<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Every other year or so, we like to run a recap of WOAS-FM events from the recent past.\u00a0 This time it will be a little different as the year 2023 leaves us and makes way for 2024.\u00a0 We have a lot to look back on and are counting our blessings for what has turned out to be a remarkable year.\u00a0 .\u00a0 Don\u2019t get me wrong, every year has special moments and memories, but 2023 will go down as \u2018one for the books\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Topping the list is the most personal event for yours truly. \u00a0 On Saturday morning, October 28, my wife woke up with discomfort in her chest.\u00a0 As she sat on the edge of the bed and prayed for some guidance, she heard a voice say, \u201cYou can\u2019t do this any more.\u201d\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t her own voice saying, \u201cI can\u2019t do this anymore.\u201d\u00a0 She immediately had me call the hospital to let them know we were coming as she packed a small bag to take with her.\u00a0 A retired RN with more than 40 years experience dealing with other people\u2019s medical emergencies, my wife was not about to ignore her own symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The crew at the Ontonagon hospital took good care of Christine and got her to Wausau as soon as they could.\u00a0 Non-medical people are shocked when they hear it took all day to arrange the transfer, but it was not the hospital or ambulance service that took so long.\u00a0 It seems everybody in the northland decided to have a heart attack that weekend and Wausau was slammed with patients.\u00a0 They could not authorize her transfer until they had a bed for her.\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine being in the same situation with her background – as her heart attack progressed, she was well aware of exactly what her symptoms were and what kind of damage was being done.\u00a0 I got a brief phone message from her early Sunday morning after she was settled in at the Wausau hospital.\u00a0 When we connected by phone closer to noon, she said they had her in que for the cath lab but with the volume of patients on hand, she wasn\u2019t sure if they would do her procedure Sunday or Monday.\u00a0 By early afternoon, I was on the way south.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Late Sunday afternoon they confirmed her trip to the cath lab would take place \u2018sometime Monday\u2019.\u00a0 With the type of sedation they used, she has a vivid recall of everything they did during her procedure.\u00a0 She said the team worked like a well oiled machine finding (and then stenting) the 99 percent blockage of the artery commonly known as \u2018The Widowmaker\u2019.\u00a0 The surgeon commented the rest of the vessels were \u2018clean\u2019 with no signs of long-term cardiac disease – her blockage was more likely in response to \u2018a recent inflammatory event to her pulmonary system\u2019.\u00a0 The relatively mild case of COVID 19 my wife had in October 2022 might qualify as that \u2018recent inflammatory event\u2019.\u00a0 He also commented that being in excellent physical health (she frequently walks and swims) no doubt worked in her favor and helped her survive the Widowmaker.\u00a0 The unit nurses concurred and told her they had been seeing similar cases in normally healthy patients half her age.\u00a0 The medical books will have more to say about the effects of \u2018long COVID\u2019 as studies are done in the future.\u00a0 There is still much to learn about this world altering pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0After the stent was done, the unit nurses kidded her that they would like to just keep her around for a couple of weeks to hear more stories about her RN adventures.\u00a0 Being poked and prodded every few hours for four days isn\u2019t exactly restful, but my wife thoroughly enjoyed talking shop with her nurses.\u00a0 Christine has always made it a habit to \u2018see people\u2019 so anyone who dropped by with a food tray or to clean her room got to share their stories with her.\u00a0 Without talking to him, how would we have known the guy sweeping the floor had just returned from a trip to Nashville where he got to enjoy the sites and sounds of \u2018Music City\u2019?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0By the time all the exit interviews were done and I had visited the pharmacy at the other end of the building for her prescriptions, it was late afternoon.\u00a0 During an abortive attempt to find a coffee shop for some road snacks (someday I will come clean about my driving adventures in Wausau), we decided to head north and pick up something in Merrill.\u00a0 As we headed back to the freeway, she looked out the window and asked, \u201cWhy are all these weirdos walking around in costumes?\u201d\u00a0 I knew she was running low on energy from the lack of sleep and the physical toll the heart attack had taken on her because my wife does not normally describe other people as \u2018weirdos\u2019.\u00a0 We had a good laugh when I reminded her that it was Halloween.\u00a0 Four days in the hospital can disrupt one’s sense of time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There is a long road ahead as she goes through cardiac rehab.\u00a0 So far she is making good progress and is taking it a day at a time.\u00a0 We had a joyful Thanksgiving at home and have eased back into some normal church activities.\u00a0 Our Christmas gift to ourselves was to get back to doing our cat care shifts at the Ontonagon County Animal Protection shelter (OCAP) starting on Christmas Day.\u00a0 Looking back, Christine says she was calm during her ER and hospital stay because she knew God would see her through whatever came next.\u00a0 We are thankful she survived and postponed her joyous Heavenly journey – apparently there are still things in this life He needs her to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0While I do not subscribe to Facebook, I do occasionally check out the postings on some of the local community sites.\u00a0 One thread of discussion that comes up from time to time is the local hospital.