1 • Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019 - Shopper’s Guide
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Serving the communities in Stephenson County
Shopper’s Guide
VOL. 81 • NO. 33
Fall Festival RUN/WALK Saturday, September 7, 2019 at Lion’s Park
Check in at 7:30 a.m. (register at Pool Office) Race begins at 8:30 a.m. Early Registration on or before August 23rd Cost - $20.00 (T-Shirt guaranteed) Registration after August 23rd Cost - $25.00 (Will not receive T-Shirt) Register at Park Office 609 N. Schuyler, Lena, IL Call with questions 815-369-5351
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WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14, 2019
After 30 years of programming LWTV goes dark CORRESPONDENT
For nearly 30 years, residents of Lena and fans of the Le-Win Panthers have been watching high school sporting events and other programming on LWTV (Lena Winslow Television). Recently, however, a mostly unnoticed statement was issued through the schools Facebook page in the activities section which read in part, “LWTV is no more. This page will be the future method of providing coverage of sporting events.” LWTV began it history in 1989 when cable television began to develop on a nationwide basis. A significant part of the arrangements between cable providers and municipalities was making an allowance for Community Access Programming. Community Access Programming allowed cities, towns, schools and other organizations to produce
Briggs’ and Reed Tractor Drive
Time for our 15th Annual “Briggs’ and Reed Tractor Drive’. Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 Come and have a full and fun day with us. Tractor drive is 20+ miles through the country. You will see lots of scenery. Leave Jim Briggs’ farm, 3699 W. Winslow Rd., Orangeville, Il at 8:30 a.m. and end up at Orville Reed’s farm about noon. Address is 7942 Neeseman Rd., South Wayne, Wi. (Tractors can be brought ahead of time if you wish.) There will be beverages and snacks for you at Jim’s. There will be a “potty break” in the middle of the ride at Orville’s there will be a delicious picnic and you get to visit the Reed Family Barn full of agtiques. Please bring a dish to pass; you don’t have to drive a tractor to come to the picnic. Just come for a great day! Questions: Jim—1-815-789-4570 or Orville—1-608-677-2301
local programs for broadcast on cable channels at no cost. As the technical state of the art of broadcasting evolved, satellite transmission would also be included. Mediacom would become the broadcast provider for Lena. In June 1989 Larry Nelson, one of the teachers at Le-Win, took on the task of developing a video production program. The object of the program was to get students involved in broadcasting and providing the community with a quality program for viewing school activities, local sporting events and public service announcements. Tom Fore, who taught Freshman English and Video Production, would eventually head up LWTV when Larry Nelson stepped down. Fore said, “The LWTV program had always been self-supporting. In addition to producing the broadcast of sports and other school events, we began producing public service announcements and offering advertising to local businesses for a reasonable fee. These commercials were a great way of allowing local businesses an opportunity to target a specific market. The proceeds from these advertisements was put back into LWTV.” Broadcasting and electronics are without doubt the most rapidly changing of any business. In the last 30 years broadcasting has gone from local television, to cable, to satellite transmission to internet streaming, with more changes on the horizon. These technical changes require near constant change in the equipment used not only in transmission to the end viewer, but changes for the program producer as well. The changes can mean expensive equipment purchases and technical expertise. For those that understand the technical aspects of computer communications and electronics, LWTV had been using analog systems. Today, the state of the art is digital. Mediacom, along with other broadcast companies operates on digital systems and cannot accept production that does not meet their
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formatting requirements. These kinds of problems as well new construction in parts of the school and other priorities have brought about the end of LWTV. Fore said, “I took pride in continually making improvements in both the technology and content in LWTV programming to offer the community the best we could. I think that it’s a sad day to see LWTV come to an end.”
The new plan is to offer sports to the community via streaming through the schools Facebook page. Currently it’s a bit difficult to navigate. Hopefully, things will come together. Larry Nelson, who developed the original program said, “It took about six months to get the idea built. It was fun and a good thing in its day. It was something way ahead of its time. I believe there
were about four or five kids that would eventually go on to a career in broadcasting. More importantly, the program gave kids the opportunity to learn how to deal with others in a mature way. It was great fun, but things change. Times change. Sad as it may be, I think it’s just a matter of its time has come and time to move on. I’m sure something newer and better will grow out of this.”
TONY CARTON PHOTO Shopper’s Guide
Celebrating 150 years of service
Tomorrow’s volunteers are a big part of the Lena Fire Department’s celebrations.
EXPECT MORE FROM YOUR BODY SHOP aMore Experience aMore Service aMore Quality
301 Dodds Drive, Lena, IL
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