Odds and ends 10-14-2019

The second week in October was busy. On Wednesday morning the Senior Expo was held at the fairgrounds. Vendors came from as far away as Winamac and Watseka. The attendance was light, with fewer than 50 people registering. I suspect the low attendance may put the continuation of the event in jeopardy.

 The vendors may not have reached many people, but they did network among themselves. I learned that Goodland has senior-housing apartments.

Franciscan Health had a health fair in the east building. There were no waiting lines.

 On Thursday the fire department held Fire Prevention Open House and it was well attended, attracting dozens of small children and their families. Most of the children got toy fire hats and many were delighted with the bouncy slide. There were lines to sit in the medical evacuation helicopter and to get fitted for a bike helmet.

 No one seemed to want to sit in the 1941 LaFrance fire truck. The Rensselaer Fire Department purchased it for $8,850 in December of 1941 and the firefighters repurchased it in June of 2012.

 I wonder how many people today could drive this. I learned on a manual transmission but it has been so many years since I drove one that I am not sure I could still do it.

 I do not understand the engine with all the spark plugs.

 On Friday Utility Office in City Hall served a Customer Service Day Lunch. They got many more old people enjoying it than came to the Senior Expo.

 I noticed that the Johnny Rusk lot had been filled. The Commissioners had talked about putting in some fill on Monday and asked if the County Highway Department had something they could use to level it. Obviously fill was found somewhere. The Commissioners have signed a contract to have it seeded with grass and they intend to eventually sell it. They had purchased it with the thought that it might be needed for future expansion but the acquisition of the old PNC Bank building makes this lot expendable.

 On Saturday morning we got the first frost of the season. It killed less in my garden than I feared.

 During the past week the approaches to the bridge on SR 114 were taken out and rebar was installed.

Have a happy Columbus Day.