ICTV's Annual Membership Meeting and luncheon is coming up fast. Please join us for lunch Tuesday, Feb. 9, noon at the Timberlake Lodge and Convention Center. Need not be a member to attend. Friends and indiviudals interested in learning more about welcome. Cost is $14 for paying in person or by mail at 724 Conifer Drive, Grand Rapids. Two of the three meals are discounted if you register online at http://www.razoo.com/story/Annual-Meeting-Tuesday-Feb-9-2010-Noon RSVP by Feb. 3.

Fire HouseFor the next two months it is likely that fires will continue to headline much of my Weekly News in Review reports. Staying warm, dry and content shouldn't be dangerous but it is not always the case in Minnesota. Electric blankets and heaters have caused fire, please watch them carefully. Candles and smoking are likely fire starters as well. I've had my own run-in with a kitchen fire. Minnesota had fewer fire deaths last year than in 2008, but one is one too many. Be vigilant with electricity, furnaces, candles and cigarettes. And please, keep your smoke detector in working order. I'd like my headline prediction to be wrong.

It's great to see bare shelves where once were stacks of VHS tapes. ICTV just completed the conversion of its archives that remained in VHS format to DVD. It has been an ongoing project for staff for the last couple years. ICTV rarely even uses DVD any more. Most of our programming is on our servers in electronic file formats. We discussed archiving everything electronically, but one day with a bad hard-drive on a server convinced us to wait. That day we were able to still cablecast from our 300 disk DVD player. While we have eliminated VHS from our shelves, we can still dub your programming to DVD from VHS. Have a great weekend.

'Twas the night before Christmas and what do I see?
A ton of fun programs on ICTV!

The Finnish will sing Christmas carols for you.
A couple renditions, part one and part two.

The Community Chorus has a celebration in song.
A fun “Christmas Journey” and it won’t play too long.

We’ll follow it up with some lights and antiques,
A show on good health that’s not for the meek.

Well talk about workers who have special needs,
And end with more music with jazz in the lead.

There’ll be no red man, no boots or a beard,
But we’ll honor the holidays, please do not fear.

After presents on Christmas, and don’t forget lunch,
ICTV will keep airing holiday shows by the bunch,

And you’ll hear from the studio, not a word ‘cause we’re home,
Snuggled like you for Christmas. Signed: ICTV Gnome.