 With deep appreciation,Ph: 603-474-0170
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Upcoming and Notable
December 31st
WSCA First Night Street Dance
DJs will be working shifts from
5 PM to Midnight
Our Mission? To Keep The Crowd Dancing!
DJs - Sign up now
volunteer@wscafm.org
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January 29th Fundraiser Dance with
The Jeannie Daniels Band
See story under "What's Happening"
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On November 28th we received a letter from Diane Giese, Executive Director of the Seacoast Family Food Pantry in which she wrote,
"I want to thank you for your very generous donation of $300 that was raised as part of your membership drive. This donation helps us to achieve our mission of assisting low-income individuals and families with food, personal care items and education for healthy living."
Diane was a guest on Station Talk when host, and Pledge Drive Team Leader Jean Proulx, presented her with a check as part of our effort to support the Seacoast community.
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Note: Time Change for
Don't Dis My Ability
Beginning January 11th, Don't Dis My Ability will be heard every other Tuesday from 3:30 to 4:15 PM. The program is being extended by 15 minutes.
Join Hosts Ronnie Tomanio, John Eubanks, and Ali Ketcham as they present topics for and about people living with disabilities, and for those who care for and love them.
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Quick Links
www.wscafm.org
Listen Now
Become a Member!
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Join Our Mailing List
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CONTACT US
Portsmouth Community Radio
P.O. Box 6532
Portsmouth, NH 03802-6532
603.430.9722
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Designed by:
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Dear Friends,
Those of us at Portsmouth Community Radio generally send our messages via the electromagnetic spectrum, or through the "ether" as it was called back in the earliest days of radio.
However, particularly at this time of year, it really doesn't matter how we send our message as long as it is truly heartfelt. So, with that in mind...
From all of us to all of you, we send you joyous greetings of the season and warm wishes for a happy and fulfilling new year ahead.
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Board News
Rob Ciandella Steps Down from Board
 Attorney Rob Ciandella was one of the attendees at the first organizational meeting for Portsmouth Community Radio held back in 2000 at Stroudwater Books (now Philbricks Fresh Market). Rob became the Board President in 2006 and filled that role until this year when Alan Brady took over the position.
Rob's legal background in telecommunications and thoughtful insights about the role of non-commercial community radio have been a valuable asset to the station. He plans to continue to be involved with the station in several ways by serving on the Board Composition Committee, the Full Power Sub Committee, and will also be the WSCA liason to Portsmouth Public Media (Portsmouth Community Access TV).
Rob is a partner at Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella PLLC of Exeter and Portsmouth. He received his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1979 and he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Brockport in 1976. He is a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association and an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire.
Rob Ciandella may be leaving the Board, but as a New Castle resident, we suspect he will always be involved in one capacity or another.
Thank you, Rob, for ten years of dedication to the startup and growth of WSCA.
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Trustees Planning January Retreat to Focus on Fundraising and Future Projects
On January 22nd beginning at 9 AM at the Portsmouth Public Library, a retreat will be held for all the trustees and three non-trustees, Jenny Freeman, Jean Proulx, and Steve Diamond.
Kristi Scarponi, a known fund raiser and ex-trustee will facilitate the retreat. The goals will be centered on how best to fund-raise and set a monetary goal that would include reasonable funding for certain positions at the radio station as well as for future projects.
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What's Happening
January 29th Fundraiser Dance with
The Jeannie Daniels Band
What better way to heat things up in the dead of winter than at a fundraiser dance with Portsmouth Community Radio and The Jeannie Daniels Band, Saturday, January 29th? Join friends and neighbors for a rockin' community dance at The Hall, 238 Deer St. in downtown Portsmouth.
Back by popular demand, The Jeannie Daniels Band will perform infectious dance music that includes rock, R&B, motown, soul, funk, and a dash of swing. They pride themselves in saying, "When we play, you dance!"
The (VFW) Hall at 238 Deer St. features a comfortable atmosphere with a large dance floor, lots of room to sit back and relax with friends, reasonable beverage prices, and free on-site parking. Tickets are $10.00 and will be available at the door. Doors open at 7:30 PM, music 8 PM to Midnight. This is a 21+ event. To volunteer at this event email Jean Proulx at volunteer@wscafm.org.