\u00a0 Yes, I know everyone has different experiences, perceptions, and opinions of our local medical facility, but we are thankful to have them here.\u00a0 Privacy laws do not allow those employed at the hospital to respond when someone has a gripe or refers to the facility as a \u2018band aid station\u2019.\u00a0 I can say without hesitation that there are many who owe their lives to the skilled care they received here.\u00a0 Our local hospital isn\u2019t as primitive as a M.A.S.H. unit (as some would like to believe), but the care patients receive before being transported elsewhere is also top notch.\u00a0 My wife is a retired R.N. and a long serving member of the SONCO ambulance board.\u00a0 I have always known what skilled care is available in our area and my wife\u2019s recent medical event has underscored my opinion.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The rest of the year\u2019s excitement (for me, anyway) revolved around our efforts to locate a new home frequency for the school radio station, WOAS-FM.\u00a0 While not a life altering event like my wife\u2019s medical journey, this pretty well consumed my time from mid-April until mid-October of this year.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t been following this mini-drama, it began in the spring of 2022 when we were notified that a Class A non-commercial radio group in Marquette had bought our 88.5 FM frequency at a Federal Communications Commission auction in November of 2021.\u00a0 Five months after the fact, I received an email from that group explaining the purchase.\u00a0 I had only two questions:\u00a0 \u201cWhy 88.5 (which we have occupied for 45 years)?\u00a0 You sent us a list of the (many) other frequencies available for us to apply for, but why didn\u2019t you apply for one of them instead of 88.5?\u201d (See <\/span>FTV:\u00a0 WOAS – Where Are You Now – 9-6-23 <\/span><\/i>for the full story.)<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Eventually, they did send an involved description of how they use their translator stations to cover the Upper Peninsula, but the only answer they gave us (\u2018why 88.5?\u2019) was, \u201cOur consultant said it was the best one for us.\u201d\u00a0 They said, \u201cWe thought the FCC would notify you of this purchase,\u201d but a competent consultant would have been aware that the FCC does not do this.\u00a0 We contacted the FCC to find out the details we had not been aware of in regard to Class A stations being able to take over the frequency for a Class D non-commercial station like ours.\u00a0 It was the FCC who provided us with the help we needed to plan a path forward to keep WOAS on the air.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Again, as I followed the Facebook chatter, it was interesting to read how people took sides on this story.\u00a0 Many blamed the FCC, but it was not their doing – as I said above,\u00a0 they have been tremendously helpful.\u00a0 Due to the religious nature of the broadcast group that bought our frequency, some wanted to make it a debate about religion.\u00a0 As I have been deeply involved with church matters my whole life (for heaven\u2019s sake I am married to a church organist), I can assure you that this was nothing more than a business deal.\u00a0 As I have explained previously, I am not a professional radio person.\u00a0 I inherited the manager\u2019s position here in 1997 and (as the 88.5 drama illustrates) there is still a lot for me to learn about the business of running a radio station.\u00a0 I have been fortunate to have knowledgeable people around me who have helped every step of the way.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Someone pointed out that the Marquette group, \u201cDelayed taking over 88.5 so [WOAS] would have time to find a new home.\u201d\u00a0 The truth be told, we fully expected to be off the channel by the summer of 2022 but they kept putting off their construction for a variety of reasons.\u00a0 Yes, they did offer us help in the form of a used transmitter, but by then we had already moved on.\u00a0 Applying for our own Class A license when an application window opens is one option before us.\u00a0 They seemed surprised when we said, \u201cThanks, but no thanks – we have a plan and will continue to broadcast at 88.5 while we apply for a new frequency.\u201d\u00a0 If they do not follow through by February of 2025, we may not have to move at all (but of course, we can\u2019t wait until then to find out).\u00a0 Applying for a Class A license will secure our spot on the dial wherever WOAS lands. We have had several folks involved in the radio biz offer to help us move forward and at present Todd from <\/span>commonfrequency.org <\/span><\/i>is working on our frequency search.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Back in April, it became apparent we would need to purchase a new 100 watt transmitter.\u00a0 This made sense because we would need to broadcast at 100 watts to be considered for a Class A license.\u00a0 Our old transmitter had failed back in the fall of 2020 and having spent more than $800 to ship it to San Diego for repairs, we began to question how much shelf life it had left.\u00a0 Back then and under those circumstances (with the COVID 19 pandemic causing disruptions in everyone\u2019s lives) we could not justify running a fundraiser to repair the transmitter.\u00a0 We explained our problem in the newspaper and simply said, \u201cIf you have any spare change you could donate to the cause, we will try to get back on the air ASAP.\u201d\u00a0 Within three weeks, our loyal listeners and readers had sent enough donations to cover the transmitter repair and a couple of bills that had accumulated during the six weeks we were off the air.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In April of 2023, it was apparent the school district was also having financial troubles that would carry into the next school year.\u00a0 Our request for $3,000 for a new transmitter was denied with a suggestion that we could pursue some sort of fundraising on our own.\u00a0 We again turned to our supporters, explained the problem and our plan for the future in the local press, and then hoped for the best.\u00a0 The first donation arrived in less than a week.