IS IT TRUE? November 13, 2011

1. Speaking of downtown businesses, I just learned that Stratman’s Pharmacy and its sister, Sandlaben will close this week. This is a loss to all who live downtown.

   I warned a friend who lives downtown to watch out for CVS, who may be taking over the prescription services from Stratman’s, that both my husband and I have had repeated problems with prescription errors with CVS and have switched to a locally owned pharmacy. The errors I experienced had the potential of being life-threatening, and yet they did not stop. This was quite disturbing.

   Chain pharmacies have huge turnover in pharmacists who’s job is to churn out the work as fast as possible. In fact much of the work is done by pharmacy techs and then supposedly checked by pharmacists. Have been told by a friend who has been a Pharmacist for years and who has spoken with many pharmacists who have worked for chain pharmacies that working at a chain is hell.

   Am so sorry to see Stratmans (and Sandlabens) go by the wayside. It is a great loss to downtown.

2. The one point I must disagree with you on is judging downtown success by the number of chain establishments that light there. Chains can leave as fast as they arrive. I think that chains are a problem in Evansville in that they build on the mediocrity. They even get voted “Best Whatever”….hamburger, ice cream etc in the C&P poll which runs once a year. I know that chains are a necessary evil and that some of them provide goods products and services but then there is Walmart. I have always thought that a city has really come into its own when locally owned, one of a kind businesses are supported, thrive, and last.

   • Chains have demographic criteria for where to locate. When the chains start having an interest it is safe for local independent owners to proceed. Prior to that it is a much larger risk. Of course we prefer local owners but they never have the actuarial capacity that the chains have.

3. We had discussions with John Goldman on the subject of scraping the hotel where it is being planned now and turning the McCurdy back to a nice hotel along with combining the RiverHouse with it. I’t only makes since to build parking garages next to the arena where parking is needed more and turn the area where the McCurdy and RiverHouse is into a beautiful site again. There didn’t seem to be any interest.

   • Very good idea——JSK

4. Surely there is an investor who would be willing to put a Circle-Centre like complex not too far from the arena. Maybe construct the Greyhound Bus Station into a mall that would occupy the surrounding 4 mostly empty lots? That would make it a lot easier on national chains and retail as well. Otherwise, I’m not to sure where all of this business is going to locate on Main Street which is mostly spoken for.

5. CVS bought Stratman’s and Sandlaben

   • Then there is a good opportunity for someone to locate on the Walkway who knows how to operate a small cafeteria.

   • Will they keep it open or just service the prescriptions from another location.

     • From what I understand they both will be closed

   • My source says that CVS has bought the merchandise but not the pharmaceuticals because of a legality. Likewise the liquor. CVS will run scrips for the customers out of their Deaconess (old Welborn) pharmacy. A big issue for some of the older residents is that CVS delivers occasionally while Stratmans ran up to 4 delivery runs per day.

     As a side note, I explained to my friend who lives downtown that she may want to consider another pharmacy rather than CVS. Our house has had nothing but trouble with CVS. The largest problem was continued, repeated lack of accuracy in filling scrips. One glaring repeated error could have been deadly if we had not been very, very careful.

     This is what happens with chain pharmacies whose pharmacist turn-over is very rapid. These well-meaning professionals burn out very fast and mistakes can happen. At our house, we switched to a locally owned pharmacy in New Harmony (and we don’t live on the west side). He mails us our scrips. It has worked out great.

6. credible complaint about parking ?

   November 12, 2011
   9:33 p.m.
   Suggest removal
   Reply to this post
   jimbo2 writes:
   WARNING….don’t drop someone off at the Ford Center and expect to pick them up after the game. I walked back to my car in the back 40 after the game and tried to pick an older person up across from the arena. Trouble is every corner I came to a cop made me turn the opposite direction I wanted to go. I must have went a mile out of the way to get back to the arena, then I couldn’t drive down Martin Luther King as that was blocked off. It was a terrible experience. And did anyone go to the men’s room at half? The lines were longer than they ever were at Roberts. And after the game I tried to get back upstairs, but it was impossible. Both escalators were heading down, and the stairs were packed with people coming down. It might be impossible to get back upstairs in an emergency. And did you notice the halls in the Ford Center were more crowded than they ever were at Roberts. I thought the halls were suppose to be larger than at Roberts. Lots to complain about with the Ford Center, but not the game. It was one of the most exciting games I have witnessed in a long time. And a great way for the Aces to start the season. Don’t be surprised if this edition of the Aces wins 20 games.

