Evansville has taken the reigns on tackling the problems of abandoned and vacant blight properties throughout the city, especially in the urban core neighborhoods. With the city’s Blight Elimination Program and Land Bank efforts, significant progress has been made. “As removal of blight takes place, these neighborhood residents have begun to invest in their own properties by painting, repairing, cleaning, and making overall improvements,” says Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
On Nov. 5, Kaitlin Moore Morely won her bid for an at-large seat on the Evansville City Council. The people behind parts of the campaign’s marketing weren’t a large firm or even seasoned marketing veterans. It was a group of University of Evansville students working with Embrace Marketing and Communications, a project through the school’s ChangeLab program.
The Evansville area is known for its eclectic architectural styles from Tudor and Victorian to Colonial and Italianate, and nothing shows off this variety like when front doors are dressed in their holiday finest. During Evansville Living’s first year of publishing, we featured “The 12 Doors of Christmas,” highlighting a dozen decked out entryways throughout the city.
There are many things that go into the completion of an Idea Home project — from architects designing the home to contractors and vendors working together to create the perfect living space that fits the needs of a local family. But just as important to the Idea Home project is the selection of a receiving charity, and for the 2020 Idea Home, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ohio Valley was picked as the beneficiary. Started in 1988, RMHC of the Ohio Valley exists to serve families in need of a comforting place to stay during their child’s illness.
Step into Amy Elliott Ubelhor’s studio, and you will be transported into a world of color. Growing up, her two kids Eli and Emma said it was like living inside a box of crayons. Every surface possible in her studio is covered in color and paint, from the base boards and ceiling to her desk chair and bookshelves. She has even painted the handles of her paintbrushes.
Mirroring metropolitan areas across the U.S., Evansville’s healthcare sector continues to grow, with new developments popping up in all areas of the city and Tri-State. From care for children and seniors to expertise in specialties like vision, orthopedics, and education, the scope of health care in Evansville continues to expand to meet the needs of patients on a regional level. Take a tour through some of the biggest healthcare projects in the area over the last few years, and discover other projects on the horizon.
A love of nature and animals came easy to Lauren Norvell — growing up in rural Gibson County, she found an early passion for the outdoors and animals. “You tend to find the environmental activists are those people who formed a bond and a love for those things early on,” says the Purdue University graduate (she holds master’s degrees in wildlife science and conservation biology from the college). “I always have been conservation-minded because I fell in love with those things as a child.”
When it comes to tasty breakfast treats, it’s hard to beat a doughnut. And Parlor Doughnuts in Downtown Evansville strives to bring a layered twist to the classic. “As a doughnut lover, I have traveled the country to experience the nation’s best dough. I knew Evansville would respond to the layered style doughnuts I personally love,” says Darrick Hayden, co-owner of Parlor.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 2102 N. Green River Road, is open and offering a variety of smoothies, flatbreads, wraps, and sandwiches. The Kentucky-based pizza and wing joint, Mister B’s, has opened an Evansville location at 1340 Hirschland Road. Sugar Fix has added something sweet to the area with a candy shop located at 300 W. Jennings St., Newburgh, IN. Henderson Juice Co., 13 S. Main St., Henderson, KY, is now open and serving fresh juices, smoothies, breakfast items, soups, and wraps.
Sitting on 1.34 sweeping acres, the home at 6929 Newburgh Road has the best of both worlds. While the property feels secluded and private, it also boasts a convenient location with quick and easy access to neighbors, shopping, and local amenities. Along with the sizeable design, Julie Bosma, realtor for ERA First Advantage Reality, Inc., lists the location as her favorite aspect of the home. “This is a great family home with lots of space,” says Bosma. “It’s conveniently located on the East Side.”
In December 1999, Art Director Laura Mathis and photographer Fred Reaves drove the area photographing holiday doors that caught their attention. Nineteen years later photographer Zach Straw repeated the exercise. For Laura and Fred, it was only the second photo assignment for Evansville Living. Laura had the good foresight to realize the need for a holiday cover design a year down the road, in November of the publication’s first year.
