CHEERS

... to another step forward for the installation of a traffic signal at Ind. 62 and Salem-Noble Road.

Clark County Commissioners were told Thursday by River Ridge Commerce Center officials that engineering plans for the intersection are complete and the state will now review the specifics of the project. If all goes well, physical work could start in the summer and the much-needed traffic light could be up and working by the end of 2010.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



JEERS

... to the apparent decision by members of the Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau, the town of Clarksville’s council and New Albany Mayor Doug England to again ignore state code.

Those entities this week had a chance to follow Indiana law regarding appointments made to the tourism board. The board’s attorney, Jack Vissing, has said he has made it very clear to all parties involved what the law is regarding political party status and residency when it relates to appointments to the board. He says that’s really all he can do.

“We are going to proceed just like we did today and do business and take care of the projects that are presented to us and see what happens,” said Carl Holiday, new tourism board president, at a Wednesday meeting.

That’s great. How about taking care of encouraging state law to be followed first? The board members who are appointed according to state law should demand at the next tourism board meeting that Clarksville and England come into compliance with their appointments.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



CHEERS

... to Chad Gilbert, Jeffersonville High School’s girls’ basketball coach, on becoming the program’s all-time wins leader Thursday, with 188.

Equally impressive is that those 188 victories come against only 44 defeats.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



CHEERS

... to Al Papsodero and Martee Blair, the owners of Cozza, a new Italian restaurant in the former Ray Parella’s location along Court Avenue.

It’s good for the city to have a tenant in such a highly visible location. And, it’s promising that Papsodero says the restaurant will be dedicated to buying, preparing and serving as much locally produced food as possible, such as chicken from Bloomington, beef from Palmyra and produce from Papsodero’s own farm in Georgetown.

The restaurant is open for lunch and next month will open for dinner once a liquor license is secured.

The business was profiled in Friday’s Evening News. Read more at newsandtribune.com



JEERS

... to the shadiness surrounding the handling of the equipment the city of Jeffersonville gained with the purchase of the former Frank’s Steakhouse building.

Because of neglect, a leaky roof and fire damage, much of the Frank’s building and equipment is “100 percent gross,” according to Jim Urban, the city’s redevelopment director. The building will eventually be razed and the land used for stormwater detention.

City Councilman Mike Smith says much of the equipment in the building can be cleaned up and sold, and proposes that come via an auction.

Smith was upset when Urban admitted to him that an ice machine from the building was given to another restaurant in the city. Urban said it was his intention to get “a fee for that equipment.”

Urban says that was the only piece of equipment given out, but an owner at Cozza, a new Court Avenue eatery, told The Evening News his business received not only the ice machine from the Frank’s building, but also a large oven.

We’re not blaming Cozza’s owners for accepting equipment that can help its fledgling business succeed, but the city should be honest about what equipment it has there and where it’s going.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



CHEERS

... to the Bunco Divas, a group profiled in Wednesday’s Evening News. It’s great to read about the friendship that has been shared over 56 years of playing bunco once a month.

Congratulation, ladies.

If you missed the story, search for it at newsandtribune.com.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



CHEERS

... to Rock Creek Christian Academy being granted charter-school status by Ball State University recently. The school will open — renamed Rock Creek Community Academy — in fall as a free public charter school.

— Editor Shea Van Hoy



Do you have someone or something to cheer or jeer? Submissions should be sent to Editor Shea Van Hoy at shea.vanhoy@newsandtribune.com or by mail at 221 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 47130.