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AHOY! Portsmouth Community Radio Sets Sail In 2010 Portsmouth Holiday Parade
 | Valerie Chriske and Susan Tuveson Lead
the WSCA Boat Float on the Parade Route |
It was a few days before the 2010 Portsmouth Nautical Theme Holiday Parade, and all through the studio the sounds of tools buzzing and humming could be heard as our shipwrights, Rocky Smith and Jean Gagne, layed the keel of the soon-to-be USS WSCA boat float.
 | | Amber French |
Amber French arrived with designs, paint, and brushes in hand and became our Resident Artist. Amber even brought along her aunt, Pam Ikegami. Second-in-Command, Jasper Salach joined Valerie Chriske and Jean Proulx in applying the decorative details that added the finishing touches to a pure work of art.
 | Jasper Salach -
adding the "waves" |
The USS WSCA was decorated with the intent to razzle-dazzle the expected crowds that would line the parade route through downtown Portsmouth on December 4th.
At the stepping-off pont for the parade, a gallant crew of marchers assembled and took their places at the helm of our vessel. Our "sailors" included: Rocky Smith, Jean Gagne, Jasper Salach, Susan Tuveson, Valerie Chriske with her husband Winthrup Smith and their dog Otto; Sarai Blake, Jean Proulx, Melissa Fischetto with 3 year-old Dominick and 6 year-old Peter; Kathy Chiarello, Mike Bornstein (wearing our Christmas tree costume), Kelly McBride, and John Eubanks.
Back at the station, holding down the fort, was Mark Pruett who played an assortment of great holiday music that could be heard coming from the radios onboard the USS WSCA. Mark was terrific at raising the level of the holiday spirit among the marchers and audience alike.
As the parade progressed, it was clear that the crowd was duly impressed with our boat float and the hardy crew that represented Portsmouth Community Radio. We thank all those who participated in making this event possible. We also ask your forgiveness if we inadvertently failed to mention all who were involved or perhaps misspelled a name. Our on-the-scene reporters were so overwhelmed with emotion and excitement, that they may have lost focus of some of the details.
 | | Sarai Blake and Jean Proulx on the parade route |
(Photos: Courtesy of Jasper Salach) |
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Please Welcome
New Volunteer - Katie Stewart
 We welcome Katie Stewart, who is working at the station as an intern from Great Bay Community College.
Katie is helping out with everything from audio editing to filing. Her attention to detail and skill in working with a variety of media production software is much appreciated.
It is a pleasure to have such an energetic young lady with a very positive attitude working at the station. Thank you, Katie.
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With Gratitude...
Naama Zohn - Membership Manager
 If you have been at the station on any given Tuesday evening, you no doubt have met Naama Zohn. She has been our Membership Manager since November of 2009. Naama handles the data entry and correspondence related to all of our membership accounts. In Naama's words, "By happy accident, I walked into the station right when a new Membership Manager was needed and
ended up sticking around. Blame it on the cool people, easy-going atmosphere, and all the interesting work there is to do. Working in the back office of WSCA is a great way to connect to the local culture and activity in Portsmouth, plus, it's just a darned lot of fun. Stop in and see us some time!"
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Steve Diamond - System Administrator
Steve Diamond's official position is that of "System Administrator" but more than that he is a patient and extremely helpful person who works tirelessly in the background to keep WSCA's computer systems and network up and running, and he does so with a great deal of ingenuity and creativity.
Steve cannibalizes used computers to rebuild or repair equipment that has gone to that great cyberspace. Through his efforts he manages to save the station valuable funds and at the same time helps to preserve our environment by recycling the equipment.
Who is Steve Diamond? Steve is a lifelong resident of Seacoast NH, a long-time agitator for peace and justice, and a homesteader attempting to implement sustainable agricultural practices in Barrington, NH.
Jean Proulx - Our Outstanding Volunteer Coordinator and Fall Pledge Drive Leader
 Jean Proulx is one of the most familiar faces at our 909 Islington Street studio. Why? Because she is almost always there.
