).

2. A person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., as being based on error or superstition … rather like your humble correspondent.

While others grew up idolizing athletes and rock stars, my own heroes (Reggie Jackson, Keith Moon and George Clooney aside) have always been iconoclasts. From Socrates through Tom Paine, and not exempting 20th-century polemicists like H. L. Mencken, there’s nothing quite like an iconoclast taking a headlong swipe at unexamined assumptions.

Consequently, around this time each year, it is my duty to remind you that Thanksgiving, while perfectly enjoyable from a hedonist’s standpoint, and wholly conducive to this bibulous trencherman’s standards, actually stands for something more than gluttony and sports.

But that certain “something” isn’t the prevailing viewpoint that the Puritans and Natives once merrily gathered for a quaint New England picnic, pausing only occasionally from the consumption of corn chowder and non-alcoholic cranberry wine to pray to their respective deities for continued prosperity and happiness.

Rather, it is this:

The need for Christian apologetics aside, and whether or not Squanto miraculously facilitated a peaceful first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, the subsequent history of the white man on the North American continent boasted the unabated slaughter of Native Americans, incessant pillaging of the environment, and an exculpatory doctrine of “manifest destiny” interwoven with prevailing Christianity, as intended to ease the consciences (if any) of those pulling the triggers.

We’ll leave the approval of African-American slavery emanating for many generations from Southern pulpits for another day of “thanks”.

In the context of genuine American history, and to the exclusion of mythology and wishful thinking, the holiday we term “Thanksgiving” is ironic, to say the least. I prefer reflections on all human history to be in accordance with the record, and as events actually occurred, without the tidying impulse to obscure and sanitize them.

I accept that people in all places and times do what they can with what they have, and believe that the best we can hope for is to learn from the past in the hope of learning worthwhile lessons and avoiding mistakes. In my opinion, the worst error of all is to misrepresent the historical record to justify theological needs.

Yes, I observe Thanksgiving, too. It’s just that I do it realistically.

•••

America’s Christmas shopping season appropriately commences on Labor Day, and it will reach a crescendo on November 25, which frenzied pop culture vultures have dubbed Black Friday. Pavlov’s overworked mutt can be expected to salivate continuously as fevered analysts seek to determine if holiday season retail sales will be sufficient to keep Wal-Mart, Best Buy and their suppliers in China solvent for another year.

At least there’s food on Thanksgiving. This year, it means a longer than usual ride across one of the remaining bridges to Louisville’s South End, and transformative dining at the venerable Vietnam Kitchen. Iconoclasm aside, I enjoy the traditional Norman Rockwell spread as much as anyone, but cooking it at home simply isn’t an option for us. Instead, we indulge in crisp spring rolls, exotic peppery noodle dishes and the occasional clay pot catfish, accompanied by India Pale Ale and French coffee for dessert.

After all, to each his own “tradition” – and may yours not be harmful to others.

(Elements within today’s column were “sampled” from my OSIN column of November 25, 2009)

FLASH: Keg Liquors New Albany will be open this Friday (November 18).

Straight from the store's Facebook site:

Todd Antz
8:44am Nov 17
I think we can safely say that the New Albany location of Keg Liquors will be opening on Friday, November 18th at 10:00 AM. No huge grand opening ceremonies, we'll save that for the next week! Stop in and say hello! And spread the word!

Penn State child rape deception: "One more lie to maintain the preposterously lucrative unreality of college athletics."

There are times when the only thought occurring to you after reading an essay is this: Why couldn't I have written that?

The Brutal Truth About Penn State: The problem can't be solved by prayer or piety — and it's far more widespread than we think, by Charles P. Pierce (Grantland).

... It no longer matters if there continues to be a football program at Penn State. It no longer even matters if there continues to be a university there at all. All of these considerations are trivial by comparison to what went on in and around the Penn State football program ...

... It is not a failure of our institutions so much as it is a window into what they have become — soulless, profit-driven monsters, Darwinian predators with precious little humanity left in them. Penn State is only the most recent example. Too much of this country is too big to fail.

In case you were wondering, Mayor-Elect Gahan "announces transition team."

Submitted.

---

Mayor-Elect Jeff Gahan

November 16, 2011 Contact: Michael Hall
For Immediate Release (812) 946-2962

GAHAN ANNOUNCES TRANSITION TEAM

New Albany Mayor-Elect Jeff Gahan announced the members of his Mayoral Transition Team today. Members of the team include leaders in business, labor, education and non-profit organizations, as well as Democrats and Republicans.

“Each of these individuals brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the City of New Albany. Their guidance and counsel will be invaluable as we move forward with implementing the initiatives of the campaign,” said Gahan.

Gahan says the Mayoral Transition Team will focus on making a seamless transition between city administrations. In the first phase of the transition, the team will focus on hiring of department heads, appointments to boards and commissions, and the selection of a mayoral staff.

