In Our Community
Christmastime is a wonderful time of year, especially during the golden days of radio. I can think of many radio series that brought laughter and warmth into the family home.
Take, for example, the time Jack Benny played Santa Claus for the children of Phil Harris and Alice Faye. Of course the girls knew that Mr. Benny was the fake Santa and laughter ensued throughout the broadcast. Another time was when Ozzie and Harriet were so proud of the radio/phonograph they had for each other for Christmas. But despite that one gift to each other, they decided in the end, that something more personnel should be given to each other. Probably the greatest radio broadcast of the time was A Christmas Carol performed by Lionel Barrymore. A Christmas Carol was brought to CBS by Lionel Barrymore on December 25, 1934, and each year the Charles Dickens’ classic became a listening must for millions. Barrymore’s protrayal of the miserly Scrooge was as flawless as anything radio has ever produced. For his first performance he was supported by Beatrice Lillie, while Alexander Woollcott served as master of ceremonies. In 1936, with the death of Barrymore’s wife, his brother John took the role. Orson Welles played Scrooge in 1938 when Lionel became ill. But the following year Barrymore was back, in Welles’ own Mercury Theatre, for a full 60 minute production with Welles as narrator. On December 23, 1944, Barrymore did the story in 30 minutes as part of his regular Mayor of the Town series. Many listeners and critics considered A Christmas Carol the greatest Yule story ever done on the air. Until his death on November 15, 1954, Barrymore, with almost clockwork regularity, captured the essense of “the grasping, clutching, conniving, covetous old sinner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Listen to AM 1370 KDTH’s Big Broadcast on Sunday nights from 6 to midnight during the Christmas season and you will hear many Christmas radio favorites, especially A Christmas Carol with Lionel Barrymore. 
Homeless programs and services
Back in March, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced its goal of getting 41,000 homeless veterans into housing during this fiscal year. As of this time, they not only reached that goal, but exceeded it. Nearly 48,000 homeless veterans have permanent housing now.
The numbers are impressive. Not only did they exceed the intended number, but they surpassed their goal of keeping veterans in that housing, aiming for 95% who stayed. They reached 96% this year. The VA’s Housing First approach considers stable housing to be the first and most important in the whole menu of services and help that a veteran can receive. The model promotes the theory that getting veterans into stable housing should be first in the list of priorities, with other concerns — such as completing an alcohol program or beginning treatment for mental health issues — to be addressed afterward and not as a requirement to receiving housing services. The housing program has a number of services, including working with HUD to provide vouchers to get into privately owned housing. Additionally, there are case managers who connect veterans to support services such as mental health treatment, legal services, health care, job training, counseling for substance abuse and employment services. The Housing First approach seems to be working, because veteran homelessness has been reduced over 50% since the program started in 2010. For low income veterans with families, the VA has support services and case management that includes preventing homelessness or finding other housing. Go online to www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.html for more information. One additional form of help is available at the nearest VA medical center, where homeless coordinators can provide connection to all the homeless services. If you are a homeless veteran, or are at risk of becoming homeless, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) for help. You can also go to the VA’s homeless services webpage at www.va.gov/HOMELESS/housing.asp. On that same page, scroll to the bottom for 24/7 chat and a link to the nearest VA medical center. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. 
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Christmas Explained
What is Christmas all about? Ask most children and they’ll say it’s about Santa coming to bring gifts. Watch the media’s Christmas programs and it’s all about family, friends, showing love, focusing on peace. Christmas movies focus on these themes as well.