Yes, Jean Proulx is without question one of the most dedicated of all of our volunteers. Jean is responsible for welcoming new volunteers to the station and helping to integrate their desire to help with some of the many ways in which they can do so.
Her warm smile and caring personality are perfectly matched to her role. She has a natural ability to make someone feel welcome.
Jean also coordinates our volunteers, organizing them to participate in everything from our annual fundraising dance to marching in parades, or manning the WSCA booths at Market Square Day and Portsmouth's First Night celebration. Throughout the year, Jean's emails arrive asking for volunteers to become involved in a myriad of activities and, in so doing, serve to remind us of what the responsibility of being a WSCA volunteer truly entails.
This past October, Jean served as the Team Leader for our Fall Pledge Drive. She clocked countless hours of work and expended a huge amount of energy in the planning and execution of this event. The result? We had the most successful Fund Drive the station has experienced since its September 12th, 2004 premiere broadcast. Many of us thought that Jean had moved into the studio because no matter what time of day we dropped by, she was always there.
( Read More About Jean Proulx Here)
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Doug Baker - Departs Blue Yodel
Regrettably, Doug Baker hosted Blue Yodel (Mondays 6-8 PM) for the final time on December 6th. Doug has been doing Blue Yodel for over two years, but a new job and resulting work schedule have made it impractical for him to continue hosting this unique program which features folk and bluegrass music.
Until our Programming Committee finalizes any changes, Blue Yodel will continue with Raetha Stoddard, organizer of the annual Ossipee Valley Music Festival, as the interim host. Doug hopes that eventually "Old Time Dave Talmage" may also be involved in hosting the show.
Doug will continue to fill in for DJs and hopes to get back on the air on a regular basis in the future. Meanwhile, we wish Doug all the best and thank him for his excellent work and for his contribution in helping to make our diverse programming schedule a reality. |
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Program Snippets
Information from Program Hosts and DJs
From Terry MacDonald, Host of Jazz Straightahead
(Wednesdays 6-9AM)
All That Holiday Jazz
When it comes to tradition, I'm pretty traditional: I dig it. So, when the holiday season rolls around, I'm always glad to reach into my jazz collection to pull out recordings of those same old holiday songs we love to hear each year, as performed by some of my favorite jazz musicians and singers. And I'm not afraid to air some of the same recordings I've played in years past. In fact, I like it, it's tradition.
Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie,
Bob Dorough, Roger Kellaway, Vince Guaraldi, Dave McKenna,
Chet Baker, Larry Garland, Woody Allen, Abbey Lincon, Joe Williams, Mel Torme, Louis Armstrong, Roy Hargrove -they've all recorded music from the holiday repertoire. And that list doesn't even scratch the surface.
Of course, inevitably, each year there are also new holiday jazz recordings to consider- a few of them good additions to the tradition, many of them, candidly, examples of commercial opportunism. Oh, well.
During the five years I've been presenting Jazz Straightahead, I've followed a certain pattern. On the first show after Thanksgiving, I play just a few holiday jazz tracks. The next weeks I step up the pace until my last broadcast before Christmas, when I devote nearly the whole show to holiday jazz.
Join me!
From Ann G. Haggart, Host of Radiogazette
(Fridays 9-9:30 AM )
Radiogazette,with host Ann G. Haggart, is off to a fast start since its November 19th debut.
Regular columnists Jim Stott ("Simple and Delicious") of Stonewall Kitchen, Mary Flaherty ("Navigating Philanthropy") and RMC Research Corporation's Chris Dwyer ("Spotlight on Education") broadcast monthly on the show. Several other columnists are joining the t eam in the next few months.
Special guest Ciao Italia's Mary Ann Esposito joined Ann in studio on the December 17th show to record her reminiscence of Christmas cooking in a large Italian family.
Mary Ann has two other episodes scheduled for the new year.
On December 24th the show will feature multiple artists' versions of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, with Phillips Exeter Academy's Chaplain Robert Thompson reading the Christmas story from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. A unique, peaceful experience to share with the community at this special time of year.
Pat Moody, Director, Public Affairs of AAA Northern New England, joins Ann each Friday morning at 9 AM following the news. Pat updates the audience on current gas prices and the background story as to why prices are up or down. For example, did you know that one reason we had a large price increase this month is because there were maintenance issues with Irving Oil's refinery in Canada!
