On Monday Franciscan Health Rensselaer blessed and dedicated a Safe Haven Baby Box on the east wall of the Hospital, on the outside of the area where ambulances pull into the Hospital. The ceremoney had a surprisingly large crowd, many from outside of Rensselaer.
Among the speakers was Monica Kelsey, the "Baby-Box Lady". The Baby Box program became her passion when, as an adult, she learned the story of why she was adopted. Her mother was raped and became pregnant as a result. After her mother was kept in seclusion during the pregnancy, Monica was placed for adoption. Her story has recently been published as a book, and reading through the bit one can preview on Amazon, it seems to be a compelling story.
The celebrant for the blessing was Bishop Doherty of the Diocese of Lafayette.
The Baby Box provides a way for a woman who has an infant that she does not want or cannot support to anonymously give up the child. She opens the door to the baby box and places the infant inside.
The box is temperature controlled, and once the door is closed, an alarm will notify hospital employees that there is a baby in the box.
The first baby box was installed in 2016. In the years since, 11 infants have been left in boxes in fire departments and hospitals.
Speaking of books, Carlee Alson has recently published a book, Rolling On: Two Hundred Years of Blair Iron and Steel. I asked her if it was commissioned and she said it was. I also asked it the company had provided archives for her to use and she said that the company provided very little information about its history and she had to do the research herself.
The large warehouse that Smith Transport opened east of Remington had a ribbon cutting last week. The Rensselaer Republican has a full report.
The tees for disc golf at Brookside Park have been installed.
You can see one of the ball games from last weekend in the picture. There were 31 teams and they played Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. Teen Mission ran the concession stand.
A digital sign for the Court House is under construction. It will be used to advertise local events and will replace the banners previously used in this location.
Walls are starting to appear on the vet clinic under construction east of Fountain Stone Theater.
There was a crane doing some kind of work on the tower behind Midway Electronics. I took a picture because I like cranes.
The Rensselaer City Council met on Monday evening and began with three citizens approaching the Council. First was Rein Bontrager who wants to start a Tuesday Cruise-In (or Park-In) for downtown Rensselaer. He would like the block of Front Street next to Embers to be one-way from 5 to 7 so that cars could angle park along it. It will be open to all cars but would be designed to attract cars that would be car-show worthy. The request was approved and the first night should be tonight.
The second request was from the Prairie Arts Council for a new Art in the Alley event. It would be held on July 17 from 11 to 8 and the location would be the new Filson Park. It would feature an art fair and market, a tent with activities, and some small bands. The Council referred to a request to a tech review meeting, and if that group approves, it has the Council's blessing.
The final citizens item was a Mayoral proclamation celebrating the 30 year anniversary of the Jasper-Newton Foundation by declaring "Love Where You Live" to the the theme of the year. The foundation began as a way to save the Carnegie Building after the new library was built. Over the past 30 years it has given grants of about $15 million and currently has invested funds of $23 million.
Moving on to the main agenda, the Council had three ordinances that redistributed money that the City receives from two tower leases, one from Sprint that leases an antenna on the Rachel Street Water Tower and the other from Verizon that has its own tower next to the Drexel Water Tower. The money was divided between the Public Relations Fund, the Sidewalk Maintenance Fund, and the Future Development Fund. Two of the ordinances were passed and one was tabled to be rewritten.
The Council then ratified a poll that had approved some additional street work by Walsh and Kelly (which was recently acquired by Milestone).
The Council recognized Jerry Lockridge for 40 years of service with a jacket. It approved a family medical leave. And it approved the purchase of a new truck by the gas department to replace one recently totaled in an accident. The truck is being purchased from Twin Lakes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and will cost $33,151.25. The insurance settlement for the truck it is replacing was a bit under $17,000.
The Police Department is still learning to use the Spillman dispatch software but likes being able to share information with the Sheriff's Department and other agencies using the software. Most of the paving has been completed, with two streets and filling around new sidewalks left for this week. Walsh and Kelly will be digging out South McKinley beginning this week. This weekend the Blacker Fields will host a softball tournament with 17 teams on Friday and Saturday. The annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Weston Cemetery at 11:00 am on Monday.
Leaving the meeting, I noticed that the old Moonshiners window has lost the picture of the moonshiners. I liked that picture, but I am happy that someone seems ready to reopen the restaurant.
Thank you for all of the news today, especially the Baby Box. I did not know that was happening. I do hope that something does go into the old City Office and Pub space.
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