Over the past several weeks I have been working to create a local TV news show on Cheshire TV, the Keene based cable-access station. Several activists and myself have been working to learn all the roles and responsibilities required to put on a quality programing. Many of the key roles are filled though I am open to more people coming on board as well as finding alternates so the principles can have a week off at times.
The vision I have for Free Keene TV is one of a polished and professional news broadcast. The show ought to be flexible and capable of being altered to spend more time on important topics with news being the priority. The show ought to also offer a variety of topics and cover a wide swath of community concerns.
Currently, I am working on creating polished graphics and audio components to increase the production quality. We have spent considerable time working on getting the lighting to meet a certain standard as well. The show is scripted entirely including the anchor reading from a teleprompter, the only exception being interviews and freestyle punditry.
I have more openings for all types of roles and if you are interesting in helping either in front of or behind the camera, send me a message through the forum, facebook or shoot me an email at jjschless @ yahoo.com.
As an activist, I try to support as many other activists as possible. So when I heard about Bob Constantine trial in Grafton County I did all I could to attend (pulling an all nighter the night before the trial). I thought the day would be boring as most court proceedings are but that wasn’t the case this time.
Right away we were told about a double security check and a ban of cameras from the courtroom. It didn’t take long for the activists to start asking questions and pushing the limits of these tyrannical rules. As seen in the video below Ian Freeman, fellow blogger here, did his best to get electronics into the courtroom, yet, was threatened with arrest if he didn’t leave.
What do you think? Should cameras ever be banned from a public building? If I have to pay for it shouldn’t I be allowed to record the actions that take place in such a place? Should undercover officers be protected? Aren’t they public servants? Do real public servants need to hide their face? Is this the world you want your children growing up in?
Evan, the Emperor of Free Grafton, has been in custody since last Monday when he dared to wear a paper hat in front of a man, who just so happened to be wearing a dress (makes sense right?). After that encounter armed men in costumes (aka – police) put personal information and/or finger prints into a computer, where another ‘sister’ organization (Keene District Court) to theirs claimed Evan owed $384 to them. (NOTE: No proof of contract, evidence of damage to property or a victim has never been presented to the Emperor.)
The most upsetting part of this is that Evan is being held in segregation. Which is a single cell, about 6′ x 8′, that you spend 23 hours a day in. When asked why Evan was being held in segregation Rick Van Wickler, superintendent of the Cheshire Co Jail, reportedly stated that ‘his’ policy is to hold those who refuse to pay the fine in segregation – see this FB thread.
Nevertheless, the Emperor is supposed to be released this Wednesday at 7:06 am after spending 8 days on lockdown – something that cost taxpayers approximately $1,000 – bravo guberment. To celebrate his release I’ll be taking the Emperor out to breakfast and hope you join us- details here.
If you have time to get up to the jail before Wednesday please do so, I know it’s one day before his release but it’d be great to make it fly by for Evan with a bunch of visits, plus it will get him out of his cell for more than just one hour.
Evan also wanted me to thank everyone for the support, he’s gotten several post cards from Mail To Jail. Thanks 🙂
The post below was written by Pete Eyre and posted this morning to CopBlock.org.
By Pete Eyre
On July 24th I was thrown to the ground and arrested after questioning Keene District Court bailiff Pete Macy’s demand to remove my hat. Rather than behave like a civil person and have a conversation about his request, Macy and his accomplices, Keene Police Department employees James Cemeralis and Matt Griffen resorted to force.
While I was still handcuffed on the ground Pete Macy was ordered to submit an incident report by his supervisor Lance Walton. After two months of phone calls to Walton and Walton’s boss, Jason Jordanhazy (who never returned my calls) and physically stopping by Keene city hall multiple times, I finally received the report in the mail. It was chock-full of inaccuracies – Macy purposefully submitted a skewed version of the truth to protect himself.
Fortunately my friends had captured their unjust actions on video and shared it online at CopBlock.org, FreePete.org and elsewhere. Thanks largely to the outrage many felt and expressed about the actions of the government employees, my charges were later dismissed. Yet no one has been held accountable nor even apologized (I see Cemeralis almost weekly when doing “Don’t Take the Plea” outreach and have asked him numerous times to meet to discuss what happened and to apologize. Though he expresses interest in meeting he has yet to follow through).
But is it really too surprising that Macy lied on his report? What fear of repercussions does he face? Macy, like other government actors, may claim to “serve” or “protect” you but we all know in reality they are not accountable to you or I. They claim the right to steal from us (taxes) and if we question their actions or inaction’s we face the threat of or actual use of force.
Ask yourself – if given the choice, would you voluntarily choose to hire such liars and thugs? What would happen if you behaved in such a way? If you lied to your boss? If you attacked, kidnapped and held hostage a customer?
