Happy Holidays from KLRN

The PBS NewsHour

On Monday night, December 7, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer becomes the PBS NewsHour. While you can watch the PBS NewsHour each weeknight at 7 PM on KLRN, the change also brings a robust new Web site that will be updated throughout the day.

If you missed Jim Lehrer's announcement and his rules for "MacNeil/Lehrer Journalism" on the Friday, December 4 program, you can watch it here.



And don't forget to join Jim, Gwen, Judy, Ray, Margaret, Jeffrey and newcomer, Hari Sreenivasan for the PBS NewsHour tonight!

Teachers are Over the Moon at the San Antonio Day of Discovery

This last Saturday, December 5th, KLRN School Services teamed up with TCEA Area 20 (THANK YOU! Jennifer Faulkner, Area Director) to host the first-ever San Antonio Day of Discovery for educators. Featuring KLRN Connect, the premiere digital video service from Discovery Education, the event kicked off with a fantastic keynote from award-winning education blogger, Steve Dembo of the Discovery Educator Network. Steve took the audience on a tour of the 21st Century classroom. As he did, he reminded us this is the classroom of today not the future...we are nearly 10 years into the 21st Century! Here is a podcast of Steve's keynote thanks to Miguel Guhlin of San Antonio ISD.

Throughout the day, teachers had an opportunity to learn how to use digital media and technology in the classroom including taking a virtual field trip to the Moon with Google Earth. In this session, teachers were exposed to the rich resources from this Google map tool that even includes the sky and a virtual 3D representation of the moon.

Teachers also got an overview of how to take digital media content into software such as iMovie, MovieMaker, and Animoto (featured above) that allows you to edit and create multimedia presentations. This is great way for students to do presentations as well. Long gone are the days of dioramas and tri-fold poster board.

Steve Dembo hosted a session that took on the theme of a "Day in the Life of a Discovery Educator". He gave a minute by minute overview of a technology-rich school day. All of the resources presented were easy to find and use through KLRN Connect and other online services.

Whether you are an educator, parent, or a fan of KLRN, take a look at what we do to support K-12 teachers in the classroom and beyond! All presentations are archived at Justin Karkow's DEN Blog. Thanks again to the DEN for bringing us this Day of Discovery. And, a special thanks to Steve Dembo for coming out on his birthday!

But most of all thanks to all the great educators who attended. Those teachers go above and beyond everyday and gave up a Saturday to learn even more. What can I say other than these teachers are truly the STARS in the classroom!

KLRN Previews | 11/24/2009

Check out the latest KLRN Previews E-Newsletter featuring information about this Saturday's broadcast of the Texas Music Extravaganza. You'll also read a bit about December 7's launch of the PBS NewsHour.

To get the newsletter via email every two weeks, register at: http://www.klrn.org/signup/

Wine, Friends, and Good Times: The 2010 KLRN Wine Season Is Officially In Full Swing

Glasses were raised and the excitement and energy was radiating at the St. Anthony Hotel last night as the 2010 San Antonio Wine Festival Committee met for the first time. The crowd, filled with seasoned committee members as well as people that are new to the group, got a "taste" of what it is like to sit on the wine committee, and I must say, our committees have good times, they really do. This year's chairs, Dacia and Lanham Napier, are so filled with enthusiasm that it rubs off on whoever surrounds them. It is going to be a fun wine year, folks. It is never too early to get involved, so whether you are a restaurant who wants to participate in the festivities, a sponsor who wants to support a good cause or you are a patron who loves wine and public television, we look forward to seeing you all at the events of the 2010 year. And to our committee...Cheers!

(If you have questions or want to participate in this years events, please contact John Costello 210.270.9000 or jcostello@klrn.org)

Don't Believe Me; I've Got a Dog in This Hunt

But San Antonio's Express-News Entertainment Writer Jeanne Jakle doesn't, and she sure did like what we call "The River Walk Doc." Its real title is Paseo Del Arte: Expanding the San Antonio River Walk.

Jakle's review is glowing, and to be honest, so are we. We put a lot of heart and soul (and photography and editing) into this doc and it's very satisfying to have it recognized. It airs 9PM Tuesday night the 10th of November--tomorrow at this writing--and I hope you get a chance to see it.

Pictured above is Donald Lipski's F.I.S.H.. Why in the world did he pick that particular variety of fish to build? The answer is in the River Walk doc...tune in to find out!

They Absolutely Didn't Have to Do This

But they did. They took an overgrown, trash heap wasteland section of the San Antonio River and gave it a radical makeover. They dredged it out, widened the river channel, built elaborate stonework walls and walkways, and secured artists to conceive and install wildly creative, bizarre and even subtle works of art. And now San Antonio has an outdoor linear art gallery that's like nowhere else in the world. The picture above is Donald Lipski's F.I.S.H. under the I-35 bridge, with San Antonio Museum of Art in the background.

They--the city, the county, the San Antonio River Authority, and the San Antonio River Foundation--had an uphill battle to fight. They had to convince a skeptical public that an area of town that, to put it kindly, has seen better times, could become a showplace for the Alamo City. And now, with a lot of corporate support, those governmental entities have done precisely that.

Almost a year ago the River Foundation contacted KLRN to document the creation of what's come to be called the Museum Reach portion of the new River Walk. We've interviewed dozens of people, including all the artists, former mayors, all the movers-n-shakers. And we've spent time along the river shooting beautiful high-def video of all the artists' wondrous creations. We've cruised in River Barges, night and day, to capture the experience of this fabulous new stretch. And we've put all that into a lively, half-hour documentary that we've named Paseo Del Arte: Expanding the San Antonio River Walk. If you'd like a preview, go here. It airs Tuesay the 10th at 9PM on KLRN, and we sure hope you'll watch.

If you watch, you'll see how much neater a town we can be, how much more interesting a society we become...when we do that which we don't have to do, but which will make us all a little happeer.

To medicate or not to medicate...that is the question.

