NEW ALBANY LANDMARK DESTROYED BY FIRE!!!

This morning began like any other morning, except for the sound of hammering, and the sound of sirens. With that, along with the watered down smoke filled air, New Albany appears to have suffered an enormous loss early this morning. Around 4:00 AM this morning, Steinert’s Grill and Pub (aka Steinert’s Tavern), tucked into a largely residential area at the intersection of Charlestown Road and Silver Street in New Albany was gutted by fire. I was told by a bystander on the street that it started in the kitchen area, but that was not confirmed by anyone else. Steinert's, which is a 125 year old New Albany Landmark, has gone through a lot over the years.

It has endured tornadoes, floods, the Depression and Prohibition, having been handed down through five generations of the Steinert family. Founded in 1883 (yes, Steinert’s was doing business before Grover Cleveland was elected president) by German immigrant Michael Steinert, it has seen six different locations, finally settling into its current spot in 1938. In 1917, a tornado destroyed one location - a photo reportedly still exists in New Albany’s city directory of Michael Steinert Jr. standing in front of a pile of rubble and glass that only a day before had been his thriving restaurant business - and Prohibition forced the family to turn it into a grocery store/restaurant for several years. Still, it endured. Now, Steinert’s, with its signature horseshoe bar in a beer-sign-covered atrium area smack in the middle of the place, is more of a club, with live music several nights a week, and even a sports bar, as TVs adorn the walls and typically are showing ESPN or Indiana University sports. Hopefully, Steinert's will rebuild and continue the tradition of this historic landmark, and continue to provide entertainment for many years to come.

PETITION TO HELP SAVE THE QUEEN!

Congress Denies Exemption For The Delta Queen

Petition Is To Have This Re-Introduced In Congress With Supporters Names and City

It looks like this will be the last summer for Ohio River cruises aboard the historic sternwheeler that used to call Cincinnati its home port. An attempt by Republican Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio to attach an amendment to the Coast Guard Authorization Act was defeated by a narrow 208-195 margin in the U.S. House this past Thursday. This Blog, which has boasted, promoted, and advocated change, and which supports the right sort of change, is also sentimental about tradition, and heritage. Therefore, in an attempt to Save The Queen, and for people to be able to enjoy not only the river cruises aboard the Delta Queen as well as the Belle Of Louisville, and to preserve the tradition and pageantry that is the Great Steamboat Race during the annual Kentucky Derby Festival. There will be a day when these great vessels will no longer be running. Why not, in the midst of all of the proposed "change", keep a tradition that is timeless. Keep the beauty of these ships on display and running for as long as possible for all of us to enjoy. There is a lot of pride that is also on display from both sides of the river when the Great Steamboat Race is on. We all root for the Belle, while those from Cincinnati, and the passengers on the Delta Queen are rooting for their ship to win. With all of the proposed "change", let us not forget tradition and heritage in the name of "change". The following segment is the story from WAVE 3-TV's Shayla Reaves on The Delta Queen. If you would like to have your name added to this petition that will be sent to Rep. John Yarmuth, and to Rep. Baron Hill, asking them to join with Republican Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio in reintroducing this on the floor of the Congress by showing this petition and the will of the people. Please add your name and your city to this petition by entering a comment, or by sending me your name and city via e-mail, and I will enter it. My E-mail address is jlalton@att.net.

This year's steamboat race could be last for Delta Queen if Congress doesn't act

By Shayla Reaves
LOUISVILLE (WAVE-3)

"As the Kentucky Derby Festival takes to the Ohio River this week, The Belle of Louisville will race the Delta Queen as it has for years -- but it could be the last time. WAVE 3's Shayla Reaves has more on why this 45th Great Steamboat Race is so bittersweet.

It's one of the Kentucky Derby Festival's oldest events, and now there's a race against time to save it. The Delta Queen is a regular in the Great Steamboat Race, but a much needed exemption isn't getting enough support for renewal from Congress. It's an exemption that's been granted nine times in the past, but this year support is slow in coming.

"It would be a tragic loss to the Derby Festival, to our community and really to the history of America if we were to lose the Delta Queen's participation in the event," Kentucky Derby Festival President Mike Berry told WAVE 3 News.

The Delta Queen is a wooden, overnight passenger boat that is outdated and historic construction. For years it has been exempted from federal safety laws, but come November 1st the current exemption will lapse if not renewed. That means, no action could take the Delta Queen out of operation and put the future of the Great Steamboat Race in limbo.

"We've got to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we're going to do this event and there's really no book to tell you how to do it because well, it's so unique," Berry said.

Mark Doty is Captain of The Belle of Louisville. He says this year's race could not only end a tradition, but end an era.

"It's called the Great Steamboat Race for a reason, if you didn't have a steamboat in the race then it's not a steam boat race, it's just a riverboat race," said Doty. "We look forward to this race, it is going to be an exciting race (Wednesday). I think Congress will do the right thing and get the boats back together and have a race next year."

According to Berry, getting another steamboat to Louisville could take time if the Delta Queen is not allowed to operate.

"There's not that many steamboats left and to get one who can travel to Louisville and race the Belle of Louisville is a challenge," Berry said. "We've got our fingers crossed."

Berry says there are newer sister boats to the Delta Queen but they are much larger and more powerful than The Belle of Louisville, and he's not sure a race against one of those boats would be fair".

Please add your first and last name, and the city you are from, to this petition by either posting a
comment, or by e-mailing me at jlalton@att.net.



PETITION LIST OF NAMES

1. John Alton - New Albany, IN
2. Sam Sher - New Albany, IN
3. Nancy Sher - New Albany, IN
4. Michael Conlen - Pensacola, FL
5. Gary L. Kellems - Brandon, FL
6. Julie Gilham - Louisville, KY (Former Belle of Louisville employee)