Joe Walsh
The Daily Herald’s Kerry Lester is reporting
today that former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh will have a microphone on WIND-AM radio starting March 18th.
She reports,
“Walsh said he plans to use the radio program to ‘grow a movement of people who are prepared to tell their government, “I want to grow up and I want to be free.’”
A chat board called “Illinois Radio Discussion Forum” on RadioReference.com is reporting,
RadioReference.com is the source of this story.
“As of today, 1/16/13 at 1400 hrs the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office will initiate encryption upon their radio communications.”
Guess the public will no longer be able to listen in.
Last June, the McHenry County College Board voted to lay out $10,000 for periodic advertisements on the Public Broadcasting System station in DeKalb.
I was astounded, since reception in my car (where I listen to radio) is spotty in Crystal Lake and points north where most people live in McHenry County.
So, when I can get the station without static (and, even sometimes with static), I’ve been trying to catch an MCC ad.
Going to Rockford for Zane Seipler’s wrongful termination court hearings, I listen to the station.
Tonight I heard my first one.
In Crystal Lake.
It was pitching seminars and gave the MCC web address and, I think, “slash, seminars.”
I wonder if there was any response.
The radio station’s internal search engine directed me to this message:
The message on WNIJ-FM, the DeKalb Public Radio station which McHenry County College paid $10,000 to.
A press release from Mike Shorten:
Barb Wheeler
Kent Gaffney
State Representative Kent Gaffney is the scheduled guest on The Shorty Show tonight at 8:30pm. Rep. Gaffney is running to retain his seat in the 52nd District against challengers David McSweeny and Danielle Rowe.
Also appearing will be McHenry County Board Member Barbara Wheeler to discuss the recent controversy surrounding a liquor license for Blue Star Vineyards in Hebron. Wheeler is running for State Representative in Illinois 64th district.
The Shorty Show is hosted by Nunda GOP Precinct Committeeman and Crystal Lake resident Mike Shorten.
The show can be heard live every Thursday at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/shortyshow.
Marengo Township Supervisor Steven Weskerna had this poster at the Marengo Expo explaining the tornado siren (see upper right hand photo) the township has put up. He explained that this optional expenditure of tax dollars was done at the request of local residents.
Yesterday, before a tornado devastating Harrisburg in Southern Illinois, the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency released this press release:
March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month in Illinois
McHENRY COUNTY, IL- Local and state emergency management officials today launched a statewide contest aimed at increasing awareness and use of weather alert radios.
The Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are sponsoring the “Weather Alert Radios Save Lives” contest, in which participants will complete an on-line quiz for a chance to win a weather alert radio.
The contest will be highlighted throughout March, which is Severe Weather Preparedness Month in Illinois.
“2011 was one of the worst years for tornado deaths in the U.S. in the past 60 years,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken.
“Fortunately, Illinois didn’t experience these terrible storms, but we never know when or where the next deadly storm could strike.
“Weather alert radios are a key tool for alerting people to approaching danger, day or night, and every home should have one.”
The contest is available on the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov), the IESMA website (www.iesma.org) and on many county and municipal emergency management agency websites.
“A total of 100 weather alert radios will be awarded to participants who register after reading information about the radios and successfully completing a five-question quiz. The contest runs from Feb. 28 through March 31.
“Winners will be announced in April.
“Through this contest, we hope to make people in Illinois more aware of the importance of weather alert radios as part of their personal preparedness kit,” said IESMA President Chuck Genesio.
“Much like a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector alerts people to those dangers, weather alert radios warn people of hazards outside the home so they have time to seek shelter or take other actions to stay safe.”
IESMA purchased the weather alert radios in 2010 and 2011 as part of a program to increase emergency preparedness in local schools, hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities and government buildings throughout Illinois.
Nearly 7,300 weather alert radios were distributed for placement in these facilities through the program, which was funded with $172,420 in federal homeland security grant funds allocated by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force. The 100 radios distributed as part of the “Weather Alert Radios Save Lives” contest will help Illinois residents better prepare for emergencies.
The National Weather Service (NWS) and state and local emergency management officials strongly encourage people to have
When an alert is issued for that area, the device will sound a warning alarm tone followed by the broadcast message.
Besides weather information, the NWS also broadcasts warnings and post-event information for all types of hazards, including natural, environmental and public safety hazards, such as earthquakes, chemical spills and AMBER alerts.