I have to be honest, with all of the talk about the H1N1 vaccination and it's safety (or not), the discussion has happened in my house... to vaccinate or not to vaccinate? There is speculation. There are questions. And frankly, my family is in a quandry about it, trying to figure out the best route to take. I guess I won't have to make any drastic decisions until the shot actually becomes available to me and mine. Until then, I wait (and am quite relieved not to have to make the ultimate decision just yet).

In the meantime, I am left to think about children and medicine. Quite a combo. I remember penicillin being the cure all for me as a child...for anything and everything, but that was it. If penicillin didn't cure it, then I was to wait it out or sleep it off.

Tonight, Frontline is rebroadcasting the episode titled "The Medicated Child". Some programs bear repeating and I believe because of the current discussions about our little ones and which medicines are good for them, this one is more than appropriate. Tune in tonight or watch the full episode online. I know I will.

Katrina

p.s. By the way, there is a plethora of information at the website for this episode. FAQs, discussion forums, and a parents guide, for any of you interested in learning more.

KLRN Video Blog | October 20

Clifford the Big Red Dog’s Colossal Tour

Clifford the Big Red Dog’s Colossal Tour was on-hand to entertain and delight families throughout San Antonio on October 16th thru the 18th. Hundreds of kids took pictures with Clifford the Big Red Dog at various Burger King Locations. KLRN, Clifford, and Burger King joined forces with the San Antonio Police Department to provide fingerprinting for children to establish their identity. Also in attendance was a balloon maker who made every animal balloon you could think of. It was such a pleasure seeing children from all over San Antonio excited and amazed at meeting Clifford.

Bring the kids, Clifford is coming to town!

Attention Kiddos!
Get your picture taken for free at your local Burger King! This weekend, (October 16-18) Clifford the Big Red Dog will be visiting his friends at area Burger King Restaurants.
Stop by and see Clifford for FREE at the following times and locations:
Friday, October 16
4:00 - 5:00pm 1327 S. Main St. (Boerne)
5:30 - 6:30pm 5218 DeZavala Rd.
7:00 - 8:00pm 3400 Fredricksburg Rd.
Saturday, October 17
9:00 – 10:00am 3009 Blanco Rd.
10:30 - 11:30am 5013 Walzem Rd.
12:00 - 1:00pm 4618 Rittiman Rd.
1:30 - 2:30pm 16711 Nacogdoches Rd.
3:00 - 4:00pm 5007 NW Loop 410
4:30 - 5:30pm 11006 FM 471
6:00 - 7:00pm 5562 Tezel Rd.
Sunday, October 18
1:00 - 2:00pm 8296 Marbach Rd.
2:30 - 3:30pm 4520 W. Commerce
4:00 - 5:00pm 4402 S. New Braunfels Ave.
5:30 – 6:30pm 211 SW Military Dr.

For more information, give us a call 210.270.9000.

KLRN News You Can Use

Today we published our October issue of the KLRN Education newsletter featuring Comal ISD and the wonderful work that district is doing with technology. You will read about how Comal has come from the bare bones of technology infrastructure to the fully-immersed classrooms of today. If you are looking for information to integrate KLRN content into your teaching and learning experiences, click here to read more and become a monthly subscriber. For more information on KLRN School Services, contact me at mmccormick@klrn.org.

KLRN Video Blog | October 1

A Conversations Special

We're heading out now to UTSA's main campus to shoot a Conversations Special tonight at the University Center theater. First off at 5 they'll be screening The Wall documentary, and afterwards we'll record a Conversations program about the documentary.

The DOC is all about a wall that's being built along the Mexican border in an effort to cut down and/or eliminate illegal immigration. Whether you're a supporter of the Wall or don't like it at all, the documentary's a fascinating look at what's happening there.

Former WOAI Trouble Shooter Jeff Coyle is hosting the Conversations record, and The Wall director Ricardo Martinez is the subject. A live audience will be asking questions and this will all be turned into a Conversations Thursday night the 8th of October. If you can't join us for the live taping, please join us for the program playback.

This one speaks for itself!

Read, Read, Read!

Celebrating Under The Stars

On Saturday, September 19, KLRN and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park held a night “under the stars” at Mission San José. The outdoor event featured booths, music, and a special preview screening of the Ken Burns upcoming documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Families were greeted by the music of the Mariachi Monterrey band and were treated to a special performance by the Ballet Folklorico de San Antonio. With picnic baskets and blankets, families enjoyed the sneak peek of the film in one of San Antonio’s most beautiful historic settings. Kids received live trees to plant, and adults were given re-useable bags. Special thanks to Park Rangers Al Remley and Susan Snow for their help in making this event possible. Be sure to watch the film when it premieres on KLRN this Sunday night at 8 pm! Click here to learn more about the documentary and all of the local efforts surrounding the launch.

Contributed by Lisa McGrath, VP of Educational Services at KLRN

KLRN Kids & the Biscuit Brothers Jamboree

On Saturday, September 12, The Biscuit Brothers participated in the KLRN Kids Club Members-Only Event, Biscuit Brothers Jamboree, at Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne, TX. We had over 200 KLRN members come to this fabulous event.

The Biscuit Brothers’ four-piece band did a total of three on-stage performances for about a half-hour each. During these performances, The Biscuit Brothers involved the audience in all aspects of their performances, encouraging children, their parents and other attendees to dance, sing, and make suggestions for animals and animal sounds to be used in the songs.

Additionally, The Biscuit Brothers educated children in between the stage shows in the “instrument petting zoo.” There they were able to show the kids how each of the different instruments is played and the sound that each makes.

Kids and their parents enjoyed wagon rides through the ranch during the event. The rides were entertaining, as well as educational, since the ranch has a collection of unusual animals including Longhorn cattle, Emus, llamas, Red Stag and Chinese Deer, bison, reindeer, rams, and donkeys.

Burger King, a sponsor, donated the use of their moon bounce.

KLRN members had activity tables and were given a cowboy hat, bandana, and goodie bag.

All in all, many parents and child caregivers stated to staff that the event was fun and exciting for the children, and it was something their kids would remember for a long time to come.

Contributed by Lisa Marie Gibson. To learn more about KLRN Kids, visit klrn.org/kids.

