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Meetings: 2nd Tuesday even numbered months

Events:

   
2025: 11 Feb, 8 Apr, 10 Jun, 12 Aug, 14 Oct, 9 Dec
 
 
Our venue is The Old Spaghetti Factory 12401 Folsom Blvd., Rancho Cordova, in the Nimbus Winery Mall.
NEW TIME: Doors open at NOON. Lunch is served at 12:30.
 

 

 
12 August: A President Stalked: 50 Years Later
 
     
   

The true test of a broadcast operation is an emergency. In the case of floods, fires, earthquakes, and other disasters, a broadcaster’s performance can save lives. Everyone, from the folks answering phones to the station manager, must make sure the operation is functioning at its optimal level.

Then there are the truly huge news stories that also consume a lot of time and energy and devotion. This is beyond the ubiquitous “breaking news” that is everywhere these days. These are the events that capture national and international attention. These, too, bring massive pressure onto an operation’s resources and demand a station-wide response.

Our August program recounts such an event. It was September 5, 1975, when President Gerard R. Ford came to Sacramento and was the subject of an attempt on his life. It was—and remains—one of the biggest stories in Sacramento’s history. Fifty years later, we get the inside scoop, peppered with reflection from two of our members who covered it. Steve Swatt, long time Capitol correspondent for KCRA-TV, and photographer George Nyberg, a KOVR-TV photographer, were both at the Capitol, but in different areas, when Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme tried to kill Ford.


In historic terms, 50 years is not even the blink of an eye. But in broadcasting, it’s an entire epoch. The technology that transformed our industry was just starting to take hold, and it presented enormous challenges and opportunities for the journalists, engineers, and editors involved. How they dealt with those challenges makes a fascinating story. We hope to see you there! That’s Tuesday, August 12, at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Rancho Cordova. Note the new time: doors open at 12 noon; luncheon service at approximately 12:30 p.m. RSVPs must be made by August 7. Be sure to let Allen know your entrée choice (pasta with red meat sauce, mizithra, cheese ravioli) when making your reservation.

 

 

 

last edited
29 July. 2025

--Copy Bill George