Police Presence at Senior Center

When the mayor visited the Senior Center on Jan. 5, I attended, but took no notes. Instead, I had brought along some yarn to crochet a hat, which I did for the two-hour duration of the visit. I had unraveled a scarf and was repurposing the yarn to accessorize a quilted paisley jacket I got at Second Time Around.

But the meeting did produce a couple of newsworthy items, one being the advent of the long-awaited IT person. And then reading Jackie's blog today, I realized I had a partial answer to her question about the police moving in to the Senior Center.

The downtown Community Police unit had been in leased space in the same building at 305 East Front Street that the seniors vacated for their move to the new center at 400 East Front Street. There had been talk of putting the police unit in the city-owned lower level of the former Tepper's building, but recently it was deemed unsuitable for police uses.

On Jan. 5, the mayor explained that space in the new center would be set aside for the police, although it would mostly be used for writing up reports and such. It would not take anything away from the seniors, who planned the center in conjunction with the developer, but would add security and save money.

The mayor acknowledged Officer Leslie Knight, who had briefly looked in on the meeting. There was some grumbling about police cars taking up parking spaces, but the mayor said seniors are now able to use the rear parking lot.

On other topics, the administration and center staff are looking for volunteers to help unpack from the big move and seniors are also awaiting hookups of computers and a kiln for ceramics. A new pool table is on its way from the Midwest and other adjustments are being resolved.

Crocheting and knitting are very popular at the center. I had hoped to sit at the long table with others making things out of yarn, but all the seats were taken. I finished my hat in some of those late-night/early-morning hours that wakeful seniors and bloggers seem to encounter.

--Bernice