Raising Readers: Mission Possible 2009

Raising Readers families took on a night of baseball with the San Antonio Missions Baseball Team! Under clear skies, Super WHY threw the first strike of the night! The children and their families on the Fiesta Party Deck cheered for Super Why, Alpha Pig, and Martha as the fans in the crowd clapped, hooted, and hollered. Throughout the evening, children posed with the characters wearing their spirit shirts and clutching their books. All clad in Super Why, Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, and Wonder Red masks, the children played on the deck wearing their new, autographed gloves as they threw the ball around with their new friends. Our fantastic reader, Naomi, chased the Puffy Taco during the 7th Inning Stretch. With a gentle nudge, the Taco collapsed before reaching home plate! We had an amazing evening cheering on the Missions to a victory. Books, bats, and balls… Mission Possible: Raising Readers ACCOMPLISHED!

KLRN Video Blog | September 1

Sesame Street Special Takes On Tough Times

On Wednesday night, September 9, join Elmo and a few friends for a primetime television special featuring brief documentaries about real-life families and the story of a Muppet family coping with the ups and downs of these uncertain economic times. Hosted by Al Roker, Deborah Roberts and Elmo and his friends, the special will offer help, hope and strategies for families and will encourage children to express their feelings and ideas as their families adjust to a new life.

FAMILIES STAND TOGETHER: FEELING SECURE IN TOUGH TIMES
Wednesday, September 9, 8 PM

Learn more at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/toughtimes

Watch a preview:

What a great tribute to a great show...

What a fantastic tribute to our friends on Sesame Street! Looking back at all of the stars, the years and the graphics and songs just brings back memories of my own about the show. Good times, Sesame Street! Keep up the good work and congratulations on the big 4-0.

The Principal Story Town Hall

Are you working on your degree in school administration or are you a veteran principal? Are you a school superintendent, professor of education or government leader committed to education reform? If so, make plans to join other education leaders in a unique opportunity to discuss school reform and the important role school leaders play in this effort. Presented by KLRN, this Town Hall will feature four local school principals and the producer of The Principal Story, Tod Lending, and will be hosted by Tanji Patton. Join us on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 in the Southwest Room at UTSA Downtown. A light dinner will be provided and all attendees will receive an outreach kit. Register now, seating is limited! Click here for more information and to RSVP.

To learn more about The Principal Story, visit the Wallace Foundation website here.

An Update on The National Parks: America's Best Idea

We've been talking about The National Parks: America's Best Idea since March when Ken Burns was in town. And now with the film scheduled to air in just over one month (9/27), the buzz continues to build, both locally and nationally.

SHARE YOUR STORY: Have you visited a National Park recently or do you have a story from a childhood visit? We are collecting your stories, photos and home videos at klrn.org/parks.

SCREENING AT MISSION SAN JOSE: Pack a picnic and bring a lawnchair for an evening under the stars in one of San Antonio's most beautiful historic settings. Join us for fun family activities, mariachis and preview The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Saturday, September 19, 6-9 PM.

SPONSOR THE BROADCAST LOCALLY: Help bring the history and stories of our National Parks to South Central Texans by underwriting the broadcast of the program on KLRN. Andrea Scotto, ascotto@klrn.org, can provide all the details.

KLRN Video Blog | August 17

Take a Peek at the PBS Press Tour

I love summertime. This is when PBS announces our fall lineup and it’s so refreshing when new programs are unveiled.

What’s even more exciting is that PBS has just returned from their press tour in Calif. and is already seeing the results of their efforts.

On a conference call I participated in yesterday with the PBS Communication Advisory Council, the media team reported “…strong media attendance, including the Associated Press, TV Guide Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and more than 130 other publications and Web sites with 60 million+ total circulation.” USA Today called last week’s PBS Press Tour “excellent” and Washington Post’s Lisa de Moraes said “PBS’s press tour is the best lineup by far.”

You can check out the PBS Press Tour yourself on YouTube. Among the highlights you’ll find:

• David Tennant brings a “breath of fresh air” to Masterpiece
• Astronaut Mike Massimino on twittering from Space
• Patti Smith interview outside of studio
• Paula Apsell and Susan Lacy give great overviews of the coming season and how they pick topics/ talent for each season
• Chiwetel Ejiofor – talks about filming in Africa, his parents birthplace
• The Electric Company’s “Shock” beatboxes the letters PBS @7:04

I could go on about what’s new this season, but don’t take it from me or PBS, check out the press tour yourself at http://www.youtube.com/pbs. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts.

Your Opportunity to Walk with Dinosaurs

Have you heard that dinosaurs will be in San Antonio this fall? Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular will visit the AT&T Center on November 4 -8.

Anyone interested in dinosaurs, history, engineering, or robotics will be amazed at this show. The live show is based on the famous Walking with Dinosaurs series produced by BBC and seeks to once again bring dinosaurs to life. The entire floor of the AT&T Center will be cleared to make room for these massive creatures. KLRN viewers will have a chance to watch a behind the scenes documentary about this amazing production. “Walking with Dinosaurs: The Making of the Live Experience” will air this Sunday at 7:00pm. I’ve watched this program and, trust me, it will amaze you to see the amount of work that goes into designing and creating these life size creatures. …And I do mean life size. The largest dinosaur is 72 feet from nose to tail! Anyone familiar with engineering won’t be surprised to know that there are some tense moments. No design is every implemented without a few hitches. I don’t want to give away any details, so you’ll just have to watch. Don’t forget to tune-in to KLRN on Sunday (8/16) at 7:00pm.

Andrea.

P.S. Please note that the above clip is from the Live Experience event and not from the Making of… documentary.

