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If you would like to become a member of Portsmouth Community Radio, or perhaps renew your membership, you can easily do so online here.
Underwriters are very important to Portsmouth Community Radio. If you own a business or know someone who does, and you think there is interest in becoming an underwriter, please contact our underwriting committee.
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Portsmouth Community Radio's Board of Trustees | |
Board Chair:
Ann Bliss
Vice Chair:
Terry MacDonald
Secretary:
Damon Thomas
Treasurer:
George Toscano
Members at Large: Alan Brady Lou Clark Burt Cohen Charlie Griffin Dennis Malloy Dan Schwarz
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Contact Us | Portsmouth Community Radio
P.O. Box 6532
Portsmouth, NH 03802
603-430-9722
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FEBRUARY 2012
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the February issue of Tidings, the official newsletter of Portsmouth Community Radio. Though this is the shortest month of the year, there is no shortage of things happening at our station. Read on to find out about our upcoming fundraiser with the Jumbo Circus Peanuts and about some new additions to our programming schedule.
Not a member of Portsmouth Community Radio? Click here to join.
As always, thanks for your support, and thanks for listening! |
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Jumbo Circus Peanuts' Mardi Gras Event to Benefit WSCA
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On Saturday, February 25, at the Portsmouth VFW Hall at 238 Deer Street, the Jumbo Circus Peanuts' annual Mardi Gras Dance Party will be held to benefit Portsmouth Community Radio, with all proceeds going to support local, non-profit, commercial-free radio. Admission is $10 or free with the purchase of a one-year Portsmouth Community Radio membership.
Now in their 17th year, the Jumbo Circus Peanuts have become a Seacoast institution (some say they should be confined in one), winning awards, earning a Governor's Commendation, appearing on the biggest and best stages in the area, playing countless fundraisers, and throwing many a memorable dance party along the way.
The Mardi Gras Dance Party, also in its 17th year, has become known as the most joyous and authentic gathering of its kind in the area, celebrating the sights, sounds, and spirit of New Orleans at Carnival time. In addition to their usual mix of swing, Latin, R&B, funk, and soul dance classics, the Jumbo Circus Peanuts will open their Big Easy songbook and perform songs from the likes of Fats Domino, The Rebirth Brass Band, Louis Armstrong, Doctor John, Professor Longhair, The Meters, and Huey "Piano" Smith & His Clowns.
The Peanuts' costumes, always a sight at any show, will continue to celebrate Carnival traditions and the unique cultural organizations of New Orleans, such as the Mardi Gras Indians, the Skull and Bone gangs, and the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Audience members are more than strongly encouraged to masquerade as well.
As always, Jumbo Circus Peanuts productions at the VFW feature free snacks and on-site parking, efficient bar service at friendly prices, lots of activity on the large wooden dance floor, and no smoking. This time the good times roll for a good cause, Portsmouth Community Radio. This is a 21-plus event.
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Annual Fundraiser Dance Proves Succesful Yet Again
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Thanks to all who made Portsmouth Community Radio's annual fundraiser dance, held Saturday, January 28, at the Portsmouth VFW Hall, a huge success. The hall was hopping, and everyone had a blast. A very special thanks goes out to the evening's performers, the Jeannie Daniels Band and Wooden Eye; we are all so very grateful for the time and talent they contributed to this event and for their continued support of Portsmouth Community Radio.
Jeannie Daniels Band frontwoman Jeannie Daniels had this to say about the event: "I can't even find the words for how much fun we all had at this one particular event . . . it gets better every year, and we feel like we're part of a big family that ROCKS OUT!"
Thanks again, and we hope to see everyone at next year's dance!
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Volunteer of the Month: Tim Stone
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Tim Stone
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Portsmouth Community Radio volunteers were recently asked to nominate one of their colleagues for the National Federation of Community Broadcaster (NFCB) 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award.
The volunteers nominated were Damon Thomas, Jean Gagne, Terry Blake, John Lovering, Tim Stone, and Jean Proulx. Some of the folks named here received multiple nominations, with Tim Stone receiving the most. As such, Tim is the WSCA nominee for the NFCB 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award. Congrats, Tim, and thanks to all who sent in a name!
Because of this special honor, we wish to make Tim our Portsmouth Community Radio Volunteer of the Month for February, as well. Click the link below to read letter of nomination that was sent to the NFCB:
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Meet the Trustees: Ann Bliss
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In each issue of Tidings, we introduce a different member of our Board of Trustees. As you'll see, Portsmouth Community Radio's Trustees bring to the Board very different career backgrounds and life experiences, collectively representing a valuable resource to our radio station and its members. One thing they all seem to have in common, though, is a commitment to volunteerism and long histories of service to non-profit organizations.
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Ann Bliss
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Ann Bliss was born in New York City and raised partially in Brooklyn and partially in Cincinnati (though Brooklyn will always be her home). She was raised in an international family; she is part Brit, part Brooklyn, and spoke with a proper British accent until age 5.
Ann grew up in a very musical family, as her great uncle was first violin chair in the London Symphony Orchestra and her American uncle was the musical producer and director of The Music Man on Broadway. Her mother was a champion violinist by age 12, and her father continues to croon at age 87. Ann started singing at a very early age and was selected in first grade to lead the entire elementary school in Monday morning assembly songs.
