August 2015 Serving Washington Magazine MTCO Communications 220 N. Menard Street Metamora, IL 61548 Local Calendar of Events See Inside A Community Publication Provided By MTCO Communications
Behind The Scenes At MTCO Every now and then, we ll bring you a little spotlight article about one of the employees of MTCO Communications. This month we introduce you to Neil Hagan, our Field Tech Supervisor at MTCO. Neil has been with the company for over 15 years. His knowledge of techy and gadget things make him a great asset to this department. One of the areas that Neil maintains for MTCO is monitoring our systems operations to make sure everything is running like it should. These monitoring systems allow us to be more proactive with the service we provide our customers. Many times Neil has spotted problems with the system before any customer would know something was wrong. It all starts with an automated weekly report. The report gives us an over the top view of our total user experience. It purges through all of the messages generated by customers set top boxes over the last seven days. Using this data we are able to determine which customers are either experiencing issues, (and have not informed us of the problem), or may be experiencing issues which would go unseen had the software not detected it. Neil states that it is a good feeling catching the problem before the customer gets too frustrated. There have been plenty of calls which have resulted in a response similar to, I am glad you called! and I have been meaning to call you. Since we began proactively troubleshooting, the amount of errors have dropped drastically. So relax if you re a MTCO customer. We ll keep you connected! On The Cover Aerial picture taken by Bob Becraft on July 13, 2015 using a DJII Plus Drone. The picture shows some of the finished construction of homes that were destroyed from the tornado that struck town on November 17, 2013. The water tower stood Washington Strong throughout the storm and remains today standing proudly in Washington. For more information about our services, please visit www.mtco.com or scan this QR code with your smart phone. MTCO Communications 220 N. Menard Street Metamora, Illinois 61548 309-367-4197 connected@mtco.com President & CEO Glenn Rauh Vice President & CFO Ann Dickerson Wireless Operations Manager Editor - Connected Magazine Bob Becraft bbecraft@corp.mtco.com Marketing Manager Editor - Connected Magazine Kip DuBois kdubois@corp.mtco.com Connected Magazine is published monthly by MTCO Communications with corporate office located at 220 North Menard Street, Metamora, Illinois, 61548. The publication is intended for use of the residents of Washington, IL. No article in this issue or any part of this publication may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the Publisher. For more information about this magazine, or for additional copies, contact Bob Becraft or Kip DuBois at 309-367-4197 or connected@mtco.com. If you have questions or concerns regarding your services, please contact our Customer Service Representatives at (309)367-4197 or 800-859-6826. Copyright 2015 MTCO Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Entertainment & Technology Encrypted Chat Service Bleep, an encrypted text, picture, and voice chat app built on peer-to-peer architecture by BitTorrent has recently launched. Bleep works on Windows, OS X, Android and ios. Bleep lets users create an account using just a nickname, which in turn creates a Bleep Key that can be shared so others can connect with the account holder, or alternately the phone s email addresses and phone numbers can be verified to make it easier for others to discover the account. Messages and images are stored on the device and encrypted before reaching the Internet, which the service claims means no metadata nor messages will be readable by hackers or governmental surveillance activities. The concern is for parents whose children use this app. There is no recourse to retrieve contact information of the person behind the computer or phone, thus raising concerns of sexual predators. Monitoring is also an issue as the Whisper function keeps a message live for only 25 seconds. Manage your DVR / Access TV Program Guide from Anywhere MTCO digimax has several ways to access your DVR recordings when away from home or check your TV Program Guide to see what is on tonight: Access the digimax DVR Web Portal under Customer Quick Links at www.mtco.com to view your Program Guide, DVR Library, and schedule/ cancel recordings. ManageMyTVs App - Turn your Android, iphone, or ipad into a remote control! Just download the App and use your phone or ipad to view your TV Program Guide, schedule/cancel DVR recordings, perform numerous Remote Control functions, and even utilize voice recognition to change TV channels. After calling MTCO, just scan the QR code to the right to go to the site to download the ManageMyTV App from Google Play or the App Store. Call MTCO at 800-859-6826 to set up access to get started! Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard The Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is designed for use with up to three devices, regardless of computing platform. Now you can work on a report on your computer, and with the flick of the Easy-Switch dial, respond to a message on your smartphone or type a tweet on your tablet. The suggested retail cost is $49.99. August TV Premiere Fear the Walking Dead is an upcoming American television series created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson scheduled to premiere on AMC on August 23, 2015. It is a companion series to the horror drama television series The Walking Dead, which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. AMC greenlit the pilot to series on March 9, 2015, with a two-season commitment Keep up with Entertainment and Technology news. Add MTCO to your Facebook and Twitter groups and check out MTCO News on the right section of the www.mtco.com webpage.