   • When was the last time you were at Roberts when there was 9,000 people. As far as getting upstair after game next time try the elevator, it works wonders.

     • Don’t know about biscuit but the last time was the UE vs. North Carolina game last year. There were many hundreds of events at Roberts that drew mor than 10,000. It was not that unusual and arrangements to pick up invalids needs a solution. I am sure if the powers that be are open to honest criticism that this will be solved.

       • I forgot about the NC game last year. Thank you

       • Joe if they’re genuinely open to change they need to make the simple name change as well…

         http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/08/ford-center-again-why-not-ford.html

         As for the crowd problem, they made the same exact mistake that Conseco Fieldhouse made with their layout being tough on upper level and club level patrons. The further compounded this mistake by not making at least one more entrance. If they are going to make the errors that Conseco made, they should at least do the right things Conseco did as well.

         Eventually all of these errors will have to be corrected on the southern side of the property.

7. Great idea rail. Let build a giant mall, natatorium, super ferris wheel and aquarium down there. Get some of your “professional developers” that you talk about that are just waiting to save Robert’s to do it for you. Better yet, why not team up with Mary Hukill, another visionary and you both can remake Evansville together!

   • Vox Pop, I like this young man. He is passionate, caring and has the energy to come up new ideas. You may not always agree with him but that is your right. However, I am center-sick. The “centre” spelling is too much. Ford Fieldhouse is not bad. It’s the best I have heard so far. Unfortunately the deal with Ford has already taken place. Yet another Mayor W. idea — Good sponsor, poor name. But then I wasn’t asked. Were you?

   • @ Vox: I find it to be nothing short of amazing that you and the Democratic Central Committee are busy day in and day out discussing me and exchanging info about me down at your HQ and/or by phone.

     It’s pretty obvious your gang of misfit toys fears the progress I am making here. But don’t worry, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

     When I simply walk into a building and your political director and one of your candidates are throwing up a hissy fit, that’s when I knew you knew that I’m getting things done around here. How many other people who have never run for office, never worked for the Vanderburgh Dems/Reps do you do that to? That’s the greatest sign of respect you can give me (as well as you and your gang of wannabes coming on here and talking trash from info you ganged from one of your cronies who just happens to be out of office due to their trouble making).

     I dedicate this song to your and good ole boys who are getting ready to feel the wrath from the state Dem Party…

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxUATkpMQ8A

     In regards to Roberts, I have never worked with Mary Hukill at any time in any way. She kind of reminds me of your Democratic Central Committee group.

     Her deal for the Rivermont fell through
     Your deal for the Big E replacement fell through

     She tried to bring business to the old courthouse
     You tried to bring business to the mccurdy

     In 2006, she didn’t appear in court for a collections case, so the judge made a default judgement for her to pay $4,760.
     This year, your employee Alex Jarvis is arrested for a failure to appear in court warrant

     In some April 2008 proceedings, a judge ordered Hukill to pay businessman Scott Joest $30,000 for breach of a promissary note and garnished her wages.
     This year, your group is getting sued for not paying the Bauerhaus

     Vanderburgh County Commissioners threw her bid for the old post office out because they believed her figures lacked credibility.
     Your finance report has been amended as it lacked credibility and accurate reporting

     I can go on and on. Who exactly is the Mary Hukill here? Btw, what is your plan for Roberts? Are you going to tear it down? Who will pay for that? If you tear it down what are you going to build? Who will pay for that? Would you put a new growth forest next to an old growth forest? What sense would that make? How much would maintenance be? Dunn claimed $300,000 to $500,000 to maintain the ball fields. Why not raise the floor at Roberts (which eliminates the vast majority of the costs) and bring in mid-sized events.