Ruff n Stuff | KLRN KIDS Go Back to School

Families zoomed into the San Antonio Children’s Museum on Saturday, August 8, attending the Passport Back to School event. Over 1,100 people entered the doors and ventured to the Tooth Booth, the kid-powered elevator, and the H-E-B Kids’ Market, making new friends and having fun along the way! As children were engaged in play, they were learning! Any time is learning time and what a perfect location for children and their families to play together. It was amazing to see children pushing along their shopping baskets choosing their purchases and it was just as fun watching the parents observing and engaged too. Children stood in the middle of a large bubble in the Bubble exhibit, they dug for treasures and manned a front end loader. A special treat was the Fetch lab where they made catapults and released cotton balls; Ruff Ruffman, from the PBS KIDS GO! show, Fetch with Ruff Ruffman, made special appearances too.

Community partners shared important program information with parents and caregivers; they learned more about parenting programs, home-visiting programs, the important role they play as the child’s first and most important teacher, and about resources that are available for them in their communities! Children walked away with school supplies, backpacks, books, and smiles. We’re really excited that the event was such a hit and we look forward to the next time where we can help kick-off a new school year!

Blogger: Maricella Borroel

So What's KLRN Done for You Lately?

Katrina's back with a great big passel of fun stuff that KLRN's been up to...and even a little mystery for you to solve. But why write about it when you can see it for yourself?

It's Almost Time For...School!

Who is really able to pass up a kid-friendly, COOL place to bring the kiddos on Saturday? KLRN Kids, EarlyON, and the San Antonio Children's Museum are celebrating the beginning of a new school year with a Passport Back To School event featuring Ruff Ruffman, himself, from the PBS hit show Fetch! (Parents, remember to bring your cameras!)

Admission to the museum is FREE during the event, so gather the kids (they have to adjust to getting up early again anyway) and join us from 9a -11a at the San Antonio Children's Museum. Each child will receive a "passport" at the entrance along with a list of activity tables (stations) to visit. At each station, they will receive a stamp on their passport, and once the passport is filled with stamps, the child will get a bag full of goodies!

If you haven't been to the SA Children's Museum lately, be prepared for a great time. There is a new ball/gravity exhibit at the entrance, and kids can literally get trapped in there for hours just running their little hearts out (trust me, I've experienced it myself). If you are a frequent visitor of this great kids place, know that our activities will make this trip that much better.

Need more info? Give us a call 270.9000 or look for more upcoming events at www.klrn.org/kids (p.s. the Biscuit Brothers will be here in September!)

See you on Saturday!

Thursday Night's Conversations

If it looks like they're having fun, maybe it's because they are. The THEY are Juan Sepulveda, Julian Castro and Ricardo Romo and we brought them together to discuss the hurdles South Texans have to clear to get a higher education. Juan's new post with the Obama Administration's Initiative on Excellence in Education leaves him well qualified to speak, as do the resumes of San Antonio's new Mayor and UTSA's President.

This Conversations program was recorded at UTSA's downtown campus right after a gathering of educators and government folks had hashed over the high hills and deep ruts of south Texas' education landscape. The lively half-hour program runs the gamut on education, from TAKS test troubles to where they think the biggest hurdle to clear for getting a good education lies: and it’s probably not where you think! Check it out Thursday night at 8.

KLRN Update: Our first Video Blog entry

Katrina and Jack recently produced our first Video Blog with highlights from recent projects and a glance ahead at a couple of events and programs coming soon!

Let us know what you think of our first entry and stay tuned for more!

And as always, you can get frequent news and programming tips from KLRN on Twitter and Facebook!

This is One Slick Guy

Tom Slick was born to wealth and could have lived out his days burning through it all without a care in the world. Instead though, he cared a lot. This San Antonio native cared enough about people that to help fight disease, he established the Southwest Biomedical Foundation to research cures. He established the Mind Science foundation to research the unknown complexities of the mind. He wrote a book on World Peace before he was 30.
Tom Slick hungered for knowledge from the four corners of the world, so he traveled that world in searches for the Abominable Snowman, for the Loch Ness Monster, and even Bigfoot.
While he never found those creatures, he did find his biggest passion: Modern Art. Now, a McNay Art Museum Exhibition at the Stieren Center celebrates the man through his private collection in Tom Slick: International Art Collector.
Host Jeff Coyle speaks with Dr. William Chiego, John C. Kerr and biographer Catherine Nixon Cooke as they tell surprising, revealing and downright amusing stories about one of South Texas’ most accomplished, most fascinating men. Tune in to KLRN Tonight at 8 for a preview of his collection, plus a peek at the twisted, yet hilarious Edward Gorey exhibit currently showing at the McNay.

The World is Your Classroom at KLRN

Yesterday, I spent the day with K-12 educators at the Schertz Cibolo Universal City School District guiding them through our online video streaming service, KLRN Connect. During our discussion regarding all the great programming featured on KLRN, I was pleased to share with them the other KLRN Channels such as V-Me. I enticed the Spanish teachers to use this programming in the immersive classrooms or with ESOL students. I also had a Home Ec teacher declare her love for Julia Child and so I showed her where she could find her programs on the Create Channel. I will tell you she cried with glee when I showed her the PBS Player at http://video.pbs.org! There was Julia, in all her mallet-yielding glory, taking on a whole chicken with such style and grace that is only Julia. Go enjoy all of KLRN and Bon Appetit!

Patchwork Nation Webb County Bloggers Announced

THE NEWSHOUR has forged a partnership with the Christian Science Monitor's Patchwork Nation project to offer a unique look at how these turbulent times are playing out in different types of communities across the country.

Patchwork Nation is a reporting project that explores economic trends in the United States by tracking different types of communities over time with the help of the Christian Science Monitor, local stations and citizen bloggers.

As part of this effort, the two media organizations are, as the project coordinator for The NewsHour writes, “reaching out to proven public affairs producers in communities we would like to track in the coming year.” KLRN is one of 13 public broadcasting member stations and Laredo is one of 13 new cities nationwide selected to participate in this project.

Blogging for Webb County will be IBC Bank President & CEO Dennis Nixon; along with Joey Horta, Morning/Noon Anchor for KGNS-TV in Laredo. Nixon and Horta will each post blogs approximately twice a month.

You can read Dennis Nixon’s first post about Judge Sotomayor’s nomination here.