Family and friends playing some miniature golf located at Hillcrest Golf Center. Each hole of the miniature course was designed and built by high school students from around the area, in response to the damage the course and town had received from the tornado in November 2013.
10 9 17 31 30 11 4 28 25 18 First Day of School WCHS Washington District 50 Central District 51 Washington District 52 Chamber After Hours at Country Financial-Pat Sams Watch New Releases, Free Movies, and just aired TV Shows, whenever you want. 24 District 50 Board Meeting 6:30pm Washington Park District Board Meeting 6pm First Day of School St. Patrick School 23 Arts Festival Washington Park 10am-4pm 16 Washington High School Board Meeting 7pm Washington District 52 Board Meeting 7pm 3 2 Summer Concert in the Park The Original Skazz Band Rotary Shelter 6pm 27 26 26 19 12 5 29 Wing Night American Legion 6pm - 8pm 28 Wing Night American Legion 6pm - 8pm 21 Wing Night American Legion 6pm - 8pm Freshman Kickoff at WCHS 8am 14 Wing Night American Legion 6pm - 8pm Washington Night with the Chiefs at Dozer Park 6:30pm 7 31 1 Color Me A Cure Oak Ridge Park 3pm-7pm 29 22 Washington-Metamora Alumni Game Babcook Field 7pm 15 Arts Festival Washington Park 10am-5pm 8 St. Jude Washington to Peoria Run starts at 10:30am at Five Points >> new releases August 2015 27 20 Central District 51 Board Meeting 7pm 13 6 30
In Our Community Arts Festival The dates for this years Festival will be August 15 and 16, 2015. The festival will be held in Washington Park near Grange Shelter. Come out to see Fine Art exhibitors along with children s activities, live music, and food. Hours for the event will be 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sunday. For more information and a complete schedule visit www.washingtonparkdistrict.com. REACH Program Washington Park District REACH program signups are underway for the 2015-2016 school year. REACH is our before and after school and full day off school program. We offer transportation to and from all local schools. Easy monthly payment plan options are available. Morning only, afternoon only, or both are available from two days per week up to five days per week. Early dismissal and emergency snow days are included. Full days off school are signed up one day at a time and we follow Central District #51 calendar. For further details, visit us at www.washingtonparkdistrict.com. Final Summer Concert The Washington Park District s final concert for the Summer will be held on Sunday, August 9th from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The concert will be held at the Rotary Shelter and will feature The Original Skazz Band. The concert is free to attend, and remember to bring your lawn chairs or blankets. Ice cream will be served. St. Jude Washington To Peoria Run On Saturday, August 1, 2015, runners will unite for St. Jude and the kids they serve. Runners will meet at the south end parking lot at Five Points Washington with the run starting around 10:30 a.m. Join them and show support sending them off on this great event for kids fighting cancer. More information can be found at www. facebook.com/groups/washingtonrunsforstjude. Color Me A Cure 2015 St Jude Washington Kids Run Calling all kids ages 2-18! Come out and join the fun on August 29, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at OakRidge Park in Washington for a fun, messy time and help St. Jude! The kids run this year will include several color stations set up along the course where volunteers will be throwing colored paint on participants (non-toxic, corn-starch based paint). All participants will receive a white, Kids Run t-shirt, perfect for showing off all of your paint colors. One packet of paint is also included with your registration form. That way, you can get started and get your color on before the race begins. Additional paint packets are available for purchase with your registration and limited paint packets will be available for purchase at packet pickup. Packet pickup is August 28, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Kep s Sports Bar and Grill in Washington. Early registration deadline is August 7, 2015. After that date, the registration fee goes up and t-shirts cannot be guaranteed. Get registration form and more information at www.washingtonstjuderun.org.