     Why is that so hard for your group to understand?

     • You need a class in govrnment. THE Democrat Party gets candidates elected. They have nothing to do with government. They gotta a pretty good record of geting people elected too!!

       • Huh? Are you denying any of the Mary Hukill comparisons? Didn’t think so.

         • Look, you nutjob…..I’ve not ever met you, I won’t ever meet you unless calling the Evansville Police to be around because you are just a nut. If I need to write up an incident report on you, I can. You are off the wall…..I don’t know what mental problems you have, I’ve not met you and don’t want to meet a nut like you. What you think Jordan Baer of “Rail Over Auto” is your opinion, what others think is their opinion…this shows how unstable you are. I don’t know who has hired Jordan Baer, but, he needs to get evaulated for his mental condition. I’ve not ever met you and I sure won’t. Again, I’ll call the Evansville Police to be near by, since you are so unstable. Who would actually hire a nut like you.

     • I’ve not ever been infront of the Vanderburgh County Commissioners for any building of the Old Post Office….what in the world is that about…..did you get that on some alien news link you read in your nut cell at the EPD one night. I’ve not ever been infront of anyone for the Old Post Office…the guy who bought it will do a FANTASTIC job with it…..Jordan Baer or Rail over Auto….you aren’t too good in facts…..who hires you to work, may I ask…..I can’t believe someone hires you. And, you are just a salaried person….you have no idea how business moves and happens. It is very apparent. Go back to your Space Shell, talk to your Aliens, and fly back to the Moon! You are making up things as you go and it shows! Pick on someone your own size, and Twinkie, it isn’t me.

     • To this Rail over Auto, Jordan Baer, since you weren’t even around anything…the Ford Center is at the location after I knew of some info and stated it to someone that this location was going to be available. Plus, I was the ONLY one in town knowing info about the Bank holding the loan and who owned the old Executive Inn, what was going to happen to it by the FDIC. UH, somehow you weren’t the one that got that phone call. DUH, I even stated the conditions of the situation of which “you” wouldn’t even know about, folks like me–several in the background suggested using HOK, now Populous, and even suggested some Energy savings options that the Designers looked at doing, and since “you” weren’t around for other info on possible Underwriter and Funding options, geez, I can’t believe the place was built without….geez, I mean really. Stop the presses. SO, get your facts right, get a life, and know that you are the little nutjob that you are. That is right, Over Rail Auto, being Jordan Baer. Get real.

   • My name is Mary K. Hukill, and there is no way I would ever team up with Jordan Baer of this Rail over Auto….what a joke. This guy is so vile that he can’t even stand himself. When he actually does something than just talk…..possibly, someone will listen to the nut. I have accomplished many things. If you don’t like it, tough. I don’t even know this scum and not ever met the jerk. He needs to leave Evansville, Indiana, because we don’t need this kind of low life in town. He isn’t of any help to build Evansville, Indiana. When he realizes it, he will be living in a few states over, which is where he belongs. Good riddance to a real nut job. He acts so silly, I’m sure the Evansville Police keeps an eye on him. I’ve not ever hired Alex Jarvis and wouldn’t. So, don’t push him my way. We’re just in the same field. This Jordan Baer seems like a real nutjob. When he does get locked up, I’m sure someone will throw away the key on this piece of work….what a Joke!

   • Thanks, Vox Pop for the compliment of being a Visionary which I’ve done here in Evansville, Indiana, for decades, way before this “Rail Over Auto” Jordan Baer started writing about folks. I’ve not ever met this nut, don’t want to. He’s certainly NOT the stable of folks that have been great visionaries of Evansville, Indiana. He isn’t even near that category. Again, thanks, for the thought of being a visionary, I have done a lot of projects in town over the Decades and it was my pleasure to do those. Jordan Baer, “Rail Over Auto” hasn’t done anything but talk, talk, talk, so, I don’t know of anyone listening to him on any project in town. I’ve not met the nut.

