Re: Talking Information Ctr.

[Chuckigo@aol.com]

In a message dated 01/20/2000 5:39:19 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
kempp@bethel.k12.ct.us writes:

<< In Connecticut, we have CRIS.  They are based out of Wethersfield, at the 
 Connecticut Foundation for the Blind >>

and there is talk of getting a startup going up in Maine.  
one of New England's longtime veteran broadcasters, Hal Knight, is blind.  
it's interesting this thread came up as he was just asking about where in 
Marshfield the programming originated.  Hal does occasionally listen to the 
Mass service, carried on one of MPBN signals or subs (i apologize for not 
remembering which exactly).  i'd like to think that Hal was very much 
instrumental in getting this service rolling in the Pine Tree State.  about a 
year ago, we composed an email to the governor, and now the state is working 
on a plan to get a Maine version up and running.  too bad they'd not followed 
one of my recommendations, which is to put a blind, professional broadcaster 
on the job.  
  Hal has been with WPOR in Portland for almost 25 years now, and was just 
informed his services as an on-air personality were no longer required.  this 
word followed his "demotion" to overnights from a very stable & respectably 
rated midday host a couple of years back after the ownership change of WPOR 
was completed.  
    not unlike other visually impaired broadcasters, Hal is not only a wonder 
to watch at work, but those things that he overcomes on a minute-by-minute 
basis helps keep those things we perceive as troubling in perspective.
   back to the thread, Hal tells me there is an outstanding Talking service 
out of Arizona which he enjoys via the web.

- -Chuck Igo  (unofficial president & media hype of the Hal Knight fan club)