The members of the Transition Team are:

Ms. Yvonne Grundy

Retired Public School Teacher, NAACP Award Recipient

Mr. Warren Nash

Former Mayor and Real Estate Professional

Mr. Joseph Champion

Bingham McHale LLP, Governmental Affairs Attorney

Ms. Tonya Fischer

V.P. Investor and Governmental Affairs, 1SI

Mr. Ron Toran

Retired New Albany Fire Fighter and former Fire Chief

Mr. Steve Bonifer

U. S. Government Teacher New Albany Floyd County Public Schools

Mrs. Connie Sipes

Former Indiana State Senator

Mr. John Wilcox Chairman of the Floyd County Democratic Party and private citizen

Mr. Vernon Niemeier

Retired New Albany Police Officer and private citizen

Mr. Uric Defrene

Professor of Business Administration IUS, Sanders Chair in Business

Mr. Kevin Zurschmiede

New Albany City Council Member

Mr. Pat McGlaughlin

New Albany City Council Member

Mr. Robert Norrington

Business Manager Laborers International Union Local 795

Too much Dixie on their minds.

Rationality from elsewhere: Bicycling, public transport and form-based codes.

After reading Louisville's toll-happy new mayor officiously gurgle (to a dietitian, no less) yet again about the grandeur of oligarchy enfluffment via the ORBP, it's instructive to survey the scene in nearby cities. Following are three such bits of inspiration.

Cincinnati submits $56.8M TIGER III application to fund modern streetcar extension, by Randy A. Simes (UrbanCincy)

Local governments across the United States are in the process of competing for $527 million worth of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) III funds. The deadline for applications was October 31, and the City of Cincinnati once again has applied for funds.

Cincinnati’s TIGER III application requests $56.8 million for phase one of the Cincinnati Streetcar. City officials say that the money will go to immediately restore the project’s segments that were eliminated following Governor Kasish’s (R) controversial reallocation of $52 million in early 2011.

Apart from streetcars in Cincinnati, there are bicycles in Indianapolis -- and even in New Albany, as the increasingly irrelevant King Larry can attest. It is sadly ironic that even as other burgs speak of expanding bike lanes and biking in general, dullards from the outer reaches of Floyd County would prefer their disappearance, if reattaching another lane of traffic to Spring Street somehow might reduce their commute times during the bridge outage -- as though New Albany exists only for their pass-through pleasure. Pfui to all that.

Measured Progress: Bike Lanes on Broad Ripple Ave, by Curt Ailes (Urban Indy)

Last week, guide lines went down on Broad Ripple Ave between the village and Keystone Avenue. I knew that the thermostriped permanent ones would not be far behind. Well, the new lines are down and my initial expectations for what the corridor would look like have been exceeded.

We've previously referenced form-based codes here.

Meridian Kessler Moving Forward with Form-Based Codes, by Kevin Kastner (Urban Indy)

My neighborhood, Meridian Kessler, has been doing some behind-the-scenes maneuvering to promote the implementation of Form-Based zoning codes in the neighborhood. Form-based codes are the logical antidote to the current use-based zoning that is in place in much of the United States. Urban Indy will be highly supportive of the Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association’s push for this important and much-needed change.

"Finding Main Street" trailer.

Thanks to JW for the link.

Quill's Coffee follow-up: "New Albany will be opening in a matter of days."

Good news from Quill's, coming soon to space in the former Fair Store on Market Street in downtown New Albany.

QUILLS MULTIPLIED

We so appreciate your patience as we deal with the red tape and other colors of tape and unexpected delays and all sorts of irritating hurdles we are glad to jump over for the sake of coming closer to you.

And the finish line is well in sight! New Albany will be opening in a matter of days and U of L's Cardinal Towne will not be too far behind.

Watching Wal-Mart amid the cacophony.

Erika's sounding worried.

WAL-MART VS NEW ALBANY FIRST ...

... As they say: "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink!"

Seems the dementia is in an expansive phase, so rather than dwell on mysterious utterances connecting localism to the act of choking one's horse (or for that matter, chicken) while in the act of watering outside Hillary's big tent, let's focus on this important link to something that actually matters.

Walmart Watch seeks to hold Walmart fully accountable for its impact on communities, the American workforce, the retail sector, the environment and the nation's economy. Walmart Watch exists to challenge Walmart to more fully embrace its corporate responsibilities and live up to its position as the largest corporation in the United States.

Any ideas for the "Commercial Building" (Sprigler Construction)?

I've never been a developer. I eschew construction-think. I'm not a real estate type of guy. What I know is that the Spriglers own this building across the street from Bank Street Brewhouse, and they need to lease it or sell it. Yes, these obviously are not ideal times for such an occurrence, but perhaps some brainstorming would help. There's bound to be some variety of conjecturing outside the box that might help this process along.