Say Goodbye To An Old Friend

That still at left was nicknamed Old Blue, and is what we in the biz call an ID, short for an "identification." Originally broadcast on September 1st, 2004, Old Blue's function was to tell you what station you were watching, and its point of origin--San Antonio. But a closer look reveals the letters DT, which stands for digital television. KLRN was trying to put digital television on peoples' radar screens by way of their television screens way back in 2004, so that they'd be ready by the time analog's power was pulled and digital was powered up. Computer programs track the runnings of these things and I can report that this ID ran 68,619 times. Wow!

The digital transition happened at the stroke of midnight, June 12th, and we're hoping you've made the digital leap with us. If you're getting this e-mail, but not our signal, go here for help. Maybe we can get this figured out together. You can also call 270.9000 to speak to an actual human about it.

As to the NEW ID at right--as yet un-nicknamed--it's not bound to one look. We travel around town, the hill country, and points south and west, shooting video, then augmenting that video with what we call the co-brand: the KLRN and PBS logos side-by-side. The 9.1 San Antonio tells you you're watching our main channel, not 9.2, 9.3 or 9.4. You do know we broadcast four 24-hour channels, right? A quick look on our home page can show you complete schedules for all four channels at bottom left. You'd be amazed at all the great programs we offer.

Regarding those new IDs, we create 24 of these each month that feature our fair city and its environs from daybreak through dark. We hope you get a kick out of them, and that you are reminded how lucky you are to live in the area.

And as to Old Blue--he served us well and I can report that he's happily out to pasture, and enjoying watching the new IDs along with the rest of us.

Reading is the Name of the Game at Camp!

"Sky Losoya, a youngster at La Escuela de Las Americas who's involved in the Super WHY! Reading Camp, participates in literacy adventures and games. Super WHY! is a program created to help children learn the fundamentals of reading through interactive storybook adventures."

READING IS THE NAME OF THE GAME AT CAMP
By Nazish Dholakia - Express-News
“Bubbles!” rising first-grader Jose Zuñiga screamed as his teacher asked him to name a word that starts with the letter “B.”Zuñiga is among 16 students at La Escuela de Las Americas who are involved in the five-day Super WHY! Reading Camp.

The program, funded by the U.S. Education Department, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS, focuses on bridging the literacy gap among children from lower-income families. “I have seen a huge improvement in these children,” said Claudia Garcia, a teacher leading the reading program. “I never thought it would be possible for them to pick up so much in a short time.” Read entire article...

Great photo opportunity...

What a great treat for your child...a picture with his/her best TV friend! I found this link recently and think that it is such a wonderful way to bring a smile to your child's face. You can add Elmo, SuperWhy, Curious George or even Sid the Science Kid (just to name a few) to your favorite photo. The process is very easy and the end result is one for the scrapbooks. Just upload your photo, choose your character and voila, you are done! The best part? It is free! Enjoy.

P.S. This is not for kids only. If you've always wanted your own photo with Super Grover, please, help yourself.

Children and Adults learn as they PLAY...

Children play. Children learn as they play. Play alongside children and watch what you learn too! We have hosted 43 Play and Learn groups (for children birth to five years old) in San Antonio during the past 5 months and we have loved watching the families all grow. Sharing the messages that, "Any time is learning time," "The classroom just got bigger," and "You are the child's first and most important teacher," are statements of great power.

At the Play and Learns, families are having FUN as they are learning from each other and exchanging ideas. Children are given the opportunity to socialize with others, sharing materials, singing songs, and getting messy with art activities! Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, family members, friends, and neighbors are all joining in too!

When you were a child, what was your favorite past time? Who were your playmates? We look forward to having you attend our Play and Learns too. Join us as we go on "bear hunts," safaris, paint murals, build tiny towns, share story time, and go on marching parades! To learn more, call us at 270-9000!

The Gavel Blazes On...

While we’ve dimmed the lights on KLRN’s 43rd Annual Great TV Auction, the great deals are just beginning!

Visit BlazingGavels.com and search from nearly 200 items still available online… from art to automotive discounts, rafting to a round of golf. Many items are available for immediate purchase through the “BUY IT NOW” feature. All remaining items will close on Monday night, June 22. We’ll follow-up with winners on Tuesday, June 23 to discuss pick-up and pay.

We also hope you'll join us on Thursday, June 25 when we’ll fling open the doors to the KLRN studios for our annual AFTER AUCTION AUCTION. Arrive at 5:30 PM, where you’ll find many auction items offered at great prices! The first items close at 6 PM. KLRN is at 501 Broadway at the corner of McCullough.

And finally, take a peek behind the scenes and see just of few of the faces that kept us going during the 10 day marathon.

Blazing Gavels Auction Drama!

The Winning bidder on this year's Blazing Gavels Dash For Cash races between two fish tanks, one filled with nickels, dimes and quarters, and the other, he gets to take home. It's a simple monetary transaction: scoop from the one tank, and shovel into the other. And everything he grabbed and put in the 2nd tank for :45 was his to take home. The crowd counted him out for the last :10 and applauded wildly.

Heavy on drama, heavy on action, heavy on fun. But that's what KLRN's Blazing Gavels Auction is all about.

If that's just a little too wild for your taste, head over to the Blazing Gavels website for Auction action that's all controllable by you. You can plan a vacation by searching our Trips of the night. You can search for affordable jewelry for that special someone. Or you can even buy a 1950 Studebaker. Really! Check it out.

Why is this zebra on roller skates?

Tonight at 6 PM, KLRN kicks off our 43rd Annual Great TV Auction. And at this point, just about everyone in the building has or will contribute in some way!

Over the past few weeks, we've witnessed a flurry of activity in the studio... from installing and touching up the elaborate set to running phone/computer lines to preparing countless on-air videos/graphics.

On the second floor, a tireless team has been soliticing, accepting and organizing donations, ranging from the zebra on roller skates (pictured above) to some pretty nice wine packages.

On the third floor, a brand new auction web site was launched (http://www.blazinggavels.com/) and we already have over 100 bidders registered -- even before the auction actually begins! Debi has not only recruited over 1,000 voluteers but secured food donations from area restaurants to keep us all going.

