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Summertime in the San Joaquin Valley

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio

Sitting on my balcony, I watched the full moon rising and the backyard evergreens dancing in the moonlight. I was amazed watching the branches swing. Those who were raised here in the Valley, are accustomed to these awesome summer evenings. I chuckle when my friends who live on the coast, say they had to wear a jacket while outside on a summer evening. The summer days may be hot and long in the Valley, but often, the evenings are delightful. I consider myself very fortunate to have grown up here in the San Joaquin Valley. I am both proud and pleased with the transformation that is taking place. This is not to deny our shortcomings with respect to jobs, air quality, and other issues, but it takes courage, persistence and hope to focus on the positive changes that are taking place. Complaining is easy, but ask yourself what you have done lately to make our community a better place?

I become very excited when I hear on Valley Edition stories about neighbors coming together to make parks, playgrounds, and schools safer for children and families. This is the work of volunteers who believe in the power of the community and are willing to give of their time and resources to make a difference. We can be proud when we hear reports that violent crime is on the decline and that unemployment has been reduced. These are a few of the changes taking place. How does public radio fit into this picture?

Valley Public Radio has the honor and responsibility to report these stories, the good, bad and the otherwise. As public radio who has a mission to improve the quality of life in our community. Our mission is accomplished through the news, music and content we present to the community. Public radio gives voice to the people, the challenges and the successes. Thousands of listeners are touched by the stories we report and share with our audience. As a non-profit business the station has also faced tough economic times but through these times, we have managed our resources well and have been able to expand our local news coverage. We have managed to present great programs like Moth Radio, America’s Test Kitchen Radio, and the TED Radio Hour from NPR. This is why your membership, business, and foundation support mean so much to the health and success of the organization. It is your support that gives voice to the residents and issues of the San Joaquin Valley.

I appreciate those of you who called to express your dissatisfaction with the Bakersfield power outages. I apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this brings. The reason for the outages remains a mystery; however, the station continues to explore sources and solutions. One very viable solution is for the station to purchase a back-up generator designated for Bakersfield. This would cost approximately $25,000 and would ensure a more reliable signal, not prone to power surges and random power outages. If you are interested in helping with this project please connect with me or a staff person at the station. We are eager to talk with you.

The Vehicle Donation Program is yet one more way to contribute to Valley Public Radio. The contributors have raised $7,669 in the last six months and my guess is by the time we reach our year end in September, we will have surpassed last year’s fundraising mark. Call (866)-789-8627 or follow the link on www.kvpr,org to donate your vehicle. What would you do with $10,000 cash? The Opportunity Drawing is about to launch. Individuals purchase tickets at $60 each for the opportunity to win $10,000 cash and other prizes. A maximum of 800 tickets will be sold for the drawing. Our goal is to have the cash prize sponsored so that all proceeds benefit the station. If you are interested in a sponsorship connect with Carolyn Carter directly. Remember, when the temperature soars and you need a respite from the heat, take a break, and give us a listen. I promise we will inform, educate and entertain you. The music and the stories will touch your heart.

Mariam Stepanian
President & General Manager

Mariam Stepanian, president and general manager of Valley Public Radio died Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 in Fresno, following complications from an illness. She was surrounded by her family and closest friends.