A Wichita Fire station will be the site of the city’s first Safe Haven baby box and the fourth in the state.
The baby box will be installed at Fire Station #9, at 350 S. Edgemoor, near Kellogg. The specialized box allows a mother to legally surrender an infant without fear of being prosecuted and an alarm sounds when a baby is placed inside.Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses explained the process the city would follow should a baby be surrendered. After an initial exam in the hospital, the baby would be placed in protective custody, triggering additional procedures, like contacting the Department of Children and Families, even the Wichita Children’s Home, to place the baby in a safe environment.The Via Christi Foundation will cover all expenses of installation and construction, around $16 thousand initially, along with a $600 annual fee.Wichita Public Libraries will soon upgrade their digital presence. The city council approved a contract to provide digital upgrades to the library’s integrated library system, which manages materials, customer data, the online catalog and their notification system.The company, called Innovative, will be paid a one-time fee of $39,500. The annual subscription will cost the city nearly $125 thousand per year.Wichita Public Library says over 50 percent of their books are in digital form…