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!)
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!
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.
KNOM 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!
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.
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.)
We 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.
Frequent visitors to our website may have noticed a new blog appear earlier this year. Our Mission Blog – that is, the blog you’re reading right now! – is home to stories, photos, inspirational spots, and updates detailing our radio station’s latest activities, and now, it’s also home to our newsletter, The Nome Static.
Starting with the Christmas 2012 issue and going forward, you’ll find every article from each new Static right here, on our Mission Blog. You’ll also be able to download a full PDF file of each issue – in color!
This blog also features additional stories not seen in our Static pages, including colorful moments of KNOM history: such as Rod Ewing carefully scaling, and painting, our transmitter tower in 1999 (pictured below).
Starting with the Christmas 2012 edition of our newsletter, the print versions of the Static will now feature a small barcode – what’s called a QR code – on the back of each issue. (The QR code pictured, for example, links to all of the articles in our Christmas 2012 newsletter.)
If you have a smartphone or tablet with a QR code reader, just scan the code: you’ll be able to read our latest newsletter wherever your mobile device can access the internet.
Please pray with us for KNOM friends and family in areas struck by Hurricane Sandy. We pray for a rapid recovery for the devastated communities. May God watch over them as they rebuild.
As our temperatures approach zero, the blustery winds remind us how treacherous the weather can be — day or night. KNOM continues to broadcast timely winter weather warnings and watches every hour of the day to everyone in western Alaska. These critical reports save lives. Our thanks to all who make KNOM possible.
Wonderful news! The Alaska Broadcasters Association has bestowed upon KNOM two more Goldie Awards for broadcast excellence (pictured above). Both awards recognize work done by KNOM volunteer alumnus Matthew Smith, whose produced pieces for the KNOM news department won Goldies in the categories of “Service to Community” and “Service to Children.”
Both of these categories are highly valued in ABA’s annual awards. As always, we share these exciting honors with you and with everyone who makes our mission possible. To our donors, supporters, volunteers, staff, and community members: thank you, and congratulations!
