Howdy! y'all, on Saturday, the great Delta Queen will be visiting the Henderson, Ky, folks and will depart at 5:00pm.  I am not sure if the boat gets there about 1:00pm or what.  You can find a brief mention in the Evansville Courier and Press newspaper today as our city's newspaper is going to carry that information this year about the Delta Queen when possible.  We want our folks to pay respect to the Grand ole' Lady when they can and don't want them to miss times she'd be in our area.

Evansville, In, will hopefully close on a new Casino company on June 26, 2008 with the Eldorado folks.  They will change the name of the Casino Aztar to "Eldorado".  In time, it is thought that a new boat there could be done but no one wants to step up and pay for it, so the new carpet and slot machines will have to do for a while.

Owensboro, Kentucky is finding itself on the river front as it gets one masterplan after another from study consultants and finding that it can be a really vibrant arts and entertainment district by adding a few more touches.  I always felt that it was a great entertainment area, but lately they are wanting to rediscover themselves with a new river front development starting at the tune of $45 million.  It will be a happening place.  A new Ice Arena could land a team from the Midwest Hockey League, Evansville, In, is going to start their league in November 2008 in a hopeful new Arena seating between 10,000 to 14,000 folks.  Selecting a new site downtown is the next step with financing it.

I told you this Ohio River region was going to rip up the area.  Henderson, Kentucky is doing a $17 million dollar river front renovation.  So, this area will look different, quite different, especially by any boating vessel.  Come see us!  Mary

Howdy, if it is one city or county in Kentucky, it is another about adding something to their river banks for barge use creation.  In Hancock county in Kentucky, there is to be a Coal Gasification plan to be built along the Ohio River....I don't even know what all that means.....but, there is about a One Billion dollar bond the Hancock county has secured and has a receiver called ICON Construction to get about $950 million.  It is expected to deal with different barge brought materials and do something with it.  I'll telling you that our Ohio River region is hotter than a potato from the Oven.  Area after area is thinking how to do things as this area is opening up to move product from one area to another by barge. 

The City of Evansville is trying to secure Federal dollars, after spending $50,000 to do a study on how companies and shippers can benefit from the existence of a port in Evansville.  Our city is looking into "container-on-barge" for shipping goods along the river.  The Henderson County Riverport Authority states it took them  a very long time to find their niche in the market and some Evansville folks want to find a niche for river barge traffic.  Henderson County Port Authority is learly stating it is like building two regional airports in the same area.  Maritime in Mt.Vernon, In, is not using their full capability either.  Henderson has 185 acres of unused land to still have if needed to develop any other needs.

This is just my opinion.  Hope they keep the land.  With continued announcements the past several months of different companies in Indiana and Kentucky adding to the river banks, I believe this can be a hot market for barge traffic again......like back in the early 1900's.....probably not, but another hot market as the larger ports are over loaded.  When Tell City, Indiana, gets up and rolling---WATCH out!!  this area will be a hot bed for jobs and barges.  Heck, we may have to have a Barge Races Festival with banjo music, BBQ, and some cool refreshment.

Our monthly Evansville Business Journal Magazine,  May 2008, is full of area articles on what folks are doing along the river for new projects.  It is published by our newspaper, Evansville Courier and Press and is $2.95.  It is a good read.  Hey, three years ago a lot of our folks couldn't spell the word 'R-I-V-E-R'.  I'm not joking.  The Ohio River region stood up in southern Indiana and western Kentucky and showed Evansville, Indiana that the Ohio River can and should be used as it was a major part of our American History in the late 1800's and the early 1900's.  The first study for Evansville, Indiana is out later this year with another study for a port and then THREE years before Evansville folks will do anything.  Yep, a world leader in progress....well, not in this point.  We are in other things.

So, there are those of us that will keep plowing the little boy minds....it is only about 4 or 5 men that just don't get it.....and the rest of us keep plowing that the Ohio River is a great asset.  It is an asset that many cities would love to have.  But, in reality, Katrina, is what loosened up things for this part of the country in river traffic.  Hate to state that, but it is true.  Things shifted up and our area is cashing in on it.  It is our heritage to be fair, it waned, and now, it is creeping back.  I keep at it for river boats here and a yacht....but, to be fair, I have to purchase the boats to get most of that here.  In our area, it is show me and then I may get it. May.  For river boats, it is the public that loves them, it is the 4 or 5 guys that just don't get it.  And, most of them are along the river, that is the kicker.  I'll keep in there......the public loves river boats.  Mary

Howdy, a good sunny morning to you from the state of Indiana.  Yep, it is the day that you state to folks to "Vote Early and Often".  We've seen Hillary late last night in Evansville, Indiana, and earlier in the day Orack Obama.  We've been on the national scene and to say that our local politicians are salivating is a big, big understatement.  It has been a frenzy state here in Indiana the past month. 