8. 292 I’ll give you passionate. I’d also include naive and illinformed on top of the fact that god help the taxpayers if any of his preposterous ideas were foisted on this community. As a community lets use our combined efforts on things that can be fixed. ROBERT’S STADIUM IS SOON GOING TO BE GONE. If Jordan wants to start a new one man crusade he should use his energy for the parks, Bosse field or any number of things. Wasting time on sour grapes and spilt milk is what that whole crowd is all about. talking about mysterious investors and fantasy projects is just using up both oxygen and bandwidth. Enough with the half baked plans. Though he sounds perfectly deserving of an appointment to th ERC. They are experts of dreaming with no hope of success.

   • Vox,
     I am not a member of either political party and wouldn’t join one to save my soul if I believed in one. I have however been around the “Save Roberts” crowd for a while now. My opinion is that we need to see what is possible, what it will cost, and how it would benefit the area. You need facts, creative ideas, and calculations. If Roberts fails on these tests then it needs to be razed BUT a new use for the land must relate to the park and preserve. “Evansville Money” would ruin that land. What you have said is that none of that will happen. So tell me, who makes up this bang-up committee who is to “study” Roberts and make up an answer that you want to hear?

     • Tell us how the current use, Roberts Stadium, “relates to” the park and preserve. Seems to me that Roberts is a very high commercial use with a great expanse of 100% hard, impervious surfaces. The park and preserve on the other hand are lower traffic, less intrusive, natural and recreational uses with huge expanses of green, pervious surfaces.

       So why does whatever replaces Roberts have to “relate to” the park and the preserve instead of following the historic higher commercial use? Or what exactly do you mean by “must relate to?”

       • We have an opportunity to do a high quality “natural” project if it is necessary to raze Roberts. If the city can use Roberts for good purposes and it supports itself, it is easy to imagine that lots of the paving can be removed to the betterment of the surrounding natural area because the need for parking could be lessened.

         Further, when this whole parcel of land was given to Evansville by the state, it was all “green”. If all the paving and Roberts itself is removed, why develop more commercial junk which can be put anywhere when there is so little natural acreage in the city limits, especially on the east side.

         People don’t seem to get that the preserve needs all the buffer it can get. It is the only one of its kind in the country and the city of Evansville has placed factories, shopping malls, main thoroughfares, and soccer fields with very loud speakers and sirens right up against the preserve. The last thing it needs is more high powered commercial development.

         If Roberts is torn down, what goes there better relate to the park and preserve or if not it will only prove how ignorant and self-serving the people in this area are.

         • It occurs to me that the ball field plan removed over half the pavement and greened up the remaining parking with tree islands, etc.

           If there is a commercial developer who’s willing to convert the land to another heavy commercial use, with greened up parking, etc., wouldn’t it be better to brownfield develop at Robers rather than new-field develop in Warrick County?

           If you have any doubt about the extent of tree canopy inside Evansville, next summer take a trip to the board room at Old National Bank and look at the panorama. The only thing above the nearly solid tree canopy is the country club and a bunch of church steeples.

         • Wesselman Woods is buffered from the Roberts property by ballfields, a golf course, and a park. Furthermore, Roberts and its parking lot doesn’t drain to Wesselman Woods, so what buffering are you speaking of anyway?

           Personally, I find all the NIMBYism exhibited toward redevelopment of Roberts a bit emotional rather than rational

9. Jordan I can proudly say I don’t know what your talking about. Im sure you are used to that. I’m not a Democratic party member nor even a resident of vanderburgh county. Just a realist. I do agree with you on the hotel fiasco. Of course I haven’t heard of any credible developers for Roberts either. Still waiting on that. Regardless Roberts will soon be rubble you can take it to the bank. You seem to have a bitterness directed to the local democrats. I suggest therapy for your obsession. Ask Rick Davis who he is using these days.