We hope you'll tune-in or log-on over the next 10 days and be a part of the auction.

And as always, thanks for supporting KLRN.

DTV Installation Service

As the time for the analog TV shut-down approaches, there are two new FREE services available to help those who have not yet installed their DTV converters or the antenna they need to receive all the local DTV stations. These services have received federal grant funds to help out those who are still unconverted and who watch TV over-the-air. If you know someone who is experiencing difficulty with the DTV conversion, please let them know about these services.

STRAC (South Texas Resource and Assistance Center) received a grant from the FCC for both basic and expert installations.

* To set up an appointment, please call:
830-393-7888 or 1-866-999-3435
Hours 8a -8p M-F, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-6
* operators are bilingual (Spanish and English)
* offices are located throughout KLRN viewing area, including Laredo

INSTALLS, Inc. also received a grant from the FCC for both basic and expert installations.

* Viewers can set up an appointment through
1-800-582-4250 or https://dtvhelp.installs.com
Hours: 8am – 9pm, 7 days a week
* can assist viewers in both Spanish and English

DVR Watch: Great Performances: In The Heights- Chasing Broadway Dreams

Are you one of those who is always setting your DVR to record show to watch later? Or are you like many others who are watching more and more TV online?

Just last night, I caught up with Great Performances' "In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams." This is a moving tale of what it takes to bring a Tony Award Winning production from concept, all the way to opening night on Broadway. The production follows the compelling story of the producers and cast members as you learn about the physical and family sacrifices some of them make -- just to follow their dream.

Many of the musical numbers from the show are contrasted with the performer's own life story as a first generation immigrant, a Latina who is ashamed because she doesn't speak Spanish, and a young dad raising a son with autism.

Speaking of recording a show to watch later, you can catch an encore broadcast of "In The Height's: Chasing Broadway Dreams" on KLRN 9 (9.1) Tuesday morning (late Monday night), June 2 at 2:30 AM. You can also learn more about the show and see clips on the Great Performances web site.

[Trivia: The New Electric Company (airs on Fridays at 5PM) taps the creative minds behind "In the Heights" to bring their urban hip music style to literacy!]

Healthy Habits for Life - making an impact one family at a time!

KLRN recently received funding from the Baptist Health Foundation to implement and study the impact of the HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE curriculum, developed by Sesame Workshop to reach 200 children. The program is conducted in two separate phases. Each phase studying 100 youth, their families and caregivers.

The HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE project will teach children: 1) how to make healthy food choices, and 2) how to be physically active so that they can begin to establish healthy habits for the rest of their lives. The project also includes several other components which include training, modeling, strategizing and engaging the youth as they learn all techniques and practices for their well being.

As we are reaching our final post assessment phase, to show our appreciation for the time and amazing energy given to this study. We gave the children, parents and the caregivers a very Healthy dinner! A special guest flew in from New York to attend this dinner and meet the participants. None other than COOKIE MONSTER !!

We had a spectacular evening and I truly believe that we have made a difference, not only in the children... but the parents, siblings and the caregivers. We look forward to beginning Phase II and seeing where this study will lead us in the future.

Until then...remember to eat your colors!

Submitted by:
Marissa Tejeda Ximenes
Special Projects Manager, KLRN
Healthy Habits for Life

Learn more about KLRN educational resources at klrn.org.

Does anyone have "change"...

It is a nail-biting day for 14 local high school students. Tonight Fresh Cut 2009 will air (at 8pm) and the finalists will finally find out whether their film has been "crowned" as the Directors Cut winner or the Viewers Choice winner.

The word "change," which was the theme for this years contest, was taken all across the spectrum and these entries show how one simple word can be construed so differently. The finalists, their parents, their teachers and their schools should be extremely proud of this work.

Our hope is that this contest has opened the door or the mind of the students and helped them explore a possible future---as a hobby or as a profession.

Congratulations to all.

The KLRN B&B

Yesterday KLRN received a call from a researcher with the Falcon Research Group (FRC) in Washington State who supports field research, public education, and the conservation of raptors. FRC traveled to Chile earlier this year to satellite tag four northern adult peregrine falcons. One of those falcons, a female named Elizabetha, spent the night of May 21 on the KLRN transmitter near Calaveras Lake. Visit Elzabetha’s tracking map at the project’s website: http://frg.org/track_pefa11.htm.

Looking Back - KLRN Great TV Auction

It is exciting and amazing to think that the KLRN Auction started in 1966. In the photos above, the fashion, the set design, and the technology alone speak volumes. Whether you were a part of it back then, whether you know the people in these photos or not, it is enjoyable to just thumb through them and see how far this auction has come.

In 11 days we will kick off year number 43, of what is now known as the Blazing Gavels Auction. Congratulations to EVERYONE--the buyers, the donors, the sponsors, the staff and of course, the volunteers-- for doing their part to keep this monstrous event going strong.
Now, let's auction!

Grab your magnifying glass!

If you have tuned into KLRN at 7:30am anytime Monday through Friday you've already entered the world of scientific exploration with Sid, May, Gabriella, Gerald, Teacher Suzie, and Baby Zeke. We are really excited to share that we have now kicked off our Sid the Science Kid workshops in San Antonio! Today was our first science lab at Washington Elementary and we had a great bunch who shared their excitement with the group! We have 19 more labs to go in 2009 and we hope to see you there! Take your magnifying glass out, get your science journal in your hand, and come learn with us about Sid the Science Kid! Be on the lookout for our dates that we will post as the months go by.

Sid will make a special appearance as he joins us on June 6th at Rosedale Park (303 Dartmouth)! So bring your cameras and your smiles and grab a hug from Sid the Science Kid!

Preschoolers Are Clicking Away

USA Today reviewed two PBS Kids interactive websites yesterday. These sites (PBS Play! and PBS Kids Island) are both designed to help todays preschoolers learn alongside some of their best friends: Curious George, SuperWhy and of course Elmo (just to name a few). Read the article.

You can access PBS Play! and PBS Kids Island through the new KLRN Kids Website--just click on the "games" tab at the top.