Pressed as to the origin and meaning of Christmas, a significant number of people will say it celebrates the birth of Christ. Bingo! Let’s run with this for a few moments, clarifying and crystallizing this thought. Let me do so by making several brief statements. At the end I’ll do what I usually do, end with one short scripture. It’s not one of the usual Christmas scriptures, but it is a Christmas scripture, and you’ll understand why by the time we get to it. Now for those brief statements. The unfolding of history is under God’s total control, He uses it as a tool, an instrument of His. God acted in an astonishing way when the time in human history was just right. It’s an event by which we divide history into two parts, BC and AD. God visited planet earth. He didn’t come charging in with His full glory and power obvious to all. Not at all! God came as a fertilized human embryo in the womb of a young woman, without benefit of a human father for the conception. Nine months later a baby boy was born, human but also more than human. God sent His Son, born from a woman. He had come from God, was God, always had existed as God, but now had been born as a human. He was given the name Jesus. He grew up and lived a life that, by God’s standards, God’s law, was perfect. No other person had ever lived a perfect life under God’s law, but Jesus did! Ironically, He was executed by the powers of His day for no good reason. Why? God had His reason! It turns out that He, God in the flesh, God’s Son, went to the cross, being totally innocent, to pay the penalty for the sin of all of us who, under the same law of God, are not innocent but sinful and alienated from God. What Jesus accomplished was the possibility of us being adopted back as children, the greatest gift humans could ever be given, the gift of a restored relationship with God Himself! Now, are you ready for the Christmas passage of scripture that usually is not used as one of the Christmas passages? Here it is. Enjoy! “But when the fulfillment of the time came, God sent his Son, born through a woman, and born under the Law. This was so he could redeem those under the Law so that we could be adopted.” (Galatians 4:4-5 CEB version). 
When we retire at night, we never know what the next day will bring into our lives. Recently I experienced an unusual event in my life. It was my hair appointment day at Penney’s Hair Salon and I received a call telling me the store would be closed that day. I was then told the reason why the store would not be opened up for business that day, and that a message would be posted on the store doors telling of a Global Computer Meltdown. But, the Salon would be open for business. I was also told that the computers would not be working. Therefore, they could not do any processing of credit cards. I was told that I must pay my service fee with cash and that no computer receipt would be given at that time.
I asked the caller how I would get into the building. She told me that I was to come to the Penney’s door and push a bell to get into the store. I did this and as I entered the store with no people present except the man that let me in I was spooked! I headed to the elevator that would take me to the second floor where the Salon is located. As I walked the empty aisles by myself, I realized how much I missed seeing another person doing their shopping. When I entered the salon, I noticed that four of the regular stylists were present. These four women were willing to come to work in an empty store and do their jobs as usual. I thought to myself just how wonderful these women were. Three of these women are mothers and were willing to come to work when they could have stayed home due to the situation caused by the global computer meltdown. I understand that the airlines were on a shutdown during the mishap. And I know many other businesses were totally shutdowns also. I hope the store realizes how great these women are. They should be recognized in some way for going that extra mile for the store. I know I appreciated getting my hair done that day. Incidently, I hope anyone on their computer at the time of the meltdown had punched the “save” button on their computer. The first thing I learned when I got my computer was to hit the “save” button quite often. Actually, there have been times when I forgot to hit the “save” button and I paid a price for that oversight. Often when I have composed a memorable happening I can’t get it back from what I first wrote down on that blank piece of paper. “Have a good day.” 
Light Safety During the Holiday
It's a bright idea to keep safety in mind when decorating for the holidays.
(NAPS)—While for many businesses, homeowners, and renters, decorating with lights is a festive holiday tradition, it’s important to keep safety in mind. Here are a few simple tips from National Grid on how to celebrate in a safe and energy-efficient way:
Limit light use: Running lights for hours on end can be both dangerous and costly. Wait until dark to turn on holiday lights and be sure to unplug them before going to bed or leaving the house. A good rule of thumb is to keep lights plugged in for no more than six hours each day. Aim for energy efficiency: Upgrading to LED bulbs from traditional incandescent mini bulbs can be both cost effective and energy efficient. LED bulbs use up to 90 percent less energy and can last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Additionally, using a light timer and an advanced power strip to cut power to decorations when they are turned off can minimize energy usage. Keep lights updated: When purchasing lights, look for the Underwriters Laboratories label to indicate that they have been tested and met industry safety standards. Before decorating, take a minute to look for any frayed wires, damaged sockets, cracked insulation, and burned out or missing bulbs