The Top Ten list of most-viewed September 2018 posts at NA Confidential.

0
210

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

The September most-viewed list begins with ten “honorable mention” posts, before concluding with the Top Ten, escalating to No. 1. These statistics are derived from Google’s internal accounting.

SEPTEMBER HONORABLE MENTION (10)

436

Death to chains, death to Dunkin Donuts — and spare me the tired argument that it’s a “local” business.

Charle’s Marohn’s piece at Strong Towns is almost five years old, but no less relevant now than it was in 2014.

Next time you’re playing bumper cars and competing for inches of asphalt on State Street, look up past the runoff waterfalls to the plateau called Summit Springs, where the buildings being constructed will house businesses like Dunkin Donuts, the subject of Marohn’s focus.

439

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Nick Vaughn unveils new web site.

Transparency, 21st-century solutions and a potshot at “career politicians”? The Mouse still isn’t in possessions of details, but he definitely approves.

471 (tie)

See, it even happens to Charles Marohn of Strong Towns: “I was constantly accused of being negative, of having nothing positive to say.”

In co-founding Strong Towns, Marohn sought “to start raising questions about America’s approach to land use and the financial impracticalities suburban sprawl encourages.” And, coming full circle, those benefiting the most from the financial impracticalities sprawl encourages are precisely the ones who can’t see the positive nature of Marohn’s critique.

Hence the backlash. It’s Yogi Berra all over again.

471 (tie)

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest is on tap, and here’s a style primer.

This beer began as a dark lager brewed in spring, and held until harvest festival season in autumn. It changed in step with advancements in malting technique and shifting popular tastes, lightening from dark brown to orange/amber, and nowadays to tawny golden, though with the basic full, malty flavor balance remaining consistent throughout.

478

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Beer Ed 101 is coming in October to an outstanding pub near you.

Favoring a certain flavor is merely a starting point. Knowing the whys and wherefores helps to place flavors in context. Beer education provides the back story, and helps expand the consumer’s savvy. In my experience, it transforms casual adherents into evangelists and spreaders of the better beer gospel.

I believe in it, and so for the first time since 2012, you’re invited to Beer Ed 101 at Pints&union.

482

This Top Ten list of most-viewed August posts at NA Confidential was the hardest one to compile, ever.

New Albany’s “brand” is an anchor because we’re a ship of fools.

501

City election in 2019, bridge repairs in 2021. One should be a forum to prepare for the other.

If the toll-free bridge closure is inevitable, we might as well kick back and ask this important question, joyfully or otherwise: shouldn’t there be a level of local preparation, and shouldn’t this be a prime campaign topic during next year’s local races?

532

Democrat David White to announce his candidacy for mayor of New Albany at noon on Monday, October 1.

“David White, local businessman, will announce his bid for Mayor of the City of New Albany! All citizens are welcome to take part in this public announcement. #DW4NA #PeopleFirst”

545

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Johnny Drum Private Stock is the bourbon, and Civil War drummer boys are the inspiration for a tune.

I’m the beer guy, but I’m also a beer guy who is forever in favor of learning more about spirits –and history. When I saw we’d started carrying a bourbon called Johnny Drum, it intrigued me, so I did a bit of research.

555

Lamentation aplenty as Joe Huber’s Family Farm prepares to be parceled and auctioned.

There’s no doubting the level of pure country boy genius behind the idea that city folks would be wiling to drive 35 miles out of their way to do the work themselves and pay the property owner for the privilege.

That’s hall-of-fame savvy, and there ought to be a plaque somewhere.

At the same time, it’s simultaneously the best and worst component of a family business to be comprised of family members.

619

ON THE AVENUES: If this is adulting, I’d rather be leaving on a jet plane.

In the context of human history, as hundreds of millions of our species lived and died with very few elective choices apart from doing whatever was necessary to survive long enough to procreate, “adulting” as a concept could only have been recently formulated by youthful residents of the richest impoverished country this planet has yet seen.

SEPTEMBER TOP TEN

655

LIVE TO EAT: Downtown food and drink update: La Tiendita, Cafe 157, Gospel Bird, Double Barrel and Longboard’s.

The following survey of downtown New Albany food and drink is not intended to be comprehensive, but merely an overview of past days’ browsing.

688

Holy cow, Joe Sixpack! It turns out your own two eyes were right about Summit Springs stormwater runoff.

We’ve been conditioned to expect that the newspaper’s coverage now will cease, at least until the next rainfall event occurs. Usually it does, and this isn’t the responsibility of the reporters. It’s about management, which in the News & Tribune’s case restricts the bulk of local coverage to feel-good human interest stories and gets investigative only when the target is sufficiently distant to pose no threat to the bottom line.

700

Nick Vaughn forms exploratory committee, then joins anti-KKK protesters in Madison.

The requisite Indiana form asks the filer to explain why he or or she is forming the committee, and Vaughn answered with “feasibility of a citywide campaign.” The Green Mouse is hazarding a guess that it’s not a campaign for city clerk, but beyond this, we know little.

711

How the Williams Plumbing trucks block vision at 9th & Spring — a pictorial.

I’m not sure if I can illustrate these problems any more clearly than this, although as in the past, I honestly believe it would be helpful for those city officials in charge of such matters to come outside for once and view the scene from the ground, as so many of us do every day.

Perhaps only then will this combination of danger and neglect make the necessary impression.

778

ON THE AVENUES SPECIAL EDITION: As David White’s mayoral campaign begins, let’s briefly survey the electoral landscape.

White couldn’t be any more clear as to the gist of his coming campaign: Gahan has the city on the wrong course, and he must be “fired.”

893

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: David White addresses citizens and city employees in a News & Tribune insert today, denouncing deception, bullying, non-transparency and debt.

1,372

Technically, Chick-fil-A was correctly using sandbags in a vain effort to deter Summit Springs stormwater runoff.

1,427

Bliss Artisan Ice Cream & Handcrafted Pizza is to occupy the long vacant Breakwater retail space.

The retail space in the Breakwater has been blissfully moribund since the luxury housing complex was built, but now there’s to be a tenant called Bliss Artisan. The business bills itself as ice cream shop that also sells pizza.

4,146

Plot twist as Jenna Clem (Huber) takes to Go Fund Me: “Save Joe Huber’s Family Farm.”

Jenna Clem says there’s another side to the story. I have no dogs in this fight, but let’s allow the daughter have her say. Click through to read the entire testimonial.

4,939

BOW reveals Senor Iguana’s to occupy the former Dragon King’s Daughter space at the corner of Elm and Bank.

Speaking of tacos, Señor Iguanas Restaurantes Mexicanos will be occupying a space just yards away from Taco Steve at Bank Street Brewhouse, just a couple blocks from the new Longboard’s Taco & Tiki, with La Tiendita only a block away from Longboard’s. That’s a Taco Walk in itself, and year-round. Maybe DNA should invest in its own food truck?

LEAVE A REPLY