Below is a preview of PBS Play! for you. Enjoy.

Happy Friday!

DTV Power Increase

As of June 13, KLRN-DT will be moving from DT-8 to DT-9 and as a part of that process, the station has been granted a transmitter power increase. We will be also using the antenna that is mounted at the top of our tower instead of the current DTV antenna that is side-mounted and lower on the tower. Both the additional height and the additional power will improve signal coverage and stability. We believe that the change from Channel 8 to 9 will also eliminate the DTV interference we currently experience from the DT-8 channel in Corpus Christi. All good news for our viewers!

Making the transformation....

The photo above is what the KLRN studios look like this morning. Drills are going strong, paint buckets are appearing, and the schematics are being reviewed. All to make it look like...

THIS! Three weeks from today the studios will be buzzing with busy volunteers, ringing phones, and the words "Board Closed!" Yep, it is auction time and we are gearing up for the best 10 days of live television. Mark your calendars for June 3-12 starting at 6 p.m. nightly.

If you have yet to experience Blazing Gavels, welcome! Sit back and get ready to become obsessed with the I-wonder-what-is-coming-up-next syndrome. For you seasoned auction viewers and bidders, know that this year will be as exciting as ever. Tickets, furniture, travel packages, gift cards...the list goes on and on.

There is still time to become part of the action, though, so please contact us if you have questions.

Donate an item-- e-mail jcostello@klrn.org
Become a sponsor -- e-mail twright@klrn.org
Volunteer -- e-mail dsilva@klrn.org
Call and talk to someone about your questions: 210.270.9000 (or 800.627.8193)
Have an auction story to share? Please send it our way: stories@klrn.org

WATCH! BID! BUY! See you at the auction!

What's coming to KLRN TV?

Ever wonder what's coming to KLRN beyond what your TV's on-screen program guide will tell you?

Subscribe to KLRN's Previews Newsletter and we'll send you updates via email about every two weeks.

As an example, coming up in May, you can catch the second two installments of Masterpiece Mystery! with Kenneth Branagh as well as the winning 2009 Fresh Cut student film. That, and the always inspiring National Memorial Day Concert from Washington, DC.

And that's just a taste. Check out the most recent KLRN Previews for more highlights.

To sign-up to get KLRN Previews by email, visit http://www.klrn.org/signup/.

Exciting news from PBS Showcase

This week PBS is holding their annual meeting, PBS Showcase, in Baltimore, Maryland. PBS executives and producers have announced some exciting changes to the schedule coming down the pipeline. One such announcement is the addition of a new animated children’s series, “THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!” which will premiere in Fall 2010. Martin Short will voice the Cat in the Hat and the series will feature his two helpers, Thing One and Thing Two. Children will follow 6-year-old Sally and Nick as the cat leads them through amazing discoveries of natural science. Program outreach will also feature an important element to all PBS Kids series—an interactive website with learning tools for children and resources for their parents. To read more about this new series, click on the following link: http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20090511_pbskidscatinthehat.html.

Andrea.

Energy, Creativity, and Markers... Reading Rainbow!

During this year's Reading Rainbow contest, we were very lucky to read stories with characters like alligators, poodles in Paris, rainbow fruit, and the missing letter "m." Writers entertained us with stories about stamps who travel the world, a dog and cat who become friends, and a king who gives his daughter the world in her hands. This year we had an absolutely amazing response to our 15th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest as we read 265 entries! Stories poured in from Bandera, Boerne, Bulverde, Cibolo, Converse, Devine, Elmendorf, Fair Oaks Ranch, Floresville, Gonzales, Harper, Helotes, Kirby, La Vernia, Lacosti, Leakey, Live Oak, Lytle, Mountain Home, New Braunfels, Pipe Creek, San Antonio, Schertz, Seguin, Somerset, Tarpley, and Universal City! Whew, that was a handful.

Over 450 people joined Mr. Steve and Miffy at our celebration on May 3rd in KLRN's Tobin Studio. The children arrived with smiles plastered on their faces and with amazing energy and excitement! Singing along, clapping, and grinning from ear to ear, children were involved in Mr. Steve's performance. One lucky second grader even strummed on Mr. Steve's guitar! Madison, KLRN's past national winner from 2001, joined us. She even read her winning entry with the families!

During the awards presentation, stunned and excited parents and winners popped up from the crowd when the entries appeared on the screen. Congratulations to all of the children who submitted a story and congratulations to the winners too! First place winners received a laptop donated by Mr. and Mrs. Vollmer, second place winners received a Leap Frog gift pack, and third place winners received a Reading Rainbow gift pack. Thank you to H-E-B and the Gladys Dalkovitz Fund for the generous support! Thank you to everyone who supported the contest and event. Thank you to Miffy for sharing warm hugs with the children too!

Check out our page on klrn.org/readingrainbow.

Looking forward to next year!

Have you installed your DTV converter box only to find you can't receive KLRN?

If you are using an antenna (not cable or satellite), here are a few tips that might help:

If you have one of those compact indoor antennas – at lot of the antennas that are promoted as “HDTV” antennas – it has very poor performance in receiving VHF television stations, like KLRN-DT. All the rest of the DTV stations (for now) broadcast in the UHF band and those smaller antennas may work just fine on UHF but are not satisfactory for VHF. At the very least, you need an all-band antenna (VHF+UHF).

If you live outside San Antonio, you may need an outdoor antenna to receive our signal. When the FCC calculates DTV coverage, their formula assumes that the receiver has an all-band outdoor antenna mounted on a 30’ mast. Of course many people would have difficulty installing such an antenna.

If you live inside the city, you might try to receive our signal using a basic set of “rabbit ears” – nothing fancy, just the two telescoping rods. You’ll need to experiment with the orientation of the rods to get the maximum signal level – and there should be a signal strength indicator in your DTV converter box. Look in the Menu for that display.

We'll keep posting more information as we move towards the June 12 transition, but you'll find much more on our DTV site at klrn.org/dtv.

KLRN and Discovery Education honor NISD for 1 Millionth View

A student at Thomas C. Clark High School was responsible for the one millionth view in KLRN Connect by watching a timely piece entitled Assignment Discovery: An Inside Look at the Flu. KLRN Connect is the digital video streaming service provided by KLRN and Discovery Education. With 40 districts subscribing to this service in the south central Texas region, NISD is one of the first districts in the country to reach this landmark achievement.

On May 6, KLRN and Discovery Education presented Northside Independent School District Superintendent John Folks with a certificate signed by Discovery Education President, Bill Goodwyn and KLRN General Manager, Joanne Winik, recognizing his school district’s one millionth educational video viewed.

According to Northside ISD Superintendent John Folks, "Using technology to increase academic excellence is a top priority for Northside ISD. Using KLRN Connect helps us improve student achievement and puts us on the leading edge of technological innovation in the San Antonio area."

KLRN and DE congratulate NISD adminstration, staff and students in making that innovation a reality!

The Entire Museum Reach Project in 1/2 Hour!

You've probably heard of the Museum Reach, that fabulous new River Walk project, running from the Lexington Street Bridge all the way to the Pearl Brewery. That's a lot of ground to take in, so instead of you researching it on foot, why not let us do the heavy lifting? In fact, we've already done so, and with camera in hand.

Thursday night at 8 Conversations reveals the soup-to-nuts details on what's surely South Texas' largest public works/public art installation in the last...oh, I'd say bazillion years. The San Antonio River Foundation (SARF) has combined the creativity of Artists, the backbreaking work of hundreds of skilled workers, and labor-saving machinery to create a landmark project through the city's old industrial northeast downtown area.

Candidly, this was not a garden spot. Abandoned Warehouses and overgrown lots were the norm in this corner of the city that time seemed to skip over. But it had one major thing going for it: the San Antonio River runs through it. So a wise group of people who think we ought to be proud of what we leave those who come after decided to do something BIG.

And the diamond they spotted in the rough...has now been shone to near perfection. It's taken 12 years, a handful of mayors, a small passel of city managers, a collaboration between the city, Bexar county and the San Antonio River Authority to make it happen. And they've succeeded. Mightily.

Tanji Patton hosts a half-hour look at the breath-taking project, with Kim Abernethy representing SARF, Thursday night the 7th right here on KLRN.

Conversations with Ken Burns at Brackenridge High School

Tonight we are featuring a new episode of Conversations with Ken Burns at 8:00 pm on KLRN. This interview was conducted at Brackenridge High School and included a very attentive audience of high school students from the school's media literacy program. In this taping, Ken Burns talked about his new documentary airing this fall, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Ken came to San Antonio to highlight the Missions National Parks and showed the students a specially produced mini-documentary entitled San Antonio Missions - Keeping History Alive. Afterward students were invited to ask Ken questions regarding his projects and filmmaking.

For more information about The National Parks documentary go to http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

Wrestling with Our Stories: We Shall Remain

Have you been watching “We Shall Remain” from the folks at American Experience? If you have, you’ve witnessed a moving account of the complex and controversial birth of our nation and the trials of those who were here long before the first settlers arrived.

I grew up in Robeson County, North Carolina in the ‘70s-‘80s, where the racial divide was split equally among whites, African Americans and Native Americans. While I knew vaguely of the local lore of Henry Berry Lowrie and plight of the Lumbee Indians, most of what I knew about our country’s native people could be summarized in a kindergarten class reenactment of the Thanksgiving feast.

“We Shall Remain” has reintroduced me to the stories of real people and families who saw their way of life radically changed by the expansion of the United States. I hope you’ll take time to explore, and perhaps wrestle, with these stories as well.

You can catch the final two chapters of “We Shall Remain” on Monday, May 4 (Geronimo) & May 11 (Wounded Knee) at 9 PM on KLRN. You can watch past chapters (After the Mayflower, Tecumseh’s Vision, and Trail of Tears) online on PBS’ new video player at pbs.org/video. There’s also a robust website of information and resources at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain.

PBS Unveils Its Fabulous New Video Playback Site

So what happens if you look up and it's 10 o'clock on Tuesday night and you realize you forgot to watch Frontline? Or you got home late on Sunday and missed the Masterpiece Theater you had intended to watch. Now you'll be out of order on that fabulous 6-part series you've been watching. What the heck can you do?

Do this: watch it online. PBS has now unveiled their new video portal. It's really quite fabulous, with searches by subject matter, title, even topics. If that layout looks a little familiar, it bears a certain resemblance to what you might find in your ipod. I'd file that under "Why Re-Invent the Wheel?"

If you're wondering whether KLRN programming will be there, yes it will. The PBS portal is still in its test phases. Once it passes those tests, we'll be back to add KLRN Productions to the PBS mix.

And a last-minute reminder: KLRN's Fresh Cut 2009 high school student documentary contest is still taking votes online through midnight this Sunday night--that's the 26th. You can watch the top 14 entrants now by clicking on the above link. Vote for your favorite and give that high school "doc jock" some positive re-enforcement. 'Til next time...

A Conversation about your brand spankin' new River Walk!

That's one of San Antonio's most-revered TV personalities, Tanji Patton at left, and Kim Abernethy at right. You may not know Kim, but she plays a major role in a project that's going to put the Alamo City on the Art Map like never before. She's raising the money for the Extreme Makeover that the San Antonio River is undergoing. The phase nearing completion is the Museum Reach portion of a fabulously huge project that will change the face of San Antonio forever.

I won't detail what's in the show, but I'll invite you to watch it instead: Catch it Thursday, May 7th at 8PM on KLRN. Can't remember when Conversations is on? Then check out the KLRN web site and look at bottom left where you see the words KLRN schedules. Our entire schedule is there, including those hard-to-find program details that you find handy. Hint: you could mark it as a favorite and zip there daily to see if what we're showing is must-see TV. If you do, I think you'll be surprised at how much you'll feel you must see!

Reminder: Tomorrow night's Conversations with Father David Garcia, and next Thursday night's with Filmmaker Ken Burns. Great stuff!