The Times from Munster, Indiana • 28

i HOME NEWSPAPER FOR Munster, Griffith, Highland, Whiting, Crown Point, Loivell, St. John, Schereri Cedar Lake, MerrillviUe IMES 28 Sunday, August 5, 1979 nn Hit! Channel 50 Aid 'Hits, Snag fc underwriting grants to the station in 1979, Adams. said. It's subjective whether that figure is healthy or weak, he said. "We have got to keep the station on the air," lie said.

The heat exchanger at the transmitter froze, knocking the station off the air from late November 1978 to January 1979. On June 29 the feed lines to the transmitter in north Hammond shorted. WCAE didn't broadcast again until July 17. The transmitter has been made more reliable by installation of air conditioning and heating in the tower building and other improvements, Iaconetti said. Only a back-up transmitter, which would cost about $500,000, would have prevented the recent 17-day lapse, John Byers, chief engineer, said.

Accusations that Channel 50 will By DONALD POTTER Times Staff Writer ST. JOHN Equipment breakdowns, criticism and prior poor management are hindering donations to Channel 50 for local programming, according to Bob Adams, the station's fundraiser. Securing underwriting for local programs proposed for 1979-80 such as a high school sports report and an outdoor series directly affect whether they will be broadcast, Lou Iaconetti, manager of northwest Indiana's public and only television station, said. Eight businesses and corporations have fully underwritten three and partially underwritten three of the 23 non-network shows, all sports, listed as proposed for the 1979-80 academic year, Adams said July 27. None of the $15,300 cost of producing "High School Scoreboard," how- ever, has been assumed.

It's scheduled to premiere Aug. 24. Besides the five-minute "Northwest Indiana Newsbrief" introduced June 25, the scoreboard would be the first local series produced by Channel 50 with its own equipment since March 1978. "Right now, it's 'go' on everything," Iaconetti said of the 23 shows. "We'll go into as much local programming as possible pending securing underwriting," he said.

The underwriting cost of the 23 series totals more than $58,000. A major factor inhibiting companies from making grants to Channel 50, WCAE-TV, is the station's repeated shutdowns, Adams said. Inland Steel cited the six weeks Channel 50 was of the air last winter in cutting off grants, Adams said. A total of 23 companies have given I flitters WCAE Plans New Local Programs Nancy Hoffman broadcasts Randy Brist directs newsbrief ST. JOHN An outdoor show and a high school sports report are among local programs on the list of television viewing Channel 50 is proposing for 1979-80.

Both "High School Scoreboard" and "Jack Parry Outdoors" were broadcast before Northwest Indiana's public and only television station halted local programming in March 1978. Other programs of the 23 listed, all sports, include Indiana University football highlights, Purdue University basketball and two Lake Central High School basketball games. The 23 are proposed in the sense that Bob Adams, Channel 50's fund raiser, is seeking underwriting to put St. Anthony Center Schedules Blood Drive 1 local news on channel 50 set. program from control room.

burn victims, platelets for clotting or cryoprecipitate for hemophiliacs." During June, St. Anthony Medical Center used 265 units of blood cells, 126 units of platelets, 97 units of fresh frozen plasma, 10 units of cryoprecipitate and four units of frozen blood. There were 61 volunteer donors who reported at the open community blood drive in June, and 54 productive donors. The summary of use for the six month period from January to June is 1,762 units of red blood cells, 717 units of platelets, 620 units of fresh frozen plasma, 169 units of cryoprecipitate and 18 units of frozen blood. During the same period, there were 253 pints of blood donated at the medical center and 163 units at Crown Point High School.

Mestrich estimates 4,000 pints of blood could "probably meet our total needs at St. Anthony's." He stresses 50 pints of blood is the goal each month, and "it would be helpful if volunteer donors could Increase this to 75 or 100. -m i only be an educational-vocational station as long as it's licensed to the Lake Central School Corp. has also hurt fund raising, Adams said. "People say, 'if they are as bad as this other group says they are, why should we support said.

"That affects membership, underwriting, everything." Adams was referring to comments by former station advisors who are seeking unused Channel 62 for a rival public television station as Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting. The advisory board broke with Lake Central in spring 1978 after the school board refused to grant it decision-making power or the license to the station. Channel 50 is a full-service public station serving Lake, Porter and parts of five surrounding counties, Iaconetti said. populace, it easier to secure underwriting for athletic programs than news or public affairs programs, Adams said. "Big Red Football" "The Bobby, Knight Show" and "Indiana University Basketball" have been underwritten for their total $4,800 cost.

"The Jim Young Show" and "Indiana State University Basketball" had been partially underwritten as of July 27, Adams said. No money has been committed towards underwriting the $15,300 cost of "High School Scoreboard." It's scheduled to premiere Aug. 24, the first of the new series of local programs. the United States" and to "consolidate the society due to a decreasing number of Salesians." A spokesman from the Eastern Province said a lack of religious personnel, a financial pinch and a realignment of priorities for the Salesian order spurred the closing of the school. Staff members haven't heard from the Eastern Province on what will be done with the school property or when and where the staff will be are only a few of the volunteers across the country who are helping to eradicate cancer In our lifetime," Mrs.