   • Good move, I would deny being associated with them as well, even if I too posted inside info about precint officials and posted attacks on the JFK club (how many non-Democrat Central Committee members do that? I can’t think of one). You defend the party against Rick Davis and know the inside of it yet your not associated with it? Really?

     Btw, you did mention what you would do with the Roberts lot. I will compare any plan I have for Roberts and any general city plan I have against any of your plans and we’ll see which one makes sense and which one is cheaper.

     Your Central Committee, who you defend yet deny being a part of, just raised the budget all the way up to $236 million iirc.

     • *did not mention*

       • How did the Democrat Party raise a budget? Idiot!

         • Majority on the council and the mayors position. Duh!

10. Simple solution. Greenspace. Bulldoze it and fill it in. Doesn’t cost a thing other than lawnmowrers. No need to rush to save it just to save it at the projected costs. I saw remove the wart and let the body heal. If at some future date we decide a use for it so be it. If you wanna save something try the colliseum. It’s in pathetic shape and definitely has more of a history than Roberts. Mothballing is provided for in 2012 budget. Look for a decision soon. We could save it and watch it limp along and decay for years ( which the fools around here will probably do) sitting unused til people finally give in and tear it down. Why waste the time and money. The Ford is a Ford and Roberts is an Edsel

    • It’s starting to become clear who I am talking to. The Coliseum is not in as bad of a shape as you were claiming last year. IIRC, the veterans, not the city, is in charge of that facility.

      Yes, the Ford Center is a Ford- it has already had water and gas leaks

      Next, you honestly think making it a greenspace is the correct decision? The last thing our parks dept needs is one more park (as you’ve noted I should pursue). They themselves have already admitted they have their hands full…

      http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jun/20/special-report-evansville-parks-department-isnt/

      If Dunn’s fields were going to cost $300,000- $500,000 to maintain, how much will an entire park? And you still haven’t told me why you are putting a new park next to an old growth forest where the trees will mix and the econo system will be damaged.

      Like I’ve said and you’ve obviously gathered from my blog, I’ve got the investor who has indoor soccer, indoor football, and can get mid-size concerts and minor league basketball to go with trade shows, youth sports tournaments, and high school basketball games. I will gladly prove this data to the city but not until then. Raising the floor eliminates the water pumps and some of the seats can be sold or moved to a new ball fields complex. None of this competes with the downtown arena. How this is going over your head every time is beyond me.

      Demolition is a zero sum game…

      http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/04/demolition-is-zero-sum-game.html

      • If the Ford Center has water leaks, then it too needs a new name:

        The FIORD Center

      • What investor in their right mind would talk with a produce clerk??? Maybe you should talk to them about a farmers market.

        • Your trash talk is about as cheap as the makeup Debi Mosby wears…. Talk about putting lipstick on a pig… How is she these days?…. Is she still with her cheating husband?

          • You sound jealous!

11. The Weinzapfel Ford Center is not the ONLY “Ford Center”. There are others with the same name, simply because the manufacturer bought the naming rights as an advertising gimmick in collaboration with their auto dealer across the street.

    So much for thoughtful planning and a desire to make Evansville a unique tourist destination.

    Railoverauto has more good ideas than Weinzapfel has hairs on his head.

    • Thank you very much NoMoDoh. Btw, what do you think about this idea for a hs basketball tournament?…

      http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-do-we-put-heads-in-beds-start-ralph.html

12. Where is there another Ford Center?

    • I believe there was one in Oklahoma but was renamed….?

      JMHO

    • Detroit Lions play in a stadium called Ford Center.

      • No the Detroit Lions play in Ford Field.

        Ole Miss, Stanford, Mich Tech all have a Ford Center. OKC just changed from Ford Center and still brings in all of the traffic. Who exactly is the idiot here auchilles?

13. I think the problem is there is a facility named Ford Arena in Beaumont, Texas. The wanted to name it ***** Arena, but when Ford got the naming rights it couldn’t be named Ford Arena so they switched to Center.

14. They wanted to name it….

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