Chamber After Hours The Washington Chamber of Commerce After Hours will be held at the Pat Sams Country Financial office at 2265 Washington Road in Washington on August 11, 2015. Stop by between 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Besides providing opportunity to network, Business After Hours also provides a chance for new or potential members to meet face to face with current members and to see what the Chamber can do for them. Washington Night With The Chiefs Join your neighbors and friends for a celebratory night at Dozer Park!. Highlights for the evening include: Local Washington sports teams in the Parade of Teams; First Pitch; One local team will play in the Field of Dreams; High Five Tunnel; Color Guard presentation; Washington residents singing the National Anthem and God Bless America; Free Washington t-shirts (while supplies last); Fireworks; Albert Pujols player canvas giveaway for the first 1000 fans. Washington Night with the Chiefs is Friday, August 7, 2015 at 6:30pm. Tickets are $9 per person. To order tickets, call 309-680-4013, e-mail: katev@chiefsnet. com, or order online at www.peoriachiefs.com (online fee additional). Use code WCOC. Comedy Rocks Five Points Washington is offering a night of BIG CITY LAUGHS and all night entertainment with Comedy Rocks. The August 29th event begins with a 6:30 p.m. pre-party sponsored by Thomas Eye Care. Then at 7:00 p.m., Chicago s Improv Olympic Comedy Road Show begins and after the show have fun dancing with a DJ, along with a photo booth, drink specials and food from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Cost is $25.00 per person. For more information, contact Brian Garnant, Special Events Manager at 309-444-8600. To order tickets, go to: https://app.arts-people.com/ index.php?show=54798 The War to Settle the Score The rivalry lives on as former players have an opportunity to put on a helmet and pads and do battle on the gridiron. Washington High School will host a fundraising alumni tackle football game between the Washington Panthers and the Metamora Redbirds on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Babcook Field. Proceeds from each $10 ticket sold before the game will be split evenly between the two booster clubs. Tickets can be purchased from players, Lindy s Downtown Market or Kep s Sports Bar and Grill. Proceeds from each ticket sold at the gate will go to Alumni Football USA. Watch the replay of the game the following week on Washington digimax Local Channel 412! Fiber-Optics Expansion The rainy weather has created some delays in MTCO s progress, but they are hopeful to get back to full speed as the summer progresses. MTCO will communicate to residents via mail and door-todoor to deliver information as digimax Fiber-Optics expand into these upcoming areas: Businesses on The Square and N. Cummings Lane. The neighborhoods north of Business 24 (Walnut St.) and east of North Main. Visit www.mtco.com/?main&map for a current service area map showing existing and new areas of fiber-optic deployment. Call 800-859-MTCO(6826) with any questions.
Connecting WASHINGTON to the Power and Reliability of 100% FIBER OPTICS! INTERNET at the SPEED of LIGHT! TV FREE UNLIMITED Long Distance* More HD Channels than cable! FREE Calling Feature Package* FREE CallerID on your TV* Caller identification on your TV before the phone rings! FREE Install up to 4 TVs* Single TV & Whole-Home DVR Instant access to over 7000 Video- Service bundle speeds start at Mbps! in Crystal-Clear FREE HD to first TV* FREE Install to one computer* 100 VOICE Channels Whether you re streaming video or your family is accessing the web simultaneously on multiple devices, digimax can power all your needs. - Add 5Mbps of download speed for $5/mo. all the way up to 200Mbps! Locally owned since 1945 On Demand TV Shows & Movies! Manage your Voice Mail online, automatically deliver to your e-mail, and access from any phone 911 calls go directly to your local dispatcher in an emergency SAVE with bundled, no gimmick pricing! SELECT Triple Play starting at $117/mo.* SELECT Double Play starting at $99/mo.* features that keep you connected Over 55 TV channels that you can watch everywhere you like to go! ManageMyTV App Turn Smartphones/iPads into a remote control ReStart a TV program that is already in progress MTCO Communications 220 N Menard St., IL 61548 309.367.4197 800.859.MTCO(6826) www.mtco.com *Limited time offer. 1-yr. agreement required for all discounts. Not available in all areas. Monthly rates are standard, non-promotional rates. Free installation up to 4 TV s, $60 per TV after first 4. More complex installs may require additional fees. A high-definition TV is required to view HDTV signals. All free and leased installed MTCO equipment (set top boxes, adapters, etc.) remain property of MTCO and must be returned at cancellation or unreturned equipment fee will apply. Location may determine max number of TV s allowed. Unlimited long distance calling for residential service and continental U.S. only. Cannot be used for business purposes such as telemarketing, broadcast faxes, etc. MTCO may restrict or cancel service if inconsistent with residential voice usage. Actual speeds may vary. High-speed data plans can be viewed in the Acceptable Use Policy at www.mtco.com. Federal, state and local taxes, governmental regulatory fees and surcharges, if any, are additional. Other charges, conditions, requirements and restrictions may apply. Offer may not be combined with any other offer and is non-transferrable.