Bochart said. The fund drive is an annual activity in Lowell. personalities have been added, Anne Raymer, librarian in charge of the file, said. Soon, pictures of American Indians, explorers, monarchs, musicians and civil rights leaders will also be available, increasing the file's wide-ranging subject The file can be especially useful to those who create displays, Mrs. Raymer said.

them on the air. Most of the programs would be produced by other stations, with Channel 50 paying to air them. The sports report, outdoor show, Lake Central basketball and the Gary Regional basketball tournament would be produced by WCAE crews. Besides the sports events Channel 50 covered with rented equipment last school year and a new five-minute newscast, the sports report and outdoor show would be the first local series produced by the station in more than 18 months. John Nelson, station manager in 1978, cut local broadcasting in March claiming the station needed money to repair equipment and purchase color cameras.

the school property. "There are still bills to pay and maintenance work to do," Saggioni said. Saggioni usually works in the office during the morning on financial matters for the school. In the afternoons and evenings, he puts on work clothes and helps with maintenance of the grounds on the 49-acre school site. "I'm glad there is so much to do.

If I wasn't busy I'd go bananas," he said. Taking on additonal chores is not new to Saggioni or other Salesian Prep staff members. WCAE plans to satisfy the desires of those in the viewing area for more news and public affairs, cultural, sports, and government programs, Lou Iaconetti, station manager, said. For a variety of reasons, the station management decided to make sports the first entry of its planned resurrection of local programming. For one thing, school sports commence in the form of football in another month, Iaconetti said.

"Sports are one thing that's desired around here," Iaconetti said. In addition, Channel 50 has a sports director, Jim Barbar, but no news director or cultural director. With strong Indiana and Purdue university alumni associations in the area, and a generally sports-minded To keep educational costs down, the staff often expanded duties so additional staff wouldn't be needed, Saggioni said. Administrators were teaching so additional teachers didn't have to be hired, and staff members were driving buses and doing other activities, Saggioni said. The staff's efforts, however, failed.

So did a campaign by parents of boys attending the school to keep the school open. In March, a school official said Salesian Prep would close its doors to "diversify the Salesian ADOstolate in White, Jean Hulsey, Val LeLoup, Kathy White, Phyllis Moser, Linda Johnson and Mary Quillin. The Lake Dale Woman's Club assisted with the drive. "The captains and their crusaders CROWN POINT Volunteer blood donations will be collected Aug. 17 at St.

Anthony Medical Center. "Sumniertime is perfect for taking inventory and this includes response to our open community blood drives held each month at St. Anthony Medical Center," Dennis Mestrich, St. Anthony vice president and director of laboratory managerial services, said. Mestrich emphasized that "the most important aspect is the personal inventory that each individual must make in light of the continuing need for blood to serve our community health care needs." Increased summertime activities usually bring additional accidents, which result in many victims requiring blood or components, he said.

"This usage is added to the needs for surgery, treatment for diseases, burn or shock," Mestrich said. He said "one donor unit can help three or four persons since blood can be divided into components, like red cells for surgery patients, plasma for I Desks are crowded into a corner containing a flag in an emp ty classroom at Salesian Prep School in Cedar Lake. Salesian Prep Filled By Silence ts. Lowell Fund Drive Help Good ByLYNNEHARKEL Times Staff Writer CEDAR LAKE The. halls are silent, the classrooms empty and the library dusty at Salesian Preparatory School.

The lighted offices on the main floor, which remain open for administrators, seem out of place in the otherwise dark school building. This scene is different from days before May 25, the date when the 16-year-old school closed. "There used to be a lot of noise and activity," the Rev. Ernest Saggioni, financial administrator for the school, said. "It does seem quiet now." The silence and the emptiness had been filled by 148 male students and a staff of 10.

Now Saggioni is among the few who come to the school. Even for summertime it's quiet at Salesian Prep. Summer classes use to be held for 30 to 40 students, Saggioni said. A tour of the school confirms the reality of the closing. Classroom doors are closed and locked.

Desks and chairs remain in the rooms, but other signs of a classroom are gone. The library is still filled with books, but the room is locked. Dust on the shelves and tables indicate absence of use. And the halls are unbearably silent as closed windows conceal outdoor noises. About three or four administrators still work in their offices.

Saggioni, however, is responsible for many of the school's functions until the Eastern Province of Salesians in the United States decides what to do with I Aw Art Works Available LOWELL The Lowell area cancer fund drive netted $1,691.31, according to Chairman Lynn Bochart. "Response and cooperation of volunteers and area residents who made donations was fantastic and a big thanks is in order," Mrs. Bochart said. "The contributions from our area will help to further educate the public about cancer and will aid in financing research to discover causes and cures of this terrible disease," she said. Captains instrumental in making the crusade a success were Joanne Benjamin, Wanda Frank, Janet Evans and the Eagle Creek Up At 'Ems 4-H Club, Bette Lunn, Germane Scheidt, Judy Dawson and the Cedar Creek Ags 4-H Club, Peggy Hendricks, Alvina Szczerbik, Diane Miller, Debbie Wahlberg, Peggy WHtan MERRILLVILLE An updated file on pictures for loan is now available at the Central Library on U.S.

30 in MerrillviUe. Art prints, portraits and high-. Interest pictures demounted on black cardboard are ready for borrowing by persons with a Lake County or Westchester Public Library card. Since Jime, 239 portraits of literary Construction continues on an addl- HAAltinn tion to MacArthur Elementary School i AUUIUUH in Cedar Lake Crmn pojnt sch00l i officials hope the unit will be com-ISearLnu pleted for use this school year, which begins late this month..