Ellis Park in Henderson is closing for good. It’s all about the Benjamins. When owner Ron Geary couldn’t get an injunction against a horsey set that would have allowed him to use national account wagering outlets, he decided to call it quits. The summer meet was scheduled to begin on Friday. [C-J]
How fancy is it that Steve Beshear appointed Stephanie Bell, a big dog fundraiser and head of the fundraising group ‘The Capitol Club’ – which took heat for hosting a fundraiser at the governor’s mansion – anyway, he appointed hera policy advisor for the Public Service Commission. Common Cause isn’t a fan of the move and made its opinion known. [PolWatchers]
Mayor Jerry and Governor Steve say they’re going to fix gas prices. But they have no plan or anything, you know, that they can actually do to figure out wtf is up. This should be exciting. [The 'Ville Voice]
Speaking of gas prices, Congressman John Yarmuth and Attorney General Jack Conway are holding a press conference later this morning to discuss actions that could cut gas prices in Kentucky/nationwide. 11:00 A.M. at the corner of Taylorsville Road and Furman Blvd in Louisville. All you media types show up so we can watch it on the noon news. [Press Release]
Oh Jesus! We’re about to pee all over the place. Mitch McConnell’s crew says the Sierra Club is one of Bruce Lunsford’s allies. HAHAHAHA. The Sierra Club may run ads against Mitch McConnell but who in their right mind would ever think the Sierra Club is an ally of Bruce Lunsford’s? What the eff kind of crack are they smoking? Justin Brasell can keep calling Bruce a “goose” because we’ve got quite a few things we could legitimately call Mitch. Don’t tempt us. [Mitch's "Blog"]
Speaking of Mitch McConnell. Senator Arlen Specter had a few choice words for him on the Oncological community and the nasty Medicare vote for which McConnell is responsible. [The Crypt]
8 responses so far ↓
1 D. J. Self-Conscious // Jul 3, 2008 at 10:38 am
Jake, here’s a good (and true) narrative for you to pick up on: fundamentalist Christianity is whithering the economy of Northwest Kentucky (Henderson/Owensboro). Last month, Owensboro lost its largest hotel and only convention center (Executive Inn) because the fundies in the area have recoiled at the thought of having a casino on location, and now Henderson has lost its racetrack in no small part because the gambling offerings there couldn’t compete with the casino riverboat parked in downtown Evansville.
So, Jesus be praised — for something, but flourishing economy won’t.
The fundamentalist crowd running the Messenger-Inquirer daily in Owensboro has had a lot to do with nurturing the growth of the wider fundy culture in that area.
2 Terri // Jul 3, 2008 at 10:54 am
DJ Self-Conscious, I don’t doubt that there’s a fundamentalist crowd that holds heavy sway with the M&I now, but it’s not just the fundies that have opposed the casino in the area. I opposed it because I think it’s an awfully irresponsible and short-sighted path to sustained economic development.
That hotel has been plagued by mismanagement and ownership changes for years, and I got a very snake-oil vibe from the last ownership change of the E.
Owensboro has a beautiful downtown with lots of potential. Paducah does not have a riverboat casino and seems to have a vibrant downtown. No doubt that the closing of the E is hurting a lot of people, and the city needs a plan for responsible downtown development that includes a great hotel and convention center, but don’t oversimplify and blame it in the fundies.
I’m about as far from fundie as it gets, and I don’t know what you’re smoking to think that casino = cupcakes and rainbows for all.
3 Terri // Jul 3, 2008 at 11:04 am
Followup – There’s also been the issue of the AirPark lately. I dunno…Metropolis/Paducah seem to be getting something right, so maybe I shouldn’t be so critical of the snakeoil…
4 westkyian // Jul 3, 2008 at 11:39 am
Terri – the new owner of the Executive Inn almost lost the Quilt Festival for Paducah with his mishandling of the hotel. Luckily, it is coming back next year. If you have never been, go. Quilters are artists who work with fabric.
A lot of Paducah’s downtown success can be attributed to the Artist Relocation Program – innovative, creative, and not the government’s idea. Attracting working artists to Paducah has generated millions of dollars for the city.
The idea won’t work everywhere, but it shows that a new approach to economic development is needed – an approach that takes the personality of the locality into consideration.
Metropolis has benefited from its casino. It too has been revitalized. That being said, I don’t believe casinos everywhere are the answer to our economic woes.
5 jake // Jul 3, 2008 at 11:46 am
Mmm. Cupcakes.
6 Terri // Jul 3, 2008 at 11:47 am
I have never been to the quilter’s museum and hope to go next weekend. I’m an amateur/infrequent crafter and love that kind of stuff! Wasn’t aware that there was a conflict b/w the Quilt Festival and the E.
I have looked into Paducah’s relocation before, in the past. It seems quite innovative and I wasn’t sure if the growth in Paducah would be more attributed to that, or its neighboring town of Metropolis. (Owensboro still has a higher per capita income and lower poverty rate than both, FWIW.)
So many parts of this state are ignored, IMO.
7 westkyian // Jul 3, 2008 at 1:41 pm
You are right, Terri. Parts of this state do get ignored. One never hears about anything good coming out of Eastern Kentucky, either!
There are some innovative wind power ideas percolating in Eastern Kentucky that don’t get any press. The quilt squares on barns (ever heard of that?) is stronger there than in any other part of the state.
Homefolks trying to make home a better place are just not newsworthy.
8 D. J. Self-Conscious // Jul 3, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Say what you will about expanded gambling, but if Owensboro and Henderson had had slots at those two locations, then I’d place my bets that neither establishment would have shuttered its doors. It’s not as if people in Henderson or Owensboro have to go far in any direction to reach a casino. Plus, they’ve got all kinds of lotteries and bingo hauls to frequent. Maybe Owensboro should just go dry while it’s at it. Most people drink responsibly, but some people are problem drinkers, indeed.
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