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KNOM Radio Mission, 2012: Twelve Snapshots

By on December 12, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Year-End 2012

January

The Russian tanker Renda

In Nome, KNOM’s news department is on the front lines for a story with worldwide interest: the Russian tanker Renda makes an unprecedented winter fuel delivery, escorted in its journey through the frozen Bering Sea by the US Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. The delivery comes in the wake of an epic, fall 2011 storm that delayed Nome’s final fuel shipment.

February

Pete Kaiser wins the 2012 NS450

KNOM covers the inaugural running of a sled-dog race honoring a community leader in Western Alaska. The Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 sends dog teams from the community of Unalakleet (YOU-nuh-luh-kleet) to the finish line in Nome. In the pre-dawn hours, musher Pete Kaiser finishes first, and KNOM’s Laureli Kinneen calls the finish live.

March

Martin and Rohn Buser

KNOM rallies to cover all angles of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (the 1,000-mile competition from Anchorage to Nome). The race is an inspiration to thousands, and in 2012, a new generation takes center stage: 25-year-old Dallas Seavey wins the race, while young musher Rohn Buser finishes alongside his father, Martin, a multiple-time Iditarod champ.

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December 1989: Mt. Redoubt erupts

By on December 8, 2012 in History, Photos
Mount Redoubt erupts, April 1990

Alaska’s Mount Redoubt began erupting in late 1989 and continued to erupt for months afterward; this photo was taken in April 1990.

December 15, 1989

489 miles southeast of Nome, the Mount Redoubt volcano erupts, spewing great clouds of sulfurous volcanic sand and dust into the air.

While the debris drifts away from Nome, the corrosive billows of grit ground airplanes in Anchorage, western Alaska’s supply hub. Grocery shelves grow bare, holiday presents are missing, and Nome’s mailboxes lay empty for a week. For the next four months, Redoubt’s periodic ash clouds disrupt flights to and from Nome.

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Bright colors in the cold skies, and warm thanks from a listener

By on December 2, 2012 in Photos, Stories
Sunrise over Nome

Sunrise over downtown Nome, Alaska on a clear November morning.

The Northern sky has seen a thousand shades of red and yellow as the sun pokes up in the southeast and sinks into the southwest. There have been beautiful auroras streaming in the night sky: like sparkling, swirling curtains of green and red light. God has blessed us with a bounty of beauty, reminding us, every day, to delight in the splendor of His creation.

A local listener called KNOM on Thanksgiving and asked that her message be passed on to all who support KNOM:

Tell everyone thank you. Thank you for my radio station. Thank you to the volunteers who have traveled so far to be with us. Thank you for coming here. Thank you for the music, prayers, news, and announcements. Thank you for being my friend. God bless and quyanna*.

We pass on these thanks to the entire KNOM family.

*Quyanna means ”thank you” in the Alaska Native languages of our region.

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November 1970: A short-lived Christmas star

By on November 28, 2012 in History, Photos
The KNOM Christmas star

Visible for miles, KNOM’s current Christmas star sits at the very top of our FM transmitter tower in midtown Nome.

November 26, 1970

A 3-foot, lighted Christmas star tops the 49-foot studio tower. Like five successors over the years, it is blown apart by wind before the end of the holidays.

(The star’s modern successor – pictured at right – has proven to be much more wind-resistant!)

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Merry Christmas from your KNOM family

By on November 23, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

The KNOM Staff, 2012

The photo above was taken on the future site of the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios, our studio annex project. From left to right: Father Ross Tozzi; Eva DeLappe; Lynette Schmidt; Lucus Keppel; Kelly Brabec; Betsy Brennan; Rolland Trowbridge; Dayneé Rosales; Joshua Cunningham; Laureli Kinneen; Ric Schmidt; Laura Collins; Margaret DeMaioribus; David Dodman.

We can’t thank you enough for all you do for our mission. From all of us at KNOM Radio, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Baby in a manger (and a parka)

By on November 22, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

Like so many Catholic churches around the world, the parish two blocks away from KNOM studios – St. Joseph Catholic Church – features a manger scene and Christmas tree during this Advent season. But the Nome creche (pictured) bears a touch of rural Alaska: the baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph wear traditional parkas fit for our region’s harsh winters.

Throughout the year, KNOM broadcasts live Catholic Mass from St. Joseph’s whenever Father Ross Tozzi, the church’s pastor, is in Nome. Due to the dire shortage of priests in Alaska, Fr. Ross – among his myriad duties – divides his ministerial efforts between Nome and other communities in our region. (He’s also president of KNOM’s board of directors.)

Through your support, thousands of our listeners will be able to join the celebration of Christmas Mass by listening to KNOM. Across hundreds of miles of snowy tundra, the joy of Christmas will keep spirits bright – thanks to you.

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Thank you, Frank!

By on November 22, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

Father Ross and Frank JazzoKNOM is sustained through the generosity of thousands of people, spread all across America. Some – like lawyer Frank Jazzo, pictured with KNOM board president Fr. Ross Tozzi – make our mission possible through their expertise. Based out of Washington, D.C., Frank was instrumental in the transfer of the official, FCC broadcast license to KNOM in the creation of KNOM Radio Mission, Inc. Recently, Frank also traveled all the way to Alaska to pay us a visit and see KNOM in person. Thanks so much, Frank!

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A more beautiful Nome

By on November 21, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

The KNOM news department has recently reported on beautification efforts made by the city of Nome: the “abatement” (or demolition) of a number of abandoned structures. In the small communities we serve, these small civic improvements can make a big difference in town pride and even public safety; on rare occasions, abandoned structures can become major fire hazards. Thanks to your support, we’re able to report on such important quality-of-life improvements in our region.

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Pro-community, and pro bono

By on November 21, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

Lance Johnson in Studio A

In this season of giving, we’d be remiss not to thank the many people who give so much of their time and energy to our radio programming.

KNOM is privileged to feature the voices of a number of community deejays, each of whom hosts his or her own show of 1-2 hours, typically in the evenings. Each show features a different blend of music: from blues to classic rock to Alaska Native music.

Our community DJs – like Lance Johnson, pictured at top – host their shows completely for free; many of them have been volunteering at KNOM even longer than some of our staff. Each week, they come to KNOM out of a love of radio, a dedication to our mission, and a commitment to our community.

While these deejays are unpaid, we thank you for making their spirited volunteer service possible. Because of your support, their voices – and the voices of so many others in our region – can be heard. It’s a service crucially needed: for many of our listeners, KNOM is their only source of music, old or new. (To learn more about our staff, visit this page.)

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Onward with our new studios!

By on November 20, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

LumberWe can’t imagine a more wonderful Christmas gift than the outpouring of generosity we’ve received for our major studio renovation and expansion project: the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios. By year’s end, with your help, we hope to have enough funds to sustain us through the first phase of the studios’ construction (slated through May 2013).

A few weeks ago, our first shipment of building materials arrived: our cargo of lumber (portions of which are pictured at left) cost $69,606.88 and will be used to construct the bare frame of our annex. Even without any equipment or furnishings, this first construction phase will cost $301.69 per square foot.

By the time you read this, the skeleton frame of our annex should be rising above the lot next to our studios (pictured at bottom during a recent sunset). Also at bottom is an architect’s rendering of the finished structure. For more on the project – and to help make it a reality – visit this page.

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