Facing off on the basketball court is not a new tradition for the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville men’s basketball teams. And on Monday, Oct. 28, the two faced off once more on the hardwood at the Ford Center for a non-conference exhibition game.
History states that Hannah and Lt. George W. Jacobs arrived in the city of Evansville in 1818, after embarking on a flatboat down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh in 1817. The couple had been married only a year before they started their journey, exchanging vows on May 1, 1816, in Sutton, Massachusetts. Their trip was made during the winter (if the historic statements are true), and they came upon Evansville early enough for George to be on the first Grand Jury of the newly created Vanderburgh County in February 1818 and then be appointed the first county treasurer in March.
In October 2019, a truck carrying more than 25,000 pairs of socks rolled into Evansville. Donated by Bombas, the “buy a pair, donate a pair” sock manufacturer, these socks now are available to all EVSC students through Hangers, an EVSC Foundation clothing resource that provides students with discounted clothes for school.
On Dec. 14, more than 1,600 cemeteries across all 50 U.S. states will take part in wreath-laying ceremonies through Wreaths Across America, including the city of Evansville’s Oak Hill Cemetery. While Wreaths Across America first started in 1992 at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., Oak Hill Cemetery has participated since 2011 and was the first in the Tri-State to offer the program after the River City Cadet Squadron reached out with the idea.
There has long been speculation about what was stored in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) room of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Now, the University of Southern Indiana, Vanderburgh County Commissioners, Veterans Council of Vanderburgh County, and Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War are partnering to learn exactly what the room was used for and what it holds today.
Nashville, Tennessee, and music go together like Johnny Cash and June Carter. But as one of the fastest growing cities in the south, the Music City is expanding its reputation. On a recent trip to Nashville, I passed up the honky-tonks and clubs for some of the new breweries calling Nashville home. Tennessee Brew Works
When a victim of sexual abuse within one of nine surrounding Tri-State counties is ready to disclose information to authorities, the first step always is at Holly’s House.
It was a coincidence that Scott Schoenike found an old postcard of the Victory Theatre on eBay. The original postcard showed him exactly what he had been searching for — the look of the former vertical marquee attached on the Main Street side of the historic building. “That kind of gave me the first look at what it used to be, what it used to look like,” says Schoenike, the executive director of the theater and the Ford Center.
KC Chesser and Chad Brady don’t give up easily. When the two purchased the former Bud’s Harley Davidson property at 2124 W. Franklin St., they knew they wanted a place not only with good food, but a thriving entertainment scene. With KC’s Timeout Lounge, KC’s Marina Pointe, and KC’s Corner Pocket Bar & Grill under their belts, Chesser and Brady knew the West Side staple of Franklin Street would be a successful spot. They went through several iterations of a possible new restaurant, but the path to getting started wasn’t a walk in the park.
Stephen and Julia Georgesen know how to stay busy in retirement. The couple completed their fifth year at the farmer’s markets this summer, baking breads, kuchens, and sweet rolls through their venture Flour Power. All of the bread, except the sweet rolls, are baked in the Georgesens’ outdoor wood-fired oven. For the summertime Downtown Market on Main and the Franklin Street Bazaar, the couple baked about 250 loaves throughout the week, offering around 10 varieties of breads and three types of sweet rolls.
Libby & Mom's Cafe 2 Richardt Ave., 812-437-3040
Benton Frisse always has several irons in the fire. The New Harmony, Indiana, native and blacksmith forges tools of all kinds through his business River City Forge & Tool.
Christmas cards make great mementos and often are sentimental, but they tend to pile up as the years go by, making them the perfect material to repurpose for holiday crafting. We gathered up our old cards and used them to create a colorful, festive wreath. To make your own wreath, you will need: • Christmas cards • A hot glue gun • Scissors • A foam wreath ring • Toothpicks • Ribbon
Whew, talk about a year; 2019 was a record-setter with 367 individual photo sessions! The best part of being at the magazine is the variety of things we get to see and do. It’s great looking back at all my favorites, and honestly, it’s hard to distill my favorite images down to just a few. I originally picked about 50 of my favorites, but I don’t want to drown you all in images. That being said, here are 10 of my favorite images from 2019.