In High School, Ann was one of the early morning public address announcers, her first claim to radio fame. During that time, her father was involved with a local radio station and discovered Carl Dobson Jr., whom no one likely remembers but who had his first and only hit before leaving for war. As far as Ann knows, he never recorded again, but his song still floats around her head since she had to listen to it over and over in the early days of Carl's fleeting fame.
Ann is a psychotherapist in private practice in downtown Portsmouth. She and her husband are the founders of the Seacoast Area Renewable Energy Initiative (SEAREI). She is passionate about sustainability, renewable energy, permaculture, and reducing fossil fuel consumption. Community, music, current affairs, and informing the public are very important to Ann and motivated her to get involved with the station. She is a member of Voices from the Heart, a 200-voice women's a capella group in Portsmouth. Most important to Ann are her two grown children, her daughter-in-law, and her two grandchildren.
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Portsmouth Community Radio Programming Notes
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Seniors Magazine Now Airs Every Thursday
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Seniors' Magazine (Thursdays, 7-8 a.m.) is a program for and about seniors, those who will one day become seniors, and those who have a senior in their family.This weekly program includes interviews with experts on such diverse issues as Medicare, Medicaid, reverse mortgages, assisted living, in-home care, financial planning, transportation, medicines, and living wills. When time permits, the program will also air popular music from the 1920s through the 1950s.The two hosts of the program, Finn Connell and Brandy Irish, bring a vast array of knowledge, interests, and expertise to the program, making for lively and informative discussion.In conjunction with the on-air program, Seniors' Magazine also has a website, seniorsmagazine.org, where listeners can leave comments about the program, send in questions for the show's guests, and read about upcoming programming and guests.
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Radiogazette Features "Clipper Sports Report"
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Tom Kozikowski
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Radiogazette (Fridays, 9-10 a.m.) welcomes a new contributor, Tom Kozikowski, Assistant Athletic Director at Portsmouth High School. Each Friday, Tom compiles the "Clipper Sports Report," which airs live near the top of the hour following the news and at the half hour.
Tom provides the latest reports, news, statistics, and information surrounding Portsmouth High School Athletics. The Clipper Athletic Department consists of 22 sport programs and more than 50 teams of student athletes playing at the freshman, junior varsity, and varsity levels.
Go Clippers!
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The Paranormal Zone to Debut in March
The Paranormal Zone, with host Bob McDermott, will debut on Sunday, March 11, at 5 p.m. The show will cover everything paranormal, from spirits to UFOs to Big Foot sightings.
Bob started his career in paranormal research in 2006. "I found the stories I was hearing about paranormal events fascinating and had a need to find out what the truth was," he says. "This quest took me to many interesting locations, and the more I learned the more questions arose. Working with some of the best paranormal teams in New England, I found many things that could not be explained by science or logic. . . . I have had many experiences and have captured some very strange evidence over the last six years.
"In late 2006, I started my own paranormal group, and for many years we have investigated many haunted homes and buildings in the New Hampshire area. I do a lot of Paranormal 101 presentations to large groups, and I do many fundraisers for non-profit organizations. I have helped fund many historical Meeting Houses and have a love for the preservation of New Hampshire history. "I hope a show like The Paranormal Zone will give people interested in the paranormal - or who have had an experience with the paranormal - a voice to tell their stories." |
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Newscaster Griffin Celebrates Anniversary, Expands
Portsmouth Community Radio's Charlie Griffin has been delivering the morning news for one year, and his broadcast continues to expand.
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Charlie Griffin
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"Portsmouth Community News" debuted in February 2011, when Charlie began delivering his five-minute newscasts at 7:15 and 8:15 a.m. on Tim Stone's Mixed Up World show (Tuesdays, 7-9 a.m.). He soon added Angelynne Hinson's Morning Voices (Fridays, 6-9 a.m.), delivering the news at 7 and 8 a.m. Just this past month, Charlie added Jazz Straightahead (Wednesdays, 6-9 a.m.) with Terry MacDonald to his schedule. With a three-day-a-week schedule, the newscasts have now been standardized to air at 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
"As a community radio station, the ability to provide our listeners with local news on a regular basis is an essential component of our service," Charlie says. "Our objective is eventually to be able to offer morning newscasts at least five days a week."
Charlie also notes with gratitude that he uses The Portsmouth Herald as his primary source of local news.
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New Programs Coming to Audio Theatre
Listeners of Portsmouth Community Radio Audio Theatre (Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.) will hear many debut old-time radio programs in the coming months.
Recently, John Lovering, host of Audio Theatre and member of the Old
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Comedian Ed Wynn
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Time Radio Researchers Organization, a group dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and sharing of classic radio programs from 1930s to the 1960s, has obtained many new programs for his weekly show.
The Old Time Radio Researchers currently has an expanding database of over 1,900 series that include about 175,000 single episodes. Some of the shows our listeners will hear for the first time include: Casey, Crime Photographer; Defense Attorney; Life of Bliss; Archie Andrews; Nero Wolfe, Claudia; Crime Club; Counterspy; Dam Busters; Afloat with Henry Morgan; Murder at Midnight; The Clock; Nick Carter, Master Detective; The Ed Wynn Show; and more.
The addition of these shows brings our classic radio program database to nearly 4,200 episodes, offering an every-growing list of entertaining programs to Audio Theatre fans.
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