Clearbrook Depot will be featured on Common Ground

“Common Ground” is a very popular part of Lakeland Public Television (LPTV) programming. Recently they were in Clearbrook to interview people and volunteers who work at the old depot in Clearbrook. Their focus was on past and present events on the depot and the trains that were an everyday occurrence for the city. Scott Knutson, and Andrew Dziengel both Legacy Producers and Directors at the Channel 9 television station out of Bemidji were there to capture the memories of the past.

Many renovations have been done to the depot to preserve its past. Organizations and individuals have donated time and money to restore the building. New siding, roofing and windows with the help of many volunteers have been replaced. Items of historical value have been arranged in the depot for viewing by the public. The train depot will be open for the All-School Reunion on Saturday, June at 2:00 pm. Chris Holm will be playing. Chris will have copies of his new album “The Trains Don’t Run Here Anymore” available for sale.

When this segment will be shown on Common Ground has not been determined yet for the Clearbrook Depot.

LPTV and KAWE-TV is celebrating 35 years of people, programming and progress in the area this year. They feature local programming with news and sports from northern and central Minnesota which is not done anywhere else. They are done under the direction of Dennis Weimann the news director since 1998.

Ron Johnson Promotion Manager has been with LPTV since September of 1979. KAWE-TV went on the air for the very first time on June 1, 1980. The first program broadcast on KAWE was Sesame Street at 9:00 a.m. on that day. It has been on the air ever since. When Johnson started working the station did not have a single computer. Now everything is so different. From computer to digital broadcasting and high definition television were the major changes. 

The first live studio production for LPTV was November 29 to December 7, 1980 which was a pledge drive to raise money for the new station. Money was raised from major foundations, business and supporters in the area. $440,000 was also approved by the Minnesota Legislature for construction of the tower and equipment to be put at Bemidji State University.

There have been five General Manager in the 35 years: Don Checots was the first from 1979- 1983, Paul Stankavich from 1984-1990, Ron Daugherty 1990-1992, Emily Lahti 1993-2000, and Bill Sanford from 2000 to present.

This year marks a new era at the TV station. They have moved from their original place on the Bemidji State University campus to new facilities at 108 Grant Ave NE in Bemidji. With their conversion to digital television they can now multicast on several channels including KAWE 9, KAWB 28, PBS, First Nations Experience, PBS Kids, Create, Lakeland Plus. KAWE: an Ojibwe word meaning ‘first in a line of succession’.