Odds and ends, 8-3-2018

There is a new big bird in town. The sculpture shown below was given to the City of Rensselaer at Embers Whiskey and Whiskers event. Where the City will put it has not yet been determined, so it might sit at Embers for while. It makes and interesting companion to the painting on the wall.

The sculpture is made of bits and pieces of junk.

Also downtown, Moonshiners is now smoke free and family friendly. Those who want to smoke will still be able to do so, but only on the patio in the back.

The owner of the Country Bumpkin gift shop is opening a flea market in some of the space that was recently occupied by Endless Treasure. She said that the closing of the Antique Mall that was behind Greene's Furniture prompted her to make the move. The various vendors that were there are scattering to many different places, but perhaps a few will come to downtown Rensselaer.

I have noticed some sidewalk construction lately. There is a new sidewalk that is almost finished that runs along Lincoln from College to the High Rate Treatment plant. It will connect with a walking path that continues on to Weston Cemetery.

Saint Joseph's College is in the news again, and not in a good way. Sodexo, which ran food service at the College, is suing for $1.3 million, the amount they spent on remodeling in the month immediately before the College announced it was closing. Their suit argues that the College hid its bad financial state from them and if they had known how bad the finances were, they never would have agreed to fund the remodeling.

I did not see any work at the solar farm when I stopped by earlier this week, but outside the fence City crews were installing utility poles.

I had not been to an Airport Authority Committee meeting for about a year and decided that August might be the last chance I get while the days are still fairly long. The meeting covered fairly routine items. They discussed a new five-year lease for Excel Air. Fuel sales for July were good but not nearly as good as last July. This year there was less traffic from crop dusters and less traffic traveling to a big air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Excel Air is now offering flight instruction at the airport. They discussed bids to provide security camera backup. There will be another Tunes on the Tarmac concert on August 25 from 5-7 pm CST. The event will benefit the Safe Halloween Event. They ended the meeting by voting on a budget to present to the County Council. The budget is flat, that is, has the same total amount as the current budget, but does shift some money around among categories.

Rensselaer received some much needed rain Thursday afternoon. The clouds at sunset were very pretty.

The Spaw is or soon will be under new management and ownership.

Fair Oaks Farms made NBC-5 news.

On Friday morning the Tourism Commission met and approved grants for Oktoberfest and Memories Alive at Weston Cemetery. Both events are scheduled for September 22. JCEDO has a new director of Tourism, Shelby Carroll. She started work on July 30.

The Tourism Commission heard reports on both Oktoberfest and the Parks for People Campaign. Last year Oktoberfest had about 600 people pay. That total was aided by the SJC Homecoming event held the same day. This year the SJC Homecoming event will be later. Oktoberfest is the only fundraiser for Main Street Rensselaer. They use the funds for various project. The most recent was the trailhead in Potawatomie Park. Bands are the biggest cost of the event.

Parks for People is at the $1.2 million mark of its $1.5 million goal.

Today dirt is being moved in Remington for the new Holiday Inn Express that will be at the intersection of I-65 and US 24.