\u00a0 A local donor who wished to remain anonymous sent us a note of encouragement (calling WOAS a \u2018true community asset\u2019) and a check for $1,000.\u00a0 Others followed suit and we had met our goal, again within three weeks of reaching out to the public.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At the time, I thought, \u201cWow, we got it covered quicker than I ever imagined,\u201d\u00a0 The day after we passed $2,000 in donations, I got a call from John Carlisle at the Detroit Free Press.\u00a0 John explained he would be in town near the end of the month and wondered if he could do an article about the station.\u00a0 John said, \u201cMaybe it will help with your fundraising.\u201d\u00a0 When I gave him the good news about us nearing our goal, he simply said, \u201cWell, you can always use more, right?\u00a0 Besides, it would still make a good story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The day John and photographer Ryan Garza visited the school was chronicled after the Freep article went to print on July 13, 2023, so I won\u2019t rehash the whole story here (see<\/span> FTV:\u00a0 Free Press Visit 8-2-12<\/span><\/i>).\u00a0 Let me say it was an enjoyable experience watching these two veteran news hounds at work.\u00a0 Little did I know the wide-spread coverage we would receive from the article. \u00a0 The extra donations generated by the Free Press article allowed us to expand the improvements we needed to make in the studio.\u00a0 The article also produced three more contacts we had no way of anticipating when we first mentioned our need to fundraise back in April.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The first was a call from a showrunner on Mitch Albom\u2019s WJR 760 AM radio show in Detroit.\u00a0 He arranged for me to do a ten minute on air interview with Mitch and his partner.\u00a0 It was a lot of fun talking about school radio stations and how they serve as a conduit to get a lot of young people (including Mitch Albom) into the business.\u00a0 The second contact was from a lawyer named Dan Makarski who has ties to the Ontonagon area and still summers here.\u00a0 He offered to post our story to his network of colleagues and friends.\u00a0 Little did I realize that when I said, \u201cSure, that would be great,\u201d we would soon be getting checks from law firms and other \u2018friends of Dan\u2019 from all over Michigan.\u00a0 By the end of September, our war chest had grown to over $19,000.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In a recent FTV (<\/span>Selling Mags\u00a0 12-13-23), <\/span><\/i>I explained why fundraising has never been one of my favorite endeavors.\u00a0 When the whole 88.5 drama began, I was at first confused, and then angry.\u00a0 After researching a path forward, I became less angry and more resigned to the fact that\u00a0 fundraising was going to have to happen whether those skills were in my wheelhouse or not.\u00a0 It now appears we were handed the \u2018golden goose\u2019 of fundraising opportunities and have been gob-smacked by the generosity and good wishes extended to WOAS-FM in our time of need – I can only say \u2018thank you\u2019 over and over.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0John Carlisle\u2019s article brought another unexpected contact that set in motion yet another amazing event tied to the 88.5 story and the local area.\u00a0 Kinjal Patel from NBC Universal in New York City called to ask me some questions about WOAS-FM.\u00a0 At the end of the conversation (again, I will refer readers to <\/span>FTV:\u00a0 NBC<\/span><\/i> that was published in the <\/span>Ontonagon Herald<\/span><\/i> on 11-22-23 and can be found on our web site at <\/span>www.woas-fm.org<\/span><\/a>), Kinjal said, \u201cI see this as a \u2018feel good story\u2019 and I want to pitch it to our team to see if we can do a feature about WOAS.\u201d\u00a0 One thing led to another and as the <\/span>FTV: NBC<\/span><\/i> article chronicles, we had a wonderful time hosting a film crew from NY and Chicago.\u00a0 Their story aired on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt on Nov 9, 2023 and an expanded version can be found by searching for WOAS on YouTube.\u00a0 In the wake of my wife\u2019s heart attack, I am still getting emails from Kinjal and Ramon (the field producer) inquiring about her health and how things are going in Ontonagon.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We had one set back in November when we lost the audio feed to our website.\u00a0 Our broadcast board had taken a lightning strike in 2010 that required us to replace the right half of the computer board that controls the studio monitors and earphones.\u00a0 As we worked on the problem, the solution became obvious:\u00a0 if there are a cascade of failures about to happen (typical for electronic devices that get fried by lightning), then it is time to replace the broadcast board.\u00a0 Thanks to the generosity already previously alluded to, we have the resources to do just that!<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Indeed, 2023 has left me with a bucketful of things to be thankful for.\u00a0 My wife, Christine, is still here and recovering – the list topper for sure.\u00a0 Secondarily, an event that started on such a down note in 2022 turned out to be one that produced positives in the hundreds (if not thousands, dollar-wise) of ways.\u00a0 As an educator, I always said, \u201cYou can learn something new and expand your horizons every day.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>I must say that 2023 did that and much, much more.\u00a0 Thank you, 2023 (and to everyone who participated in it) for making the year one for the books.<\/span><\/p>\n Top Piece Video – Could not help but end the year with a joyous romp courtesy of Sly and the Family Stone – Have a great new year!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Every other year or so, we like to run a recap of WOAS-FM events from the recent past.\u00a0 This time it will be a little different as the year 2023 leaves us and makes way for 2024.\u00a0 We have a lot to look back on and are counting our blessings for what has turned 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