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KICY Battling Snow, Wind, Repair Costs
NOME, AK (March 3, 2006) - It has been a difficult winter for KICY radio,
which has endured three blizzards in the last 10 days and extended
periods of bitter cold. The station also needs to raise more than
$183,000 to repair damage caused by a fire last August that has rendered
silent part of the station's AM broadcast.
The latest blizzard began Wednesday, and all of the storms have been
accompanied by winds gusting up to 40 miles an hour, says Dennis
Weidler, the station's general manager. One blizzard knocked the station
off the air the weekend of February 17.
The wind has even blown a foot-high snow drift into the station
building. The station actually is two buildings attached to each other,
but no one would notice if just walking through them, says Weidler. One
building shifts, however, because it is built on pilings on the tundra.
The wind has blown the snow through the opening.
"It happens every year," Weidler says.
Workers also have weathered temperatures that reach 26 degrees below
zero and have had to fight freezing pipes. "We were chasing freeze-ups
all over KICY buildings," Weidler writes in the station's latest newsletter.
The fire at in the tuning house at one of the towers last August has
prevented the station from broadcasting into Siberia, Kamchatka, and
deeper into Chukotka. Damaged were the tower, tuning house and the
circuitry. The damage was valued at $320,000 - the circuitry is the most
expensive item, costing $213,000 to replace. Insurance is paying for
$137,000 of the total cost, which means the station staff must raise the
remainder.
"We need to raise a lot of funds," Weidler says. "That's my big project
now." Those interested in learning more about the station's need can
contact Weidler at KICY, P.O. Box 820, Nome, AK, 99762, or by telephone
at 907-443-2213.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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