More March odds and ends

The Charlie Roberts auto dealership has announced that it is closed. This is not a surprise because several months ago the property was listed for sale.

Also closing is the Hazelden Country Club near Brook, which has been open for more than a century. The owners had sought a buyer and had not found one. They have begun to sell equipment. Today's issue of the Rensselaer Republican has more information about the closing.

The law office of Riley and Ahler has moved to 209 W Washington, Suite C. It is an interior office with no windows. Mike Riley has mostly retired but a new lawyer joined the firm in January. Jacob Ahler is the attorney for the City of Rensselaer, the Jasper County Council, and the Jasper County Drainage Board.

A couple of banners across US 231 announce a local International Woman's Day event on March 8 at Embers. There are morning talks and in the afternoon booths by businesses owned by women.

The Rensselaer Park Board met Monday evening in the City Council chambers to hear a presentation by an Eagle Scout who wants to make some improvements to Hal Gray Park. He wants to install a 30 foot flag pole, do a bit of landscaping, and paint or stain the gazebo. He has to raise some money for the project. The Board gave him their blessing.

Baseball and tee ball enrollment for the summer are down and this seems to be a national trend. Soccer plans to have four soccer camps this summer. The new fields at Monnett should be ready for the in-house teams and the traveling teams will continue to use Brookside Park. RBI baseball would like to add 80-foot bases at Roth Field in Brookside Park so that they can host home games.

In park updates, the concession stand at the Blacker Fields is mostly completed. When we get drier weather, dirt in the big pile north of the fields will be moved back onto the fields. There is a lot of concrete work that will be done soon. The iron-work for the entryways for the Monnett-Staddon Park is being finished and will eventually be installed. The dog park will be getting two old fire hydrants that the City has available. A granite bench commemorating John Egan has been completed and is awaiting a concrete foundation before it is installed in Milroy Park.

Last year park programs served over 1000 people. This year the old programs will continue and there will be some new ones. One of the first, which comes from a suggestion by a member of the public, will be a Spring Trail that will be much like the themed Scarecrow and Christmas Tree Trails. For a small entry fee and some creative work, local businesses and organizations can advertise their presence. The theme can be Easter or spring or arbor day or anything thing else spring related. Details will be available soon.

Other events on the drawing boards are cup-in-hand kickball, a children's garden, a nature series with 4-H, a grand opening of the Foundation Park (which I keep calling Staddon-Monnett), and workshops on invasive species.

There is always a need for volunteers to help with the programs and high-school kids welcome to volunteer. Also, if you have ideas for programs you would like to see in the parks, Mrs Hall would like to hear from you.

This Jasper County Historical Society has a big event coming on April 25, the dedication of the Helenor Alter Davisson Interpretive Center. The event will feature re-enactors at four or five different locations that are connected to Helenor, including her childhood home near Remington and her grave in he Sandridge Cemetery several miles north of Rensselaer. Helenor was the first woman ordained by any of the denominations that now make up the United Methodist Church.

The Historical Society's Cemetery Walk committee has begun meeting and is finalizing which residents of Weston Cemetery will be featured in September's Third Annual Cemetery Walk. The rain or shine date is September 19.