On to more important things, I talked with General Manager Tina Keenan, of the Julia Belle Swain this morning and they are shocked, devasted, reeling from the news of Captain Trone.  Tina Keenan states that they will surely do some Memorial this summer for Captain Trone and not had enough time to digest what has gone on.  She states that the Julia Belle Swain will do something to commemerate Captain Trone and for all that he has done for the boating industry.  She states that when the boat sold to the company she works for in 1995, there will still ties to Captain Trone with the Engineer being Niel Conklin who 'came with the boat' so to speak.  The current Captain Diekman of the Julia Belle Swain also had great respect for the design work and of Captain Trone himself.  Ms. Keenan states that they are affected by this terrible news and plainly haven't had a chance to see how they will steer through this horrible news.  She states that the true 1830's design of the boat was carried out very meticuously and that was what drew a lot of respect from folks all over the country.  As soon as more information comes out, I will keep you posted, but right now the folks at the Julia Belle Swain want to be respectful of its designer and yet remember him in an appropriate way.

Being from Evansville, Indiana, we had the Julia Belle Swain here for a few summers, evidently when Captain Trone owned it.  I went on a cruise for the July 4th Fireworks and it was the highest paid ticket I ever  paid at that time in the lat 1970's but it was surely worth it.  Seeing the fireworks over the Ohio River was a spectacular sight. I won't ever forget it.  The folks in our city feel that the Julia Belle Swain is our boat.  Mention that boat's  name and everyone my age and older stop, have a warm smile on their face and feel it is their own.  So, our city has a great love for that boat.  It is in the same category of the Delta Queen in great respect, but the Delta Queen is the Queen.  So, our thoughts and prayers go to the folks, family, and friends of the Captain Trone and the Julia Belle Swain.

Mary

Howdy, I'm going to get this RIGHT!!....it is the Victorian Schatauqua which is an Arts and Crafts festival inside the grounds with lots of interesting booths for a full fledge fundraising event at the Howard Steamboat Museum.  Come one, come all.  It is two weeks from this week, Saturday hours are 10-6pm, and Sunday at 10am to 4pm.  This is their largest fundraising event.  Call if you have any questions. 

Hope it is a Sunny Day for their event.  Thanks,  Mary

Howdy, folks, just a note that the soon announcement of the Delta Queen and her future has our town all a buzz.  This is news, folks, and we have a Primary next week and have been having everyone come to this state except Big Bird.  Yesterday we had Obama's wife and Caroline Kennedy.  I'm Republican, but having Caroline here was a thrill for folks my age.  No emails......yep, I also vote for the Democrats and have over the years.

Anyway, our folks are really stirred up about the decision on the Delta Queen and our media is going to watch their website for all info.  It is of interest to our folks like the Primary.  That is great.  Great news.  Folks are hoping our area is of interest and what that can mean.  Our Port of Evansville deal can possibly be done soon and I'm keeping the faith, change the developers every so often, but keeping the faith.  I want to see more boats come here, river boats, steamboats, yachts.

Now, on the Howard Steamboat Museum, their largest fund raiser is in two weeks, its an Arts and Crafts show, golly, I forgot my info sheet......Saturday and Sunday, inside the brick wall, I want to say 10am to 6pm on day and 12 to 6pm the other day....golly, gals, I forgot my information sheet where I'm typing this out.  Come one and all it is the Largest Fundraiser....golly, what is the name Schataqua and some name before it.....I'll do better gals the next time, if you tell me anything.  Stopped to get the word out and forgot my paper it is on.   So, call the Howard Steamboat Museum and they'll give you the scoop on this.  Hey, they got a $1,000 check from the "They're Off Luncheon" for kicking off the Kentucky Derby this year.  That is great.  Folks are in a dither about the Delta Queen. 

So, lets see what happens, and learn to accept that decision with grace.   Thanks for helping out the Howard Steamboat Museum.....keep the history alive for steamboats!  Mary