“Tornadoes do not just occur during the day,” said Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln. [Harrisburg's blew in at 1:28 AM.]
Considering the Yield sign looks new, I'm guessing it was put up after Joplin's tornado.
“The best way to be warned about tornadoes at night is to have a weather alert radio in your home.
“It is like having your own personal storm siren.”
IEMA and the NWS developed a Severe Weather Preparedness Guide, which provides information about tornadoes, severe storms, lightning and flooding and recommended actions to take before, during and after each of these weather events.
The guide also includes definitions of important weather terms, including watches, warnings and advisories and a list of items needed for a family emergency supply kit. The guide is available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov or by calling 217-785-9925.
Newt Gingrich
The debate in South Carolina was Thursday night and on Friday, while listening to WBBM News Radio, I heard my first ad for Newt Gingrich.
It certainly surprised me, even though Gingrich, in my opinion, won the debate.
I have no idea what entity paid for the ad.
It signifies that the Gingrich folks think they will alive and competitive through our March 20th primary election.
Has anyone else noticed any other Presidential candidates campaigning in Illinois?
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A Friend of McHenry County Blog tells me he heard a Gingrich ad on WLS Radio.
McHenry County College wanted to have its own radio station broadcasting from the aerial seen on the right above. Having failed to get that off the ground, the board is planning to buy ads on DeKalb Public Radio.
I listen to NPR, but only when I get out of range of Chicago’s WBEZ do I switch to the NIU station in DeKalb. I have to be pretty close to Rockford not to be able to hear WBEZ.
Now comes word in the McHenry County College Board meeting packet for Thursday night’s meeting the following information:
405 radio ads will be purchased for $10,620 from WNIU. They will run over a 45-week period. There are other benefits in the package as well.
The goal is to create “positive brand awareness,” “to positively influenc(e) the public perception of the college, a key marketing objective for FY 2012.”
Unlike the memo recommending that $29,400 be spent on radio ads at Star 105.5, the memo concerning the DeKalb public radio station has not listening audience numbers.
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If you listen to public radio, please tell readers in a comment below to which station you listen.
This is the third installment of my Joplin sister’s letter about the tornado that hit just north of her family’s home.
Dillon's grocery story was destroyed in Joplin. Owned by Kroger, it will be rebuilt.
For almost two weeks a group of radio stations that one person owns (such as country, talk, lite rock) had tornado talk 24 hours a day.It was pretty addicting, listening to them and hearing the callers looking for friends and family or just information.
Then, someone else would call in to say they had seen that person, or could give someone a ride, or help them out with a place to stay, or even give a stranger a water tank.
A house standing, but severely damaged.
Several friends had most or all of their homes destroyed.
One couple had been hiding in their bedroom closet when the roof blew off of that and their bedroom. Their curio cabinet, filled with Lladros, and their china cabinet were untouched. Denny and I helped pack their breakables up and brought them to our house. I have told her she is not getting them back!
This Joplin home is definitely a teardown.
The tornado didn’t discriminate, as it also went through one area with very expensive homes (as well as others with more modest homes).
A destroyed dentist's office in Joplin.
23 dentists had their offices destroyed, including our neighbor, one of our best friends, and a member of Denny’s golfing group.Our dentist is using another dentist’s office one day a week. Then he will be renting a former Movie Gallery until he figures out whether to rebuild or not. He had just built a top of the line, gorgeous office, which was pretty much destroyed.
He was in the process of replacing a crown for me the week before the tornado hit. I have a temporary crown which I dislodged eating a gummy Dot.
I happened to see Pat (our dentist) golfing yesterday.
So I said how sorry I was about his office and, by the way, I broke my temporary crown.
I was lucky enough to get it replaced today.
That’s how it is, living in a relatively small town.
Of the twelve ladies in our Bunco group, 4 lost their homes and one more had 11 of their 18 rentals damaged.
The skeleton of St. Paul's Methodist Church.
One day at Catholic Charities, I was helping a group of college girls pack their SUV with lunches to take into neighborhoods. I asked if they had a place to stay that night, and they said their were heading home. The night before they gotten to stay at our very nice casino in a convention room.
So, I went back into the Catholic High school and offered to house volunteers.
I was thinking of a group of cute girls or boys, but instead got a middle aged man from Indiana.
He turned out to be a great guest. He helped out at two different charities and got to clear some yards and was totally worn out, but fulfilled. He said he’d like to bring his wife back in a couple of months.
More in this series over the next three days.
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