Do you remember what you were doing May 1, 1984? J. Curtis Huckleberry does because that's the day he began his broadcasting career at KGWA AM, a part of Williams Media. Now, forty years later, he is trading his microphone for new vistas.
I was privileged to attend his send- off party. The staff gathered to salute his years of service and to wish him well.
It's extraordinary that ANYONE stays in one place for that many decades. But during the evening the group began to reminisce about the landmark events J. Curtis has covered for the people of Enid.
He was broadcasting on Jan 28, 1986 when the Challenger exploded. He was also on the air February 1, 2003 for the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
He was on on duty April 19, 1995 during the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing. Oklahoma City is less than 2 hours away from Enid and there are close ties, friends and family between the two cities.
And then came 9-11. J. Curtis was faithfully on the mic providing information and comfort to the listeners. Enid has an air force base, so those events were especially meaningful for the people who live in the area.
He was broadcasting Jan 30, 2002 when a devastating ice storm hit Enid knocking out power for days, weeks in some areas. KGWA used generator power to provide a life-line for residents. Businesses would call saying they had batteries, water, supplies. J. Curtis would announce the places. Minutes later those supplies were sold out. The people of Enid knew that KGWA and J. Curtis would tell them what they needed to know to survive the deep freeze. And note, J. Curtis was broadcasting on an AM station!
He was there in 2020 during the Covid lockdown. KGWA provided information, hope and comfort to listeners. Although physically isolated from friends and family, the people of Enid knew they had a familiar voice coming into their homes through the airwaves. J. Curtis manned the announcer booth while the rest of the staff broadcast remotely.
Considering J.Curtis' career we are reminded of how vital AM is to listeners. It is often the "last man standing" in an emergency. It provides need-to-know information.
As I pondered his career, I was reminded of how important local broadcasters are in the lives of the communities they serve. His life-story is a microcosm of faithful broadcasters around the U.S. and around the world. Local broadcasters live and work in their communities. They have deep roots and strong ties. Their listeners are their friends and neighbors. J. Curtis represents the best of what we should aspire to be as members of the 4th estate.
Could J. Curtis have chosen to move on to a new location? Certainly. But he chose instead to remain with friends and family and those two designations include the thousands of Enid residents who listened to him faithfully every day to find out how to dress their kids, whether to take an umbrella or head for shelter from high winds. They learned how commodities were performing that day. J. Curtis knitted together some of the important fabrics of their lives.
We will miss hearing his booming radio voice echoing in the halls. But we will not be able to erase his presence in our hearts and minds.
J Curtis: We wish you a rewarding retirement as you begin the next phase of your life's journey.
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