So Long, Hal Knight

[Chuckigo@aol.com]

sadly, the illegitimi have indeed carborundumed Portland's Hal Knight.  (not 
sure on my latin spelling)  Hal Knight, after 30+ years in radio, some 26 of 
them at WPOR, is packing it in and heading south to Florida where he's 
accepted a position as a customer service/tech helper with a software 
company.  
    For those of you not familiar, Hal is blind.  and to have listened to him 
on the air, you'd never know.  to have actually witnessed him in action, 
well, it makes those of us who have the self-impression of being good sit up 
and reassess our abilities.
    The company Hal is soon to be working with is based in the 
Tampa/St.Petersburgh area, and their specialty is talking software for the 
blind.  Hal's been using their product for a couple of years (i believe it's 
called JAWS), and it's allowed him to continue to adapt in an ever-changing 
radio environment.
   this fact alone seems to have escaped the powers that be at The Portland 
Radio Group, part of SAGA.  Hal's demotion to a split-shift (mornings and 
afternoons) board operator shift was, well... with discretion being the 
better part of valor, i won't sully this group with a stream of invectives 
which currently yearn to bounce of the tips of my fingers.
   To radio, it's a sad day when we lose one of our own;  one of those who 
used an old reel-to-reel to play radio in an adolescent bedroom.  one who 
knew the announcer on the air by the sound of his voice.  one who knew what 
time we could best catch the skip from Fort Wayne or Buffalo.
    To Hal and Maureen, whose daily struggles make those things you and i 
perceive as problems pale in comparison, my wish is only for the best things 
for you both.  and for what it's worth, Hal, the country radio on the Gulf 
Coast could be well served with you posting a few.

- -Chuck Igo