EDITORIAL written 7/27/23

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.   

Our local county, 4-H, junior, and livestock fairs around Central Illinois have been in full swing this summer.

Our announcers have traveled to many of these fairs interviewing 4-H'ers and adults that have shown their cattle, pigs, rabbits, chickens, and culinary exhibits, that they've put hundreds of hours of work into.

One of the greatest pleasures I have as a radio station owner, is to hear these interviews and the passion these kids and adults put into their animals and projects.   You can sense it just from how they shared how they turned their animal or exhibit into something they were proud to show at their Fair.

There's another group of people that are quite literally the unsung heroes of all the Fairs we broadcast from each summer.   That's the HUNDREDS of Fair board members and volunteers all over Central Illinois, that do the work most people DON'T see, to get their Fairgrounds ready for the animals and exhibits to show up.

That work is YEAR-round, but especially in the days before and during a Fair.   You'll see them working in the barns, or on the grounds, or making sure an event goes off without a hitch.

That includes all the livestock shows, the pageants, the auctions, the pulls, and the Demo Derbys.

It takes HUNDREDS of people that volunteer their time, to make the Fairs in Central Illinois, some of the BEST in the state.

So, if you know of someone who's involved in one of the Fairs you attend, shoot them an e-mail, text or phone call, and let them know they are APPRECIATED.  They quite literally are the unsung heroes of our Central Illinois fairs.

We are grateful for their commitment and passion to keep our fairs going and thriving across our coverage areas.   Thank you Fair volunteers, and know that we all APPRECIATE what you do!

That's our opinion, we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted July 12, 2023

This is a station editorial, I’m Randal J. Miller, station president.

With much fanfare, the Taylorville School Board almost a year ago announced to the community their intent to tear down the East Gym at the high school, along with the adjacent former Junior High School, to build a new fine arts performance center.  The initial plans called for the building to cost some 16-million dollars.   The board then worked to cut the price by cutting features.

There was a lot of chatter in the community about what was going to be built and what it would cost.   Those in support of some type of field house addition to the fine arts center contended that due to the tearing down of the East Gym, a field house was needed.

Other needs expressed included mental health classrooms.

Since that time, a lot has happened, including a school board election.  Several board members that were instrumental in getting the project to nailing down what it would be and what it would cost, are no longer on the board.

The board went ahead and voted to tear down the East Gym and old Junior High School, without deciding on WHAT exactly was going to be built, or its cost.

Further discussion in the July Eleventh board meeting, again ended with the board appointing a focus group to decide what direction to go.   This is after the previous board that made the decision to build, did the same thing leading up to the plans the architects provided them nearly a year ago.

The longer they delay a decision, the more whatever they decide to build, will cost.    In the meantime, the gaping hole in the main high school structure, is there for all to drive by and say:   Why did they do that?

That’s our opinion, we welcome yours.   Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.