'Pulls on your heartstrings': demolition starts on former Sauced building, Thayer Mansion
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — Demolition gets underway after a massive fire on Christmas Day left a restaurant in ruins. The Italian restaurant Sauced and the Thayer Mansion is coming down where birthdays, weddings and receptions were celebrated.
After standing tall in Evansville for decades those two buildings at 1113 Parrett Street are coming down after a fire heavily damaged Sauced on Christmas last year. Some say it's heartbreaking.
Some on-lookers tell me a piece of Evansville history and what some credit as the spark in the neighborhood revitalization effort will be gone sooner rather than later. Sauced Owner Scott Schymik certainly has made an impression on the city and the customers who came through the door.
Brian Buxton who runs the ever-popular Fingers, Fork, Knife & Spoon Facebook page is just one of them.
'Sauced: it was one people's favorite Italian restaurants in town. I had been for many times for dinner. They had a great outdoor patio. Scott obviously is a great chef, had a great menu and it's sad when you lose anything like this,' Buxton says.
Construction crews began taking down what house the beloved restaurant, ballroom and the former Kirby's Private Dining where several people hold special memories.
That includes Moriah Hobgood who ran the blue bar for two years and now owns Mo's House which sits across the street from hallowed grounds.
'I literally would not be where I am without Sauced, and Scott and the blue bar and what it is. So, it definitely pulls at your heartstrings to see it being torn down and not being part of the neighborhood anymore for sure,' Hobgood says.
Schymik tells me the Christmas Day fire waterlogged the entire building and someone was also renting the upstairs apartment. Some say it's a loss, but they have memories to hold close for life.
'It was Sauced — I felt like — was the first thing that was here — Kirby's — and people got married there. They had huge moments, first dates, the married later on. I don't exactly know how to process seeing it gone or what it will look like,' Hobgood says.
Schymik believes crews will stay on scene for a couple weeks to finish the demolition.
'Pulls on your heartstrings': demolition starts on former Sauced building, Thayer Mansion
'…the good Lord sent the Red Cross': volunteers across America work around-the-clock to aid flood victims
Saturday protests against Trump administration also take place in Henderson
Clean-up continues in Princeton following tornado touchdown
'You're not a pouncer. You're a bouncer:' Hendrix family 'emotional' over Chaser's bouncers incident
Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Italy and Israeli Paragon part ways after spyware affair
By Giuseppe Fonte and Alvise Armellini ROME (Reuters) -Italy and Israeli spyware maker Paragon said they have ended contracts following allegations that the Italian government used the company's technology to hack the phones of critics, according to a parliamentary report on Monday and the company. Both sides said they had severed ties, giving conflicting accounts that triggered widespread criticism from opposition parties in Italy, while the journalists' federation FNSI called on prosecutors to investigate to ascertain the facts. An official with Meta's WhatsApp chat service said in January that the spyware had targeted scores of users, including, in Italy, a journalist and members of the Mediterranea migrant sea rescue charity critical of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The government said in February that seven Italian mobile phone users had been targeted by the spyware. At that time the government denied any involvement in illicit activities and said it had asked the National Cybersecurity Agency to look into the affair. A report from the parliamentary committee on security, COPASIR, said on Monday that Italian intelligence services had initially put on hold and then ended their contract with Paragon following a media outcry. It was unclear when the contract was ended. However, COPASIR recalled that, addressing parliament on February 12, the government had said that it was still in place. The committee also added it found no evidence that Francesco Cancellato, a reported target and editor of investigative website Fanpage, had been put under surveillance using Paragon's spyware, as he had alleged to Reuters and other media outlets. In a statement quoted by Fanpage, Paragon said it stopped providing spyware to Italy when Cancellato's alleged involvement became public, and said the government declined an offer to jointly investigate whether and how he was spied upon. The company did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters. Opposition politicians called on the government to clarify the matter in parliament. Meloni's office declined to comment. The COPASIR report said Italy's domestic and foreign intelligence agencies activated contracts with Paragon in 2023 and 2024 respectively and used it on a very limited number of people, with permission from a prosecutor. The foreign intelligence agency used the spyware to search for fugitives, counter illegal immigration, alleged terrorism, organised crime, fuel smuggling and counter-espionage and internal security activities, COPASIR said. It added that members of the Mediterranea charity were spied on "not as human rights activists, but in reference to their activities potentially related to irregular immigration", with permission from the government. Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, Meloni's point man on intelligence matters, authorised the use of Paragon spyware on Mediterranea activists Luca Casarini and Beppe Caccia on September 5, 2024, the report said. Mantovano was not immediately available for comment. A Sicilian judge last month ordered six members of Mediterranea, including Casarini and Caccia, to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel have faced such prosecution. All have denied wrongdoing.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Italian Yacht Builder Ferretti Is Involved in an Espionage Case
International intrigue at one of the world's largest yacht builders? The Italian Ferretti Group was the setting for a spy-vs-spy scenario that reportedly included private detectives shadowing an executive of the Italian builder's primary Chinese investor and recording devices hidden in several offices, according to Bloomberg. The discovery of this board-level surveillance has prompted two criminal cases, now in the hands of Italian prosecutors. In April 2024, Xu Xinyu, an executive director at Ferretti SpA, noticed two men in an SUV outside Ferretti's headquarters in Milan. Xu also sits on the board of the Weichai Group, which acquired the Ferretti Group in 2102, when the builder of Riva Yachts, Custom Line, CRN, and other brands was in financial trouble. More from Robb Report Say Hello to Robb Report en Español, the New Benchmark for Global Luxury in Spanish A Luxe Midcentury Duplex in London's Mayfair Just Listed for $25 Million Red Sox Legend David Ortiz's Former Miami Mansion Lists for $11.5 Million Xu also observed the pair following him while visiting hotels in the city, Bloomberg reported. He hired a counter-surveillance company, which reportedly found a listening device and signal amplifier hidden in his office. Other devices were found in the offices of Ferretti's Chinese-Italian translator and board secretary. The story cites unnamed sources who claimed relations between Weichai and some executives at Ferretti had deteriorated because of a proposed stock buyback program that would have allowed the repurchase of 10 percent of the shares. The buyback plan was briefly examined by the Italian government under a special 'golden' provision that allows it to oversee 'strategic' Italian brands with foreign ownership. A very small percentage of Ferretti's boat production is for the defense sector, thereby placing it in the strategic category. The Chinese members of the Ferretti board, comprised of six Chinese and three Italians, were initially against the buyback proposal, according to the sources. That decision, according to Bloomberg, caused dissension between Ferretti CEO Alberto Galassi and some members of the board. In March 2024, Galassi formally notified the Italian oversight committee of the buyback initiative. But that was earlier than the Chinese directors had expected. Bloomberg's sources say they thought the Chinese board members worried that Galassi could be using 'the golden share rule to sideline them by seeking allies in the Italian government.' The stock buyback proposal was withdrawn by the end of the month. Ferretti issued a statement denying that Galassi had gone against the board's wishes, according to Bloomberg. It said the notification 'was carried out with the formal and definitive approval of the Board of Directors.' The statement went on to say that 'the relationship between the shareholders and the company is excellent, marked by ongoing collaboration and mutual respect.' Ferretti did not immediately respond to Robb Report's request for comment. Following the discovery of the surveillance on Xu and others, some of the board members reportedly suspected it might have originated with Ferretti's upper management. Xu initiated a criminal case against 'persons unknown' in May 2024, for unauthorized access to a computer system and unlawful interference in private life. In January 2025, following an internal investigation, the Ferretti Group filed its own complaint with the Milan prosecutor's office. 'Ferretti SpA considers itself an aggrieved party, having been wronged by the unlawful and improper installation of surveillance devices within its offices,' the statement said. Ferretti says there is no tension between it and Weichai. 'The shareholder and the company have enjoyed a relationship of mutual esteem and full, constructive collaboration for over 10 years,' the brand said in a statement to Bloomberg. The cases remain in the initial stages of investigation, with no certainty that any criminal charges will be pursued. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Hamilton Spectator
40 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Longtime NOTL fundraiser sells T-shirts to support Canada and local charities
With phrases of defiance from Canadians ranging from 'Canada is not for sale' to 'elbows up' becoming rallying cries on this side of the border, Niagara-on-the-Lake resident David Scott wants to show his support in an overtly positive way. His choice is to start and promote a new slogan: 'Canada G.O.A.T.,' which stands for 'greatest of all time.' It's an acronym often used to rank the historical greatness of elite athletes, but here, it signifies Canada as being the greatest country of all time. Scott has a long history of charitable work. He helped run a series of fundraisers at the Cherry Hill Golf Club for more than 30 years, which raised more than $1 million. Given the situation with U.S. President Donald Trump, Scott thought it would be a good idea to get his creative fundraising ideas out again. He is creating and ordering the shirts while his niece is helping to print and deliver the shirts. Seven other surviving members of the fundraising group have also been promoting the shirts. Scott hopes these pale blue shirts, meant to resemble the colour of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with dark blue letters and a Canadian flag, will ultimately be a positive expression of being Canadian. The T-shirts cost $35 each. Besides supporting the country, the T-shirt sale will also help out people in the Niagara region. 'Canadian pride is the number one thing,' said Scott. 'It's also about supporting food banks … It's a win-win.' A portion of the proceeds will go to three food banks: Project Share in Niagara Falls, Community Care in St. Catharines and Newark Neighbours in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The charities in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines will get $10 each from a T-shirt sold to someone outside NOTL, while Newark Neighbours will get $20 from each T-shirt sold to someone in town. Scott said he's already sold a couple of dozen T-shirts. With Canada Day just around the corner, Scott said the timing is appropriate for his endeavour, but he wants the T-shirt's message to last a long time past that. 'It's not just for Canada Day,' he said. The 'Canada G.O.A.T.' T-shirt can be purchased at . daniel@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
