Howdy, they say when it rains, it pours.  Well in this Ohio River Region of southwestern Indiana and Western Kentucky I TOLD YA SOOOOOO!!!!

This area is now starting to boom on some new boating activity.  Now, a new "Boat Builder coming to Tell City" in the www.evansvillecourierandpressonline.com  story will tell you about a businessman named Don Foertsch, a LaMar,  Indiana man that is presently a boat builder but wants to expand his business to establish Tell City Boat Works.

This new business will be building Line Boats--large horse powered boats used in taking barges up and down the Ohio River.  Mr. Foertsh owns Corn Island Shipyard and expects this new addition will bring in up to 50 new jobs.  This is some how connected to that Mammoth Marine new barge building business that will be locating in Owensboro, Ky, with higher than average paying welding jobs.  Mammoth Marine evidently has 90 days to settle its deal.    You can read the whole story line on the Evansville Courier and Press online site I mentioned before on this article.

I told all of you that this area of the country is going to boom in river traffic.  Particularly Tell City, In, and Owensboro, Ky.  That will be the largest part between Louisville and Paducah, Ky, in the next few years.

The area of Henderson,KY  and possibly Evansville, In, if I can finally do my job right,  could possibly be more tourism type boat things.....I keep in there....hoping to make my land and river boat dreams come true soon.

Have to keep the developer and realtors (ha!) in line.  The river boat is harder as the politicians don't like river boats and the public does....so, I go for pleasing the cititzens....actually, myself, really!!  I Love river boats.

So, keep watching this area.  We're not done yet.  And, I've got the ear of the economic development division of the Department of Commerce and want to see what can be done while President Bush is in office.  So, time is running thin on that one. 

Keep watching.  We're just starting in this area.  Wait til Tell City, In, puts the burners on and gets that new harbor done.  You will be in awe!!!

I already am.   Have a great day, Make it a great day!!  Mary

Howdy y'all.  Owensboro, Ky, is busting with some great new projects.  The first is a surprise by all, but evidently was in the works for a tad.  There is an old Port in Owensboro.....port of Owensboro???  that has been dormant for years.  But it is about three stories high and can be given rebirth to a new Barge building company by the new investor consortium called Mammoth Marine, Inc. from Louisville, Ky.  Deborah Dewey, I believe is the correct name for the President of this company.  It is high tech welding jobs that will give a great wage, and is to hire about 150 folks.

The addition of great paying jobs to the area is a boon for Owensboro, Ky.  I don't remember the time they will start breaking ground to get this project going or how many millions it will cost to get that building into shape to use.  The product is to build new barges.  This is exciting.

I haven't had a chance to find the phone number of these folks to see what else they may build or plan to ever build.  This is great as in the area Tell City, In,  they will be building that large harbor that is 800 acres.  That part of the country will be popping with lots of great river traffic excitement.  This just proves how much folks are looking at this part of the country for more river uses, more river jobs, and more river economic development. 

I'll keep you posted when I find out more about this company. 

Have more happy river boating experiences and enjoy the RIVER!!  Mary

Howdy, whew, the weather out here is chilly.  We're to get 7 degrees above zero on Sunday.  I'm telling you that is cold for southern Indiana.

It looks like to me that the Delta Queen and her sisters are adjusting to a new company.  Usually, when someone purchases a new company they adjust and then after a time being they make more adjustments.  I'm not privy to company information, but after seeing some outsourcing it appears to me that V-ships was watch the daily operations, which can nick you in many costs and expenses.  Plus, now, outsourcing with other crusing needs makes sense.  These folks, Ambassadors International, Inc., may know their market best on the west coast.  Folks, we aren't the west coast.  We are a completely different market.  The Ambassadors International folks may be trying to find their way into this Middle of America market, or may want to keep concentrating on what they know best and then to keep the MAL boats floating to cater to those folks when they can or how they can.  I'm not privy to their innerworkings. 

Companies have to run their businesses how they need to.  Everyday, a business person has a lot of folks that will tell you how to run YOUR business.  It happens to all business owners.  You have to believe in your system, but listen to others just incase there is something you can use in your business.  When someone purchases another business you have to see what is there that wasn't disclosed or what problems you run into that maybe that other company  did or didn't have.  Every new business owner has to have an 'adjustment time'.  Even politicians run into that when they first get into office.  Some figure things out and then some politicians just don't get it.  We've all seen that over the years. 

I'm sure that Ambassadors International, Inc., is doing what it can to run as best of a profitable business as they can to stay in the market for this part of the country.  That is only my opinion.  Again, out west that is their meat and potatoes. 

So, I'd say that these recent moves they've made is just finding the best options that they can and in the right amount of time to make those adjustments correct.  We'll all see, even them, in time.  It is just a part of doing business.  I always find it so odd that folks that don't own businesses comment about something you've not ever done before.  I've been on both sides of the fence, I like owning far better than working for someone else who may not have the 'best' ideas for a project.  But, that is what I like.  Hope MAL can find its way, hope the Delta Queen has the best position it can have for a successful year, and hope that River boats survive in an often odd marketplace that none of us can guess at any time.  Mary