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DECORATIONS. BUT COULD YOU
IMAGINE PUTTING
UP THOSE LIGHTS 200 FEET IN THE
AIR?
NEWS 10'S JOE ASTROUSKI SHOWS
YOU HOW THEY DO IT.
" IT'S A TERRE HAUTE TRADITION
... CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON THE
COUNTY COURTHOUSE. BUT THAT
HOLIDAY MAGIC
TAKES HARD WORK ... WORK THAT
STARTS EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING ... AND WORK THAT'S DONE
BY THIS CREW FROM
KETNER ELECTRIC.
TO GET THE "LIGHTS" IN PLACE ...
THESE WORKERS HAVE
TO GET "THEMSELVES" IN PLACE.
AND THAT MEANS PLENTY OF
CLIMBING ... THROUGH TIGHT
SPACES ... UP HUNDREDS OF STEPS
... AND PAST A HUNDRED
YEARS OF HISTORY. "IT'S A LONG,
TRECHEROUS
CLIMB. LOTS OF STRAIGHT LADDERS
GOING UP ... ROUND THE
DOME, ROUND THE CLOCK, AROUND
THE BELL. IT'S NOT FOR THE
FAINT OF HEART REALLY." FOR
"TWO" OF THE CREW ... THAT
CLIMB ENDS HERE .. AT THE VERY
TOP OF THE DOME.
IT'S WINDY AND COLD ... BUT THIS
PERCH COMES WITH A REWARD: A
VIEW OF THE CITY THAT'S HARD TO
MATCH.
"WHEN YOU'RE UP THAT HIGH, YOU
CAN SEE PRETTY MUCH
EVERYTHING IN THE CITY, FROM
WEST TERRE HAUTE ALL THE
WAY OUT TO ROSE-HULMAN, EAST
GLENN AREA."
ONCE UP THERE, THE CREWS WORK
TOGETHER CAREFULLY ...
FIRST LOWERING A ROPE FROM THE
PEAK TO THE ROOF ... TYING
LIGHTS AND CORDS TO THAT ROPE
... THEN CAREFULLY
PULLING ROPE, CORDS AND LIGHTS
BACK UP.
"BASICALLY, YOU'RE TUGGING
AGAINST EACH OTHER TO TRY TO
KEEP THE LINE TIGHT TILL YOU GET
THEM TO THE TOP, SO THEY
DON'T HIT THE SIDE OF THE
BUILDING AND BREAK THE
BULBS. IT'S A CHALLENGE
SOMETIMES. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS
WORK ON THE FIRST TRY." "WE
TEST THEM AS THEY GO UP,
CHANGE THE LIGHTBULBS AS NEEDED.
THE GUY ON THE BOTTOM
HOOKS THEM UP TO THE RAILING,
AND THEY FINISH IT UP ON THE
BOTTOM END." STILL, STRAND BY
STRAND ... THE
JOB IS SOON DONE. THE RESULT,
HOWEVER, IS NOT
... IT'LL STAY HERE THROUGH THE
HOLIDAY SEASON. "TO SEE PEOPLE
TALK ABOUT IT WITH THEIR FAMILY
AND
FRIENDS AND SAY 'HEY, LOOK AT
THE COURTHOUSE LIGHTS. I CAN
SAY, 'HEY, I PUT THEM UP THERE.
ME AND A TEAM OF GUYS PUT
THEM UP.' SO IT'S A FUN THING
FOR ME.
AND IT'S A TRADITION THAT
CONTINUES ANOTHER YEAR
... THANKS TO SOME HARD- WORKING
HANDS.
FROM 200 FEET UP , WITH CHIEF
PHOTOJOURNALIST MIKE LATTA,
JOE ASTROUSKI, NEWS 10. "
THE CREW SAY THEY TRY TO WAIT