A Better REGION 8

Thanksgiving Wake-up Call

Folks, undoubtedly we live in trying times. With the constant stream of bad news coming out of Washington, it is pretty easy to find yourself disheartened as we head into this week of Thanksgiving. I normally have a pretty positive outlook on life but it seems that here recently, I’ve become that proverbial glass half empty guy. Focusing intently on the negative side of things. Well, I received a wake-up call last Friday from an old friend and teacher and I wanted to share it with you. Richard Carvell, who recently retired as the chairman of Radio-TV at ASU took the time to write and remind me why I am so thankful to live here in Region 8.

 

He wrote ”For 14 or so years, volunteers in Jonesboro have come together every Thanksgiving to prepare and serve a meal to the “hungry, the homeless, and the lonely.”   “…each year I am surprised by the number of people who volunteer to help, who show up unannounced to assist, and who do things without any promise of, or desire for, any recognition at all.   …They just do it because it’s the right thing to do”

 

That sums up our Region folks. People taking the time to give back to others because it is simply the right thing to do. As you gather with your families this week, take stock of all the things you have to be thankful for and then make a gift of it. Share it with the people that mean the most to you.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving. And thank you for making this A Better Region 8.

A BETTER REGION 8: Thanksgiving Wake-up Call

Shop Locally for Christmas

With the continued bad news about the national economy, I am sure that a lot of you are having the same conversations in your homes that we are having in the Ingram household this year: Scaling back on Christmas spending. Now while we all know the true reason for the season, most of us will still try and do as much as we can to make sure that our loved ones have something under the tree this year, even if the bounty is smaller than years past.  Whether you are scaling back or not, one thing you should take into consideration is where you spend your hard earned dollars this holiday season.  There are a lot of folks, me included, who have been guilty of letting the computer do the shopping. It’s real easy to do. No crowds, no muss, no fuss. And your money goes to pay for some warehouse operation in another state or even a foreign land. Folks we’ve got to stick together this year and spend our money right here in Region 8. When you spend your dollars locally you not only support that local business person, you support his family, his employees and their families, his suppliers and their families, your neighbors and even possibly your families. Get the picture? We’re all in this together. Spending money locally keeps that money in circulation locally and keeps our local economy in good shape. That’s good for everybody. So please, shop for Christmas locally this year and if you find yourself stuck in a crowd and getting a little frustrated, remember those are your neighbors and just like you, they are trying to make this A Better Region 8.

A Better Region 8: Shop Locally for Christmas

100 days 'til the Big Switch

I know a lot of you are tired of hearing about this but folks, today begins the 100 day countdown to “The Big Switch”.  That means you will be hearing about it a whole lot more. It also means if you don’t take the necessary precautions in just 100 days you could lose the ability to receive television signals for free over the air.  Now,  If you subscribe to a cable service, you’re ready for the Big Switch.  IF you have satellite or watch KAIT with an over the air antenna or rabbit ears, then you need get prepared. 

 

The most affordable option for getting ready is to purchase a digital converter box. If you have a TV with a digital tuner, you do not need one of these. Converter boxes are available at most electronics retailers and they start at about 40 dollars.   Another thing you need to know is that digital signals do not travel as well over hills and into valleys, so we recommend having a VHF antenna at least 30 feet in the air. 

 

The other thing we need to clear up is the switch itself. On  February 17^th KAIT will not switch anything on. Instead we will switch off our analog signal.  Our digital signal is already up and running.   This means if you act now, you should be able to receive KAIT’s digital signal and be ready NOW, for the big switch.  Remember, the big switch doesn’t turn On the digital signal it simply turns OFF the analog signal.

If you’re already ready for the big switch, then please check with your friends and family to make sure they don’t miss their favorite television programming. If you have questions please let us know. And please try to bear with us as we ramp up the message over the next 100 days. It will make for better free television and A better Region 8

 

A Better Region 8: 100 days 'til the Big Switch

Your President and Mine

Barack Obama is our new president. He is not just my president. He is not just your president. He is not just black America's president. He is THE president of the United States of America. Every single one of us.

His election as the nation's first black president is historic. And as he gets ready to take office in a few weeks, he faces historic challenges: The worst economy in half a century. Ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A nation divided over serious issues that have become keystones in partisan arguments.  

Tuesday night, he stood before an audience of more than 100,000 cheering supporters in Chicago as he addressed the nation. His speech, as always, was inspiring. He talked of healing and hope. But he also talked about the challenges that lie ahead as he tries to unite a divided nation. He talked of calloused hands and hard work. He said government can't solve all the problems we face.

He's right. Folks, we don't need bigger government to solve our problems; we need bigger ideas. We don't need more taxes; we need more opportunities for all Americans to succeed. And although he'll have a strongly Democratic Congress to support him, we don't need one-party domination in Washington. We need bipartisanship. If we put partisan issues aside and if we work together, we can move this country forward and in the process, make this a Better Region 8.

A Better Region 8: Your President and Mine

Settling Differences

We are now at the finale of this election cycle and thank goodness within a day’s time it will all finally be over. A lot of folks will wake up Wednesday morning either overjoyed or disappointed with the outcome. It is only natural.  One thing to remember is that the majority will have spoken and like it or not, that is our democratic process. However, some folks just don’t get it. For too long folks have waged political warfare continually. The political pundits in the press and on the airwaves make their living by wedging us apart with nothing more than hot air. And you can rest assured they already have their talking points in hand no matter who is elected. If we let them succeed, the divide will only get worse. We need leaders, both elected and non-elected to bring us together, not tear us apart.  I would hope that every candidate that chose to run, did it with the best of intentions. And I would hope that each person who votes puts the betterment of our cities, states, and country at heart. That is what being an American is supposed to be about. Just because the election is over, we should not give up on those ideals. Folks, with the shape our country is in we all need to work together to fix the problems. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Vegetarian, come Wednesday, after the election is over, we need to settle our political differences, chart a course to move forward and make this a Better Region 8.