Ann G. Haggart can be contacted at radiogazette@gmail.com
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From April Mulkern, Host of Stage Door
(Saturdays 8-10:00 AM )
Pontine Theatre: 33 Seasons And Still Going Strong
One thing people can always count on when listening to WSCA is staying connected with what is happening in the Seacoast community. Stage Door (Saturdays 8-10 AM) keeps you up-to-date with theatrical shows that are currently taking place in the area.
During my show, I play showtunes and conduct the occasional interview or review of a local production.
A few weeks ago I interviewed two of the hardest working theater professionals in the Seacoast, Greg Gathers and Marguerite Matthews. They are co-artistic directors of Pontine Theatre, which is located at 959 Islington St. Portsmouth, making them WSCA's neighbors. They stopped by the studio to give a live performance of Ogden Nash's The Christmas that Almost Wasn't, and to discuss their upcoming touring show, A Poet's Christmas. They also talked about their current season.
If you missed their recent run of
A Poet's Christmas, which featured the lovely singing voice of WSCA DJ Angelynne Hinson, do not fear because Pontine is taking this holiday show on tour all over New England until Christmas Eve.
Pontine Theatre has strong roots in historical and actor-based theater and has been around for over 30 years. Along with acting for Pontine, Marguerite and Greg create the sets, props, puppetry, costumes, and handle all of the business aspects of their theatrical company.
_____________________________________________ From Terry Farish and Tammi Truax,
Hosts of Seacoast Journal (Various Times - See Below)Terry Farish and Tammi Truax have a new show called  Seacoast Journal which offers short, 3-4 minute oral history-type interviews with people from around the Seacoast.
You can hear Roxie Zwicker, who tells ghost tales and gives tours of Seacoast burial grounds,
Paddi Anderson who's making a success with her fisherman husband of marketing fresh-off-the-boat shrimp, Evan Mallet who is chef at the Black Trumpet, and life-long Portsmouth resident Ted Gray remembering Gilly's Diner in the 1940s and 50s.
Tammi and Terry's Seacoast Journal shorts are currently scheduled to air with host Tim Stone on Tuesday's Mixed Up World at 7:30 AM and John Supersport's Scratchy 45s and Beyond on Saturdays at 5 PM.
As other DJs begin airing the programs, Terry and Tammi will add the information to their Seacoast Journal Facebook page so listeners will know when to catch the broadcasts.
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ngineering Notebook
From the WSCA Workbench and
Gordon Sharpless
Even a low powered radio station such as WSCA relies on the smooth operation and integration of many electronic components and computer technology. To keep the wires and air waves happily humming, we rely on a seasoned crew of station engineers who respond to unanticipated equipment breakdowns as well as scheduled maintenance and equipment upgrades.
In addition, many DJs who provide live in-studio performances rely on our sound engineers to set up mics, run the mixing board, and record their programs. With our new CODEC equipment, we are able to leave the studio and go out into the community and broadcast from a remote location. That's what Community Radio is all about. Now we can truly be "in" the community!
We are always looking for more engineers to join our crew. There are never enough hands to assist with the wide variety of projects that arise. If you have experience, wonderful. If not, and you are willing to learn, we can train you. WSCA is an exciting place to be. If you'd like to check this out further, contact me, Gordon Sharpless, at gsharpless@wscafm.org. We'll meet at the station and give you the grand tour! |
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Did You Know...
The first transmission of music and speech broadcast using wireless (later known as radio) was done on Christmas Eve 1906 by Reginald Fessenden, the son of a Canadian minister, using a 400 foot tower at Brant Rock, near Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Fessenden played a violin solo, sang
"O Holy Night," spoke the text, "Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth peace to men of good will," wished a "Merry Christmas," and announced a broadcast for New Year's Eve. Before he signed off he asked, "Will those who have heard these words and music please write to R.A. Fessenden at Brant Rock, Mass."
He was heard mainly by sailors onboard U.S. Navy ships. They were among the very few who had the equipment capable of receiving Fessenden's broadcast. This was the beginning of broadcast radio. |
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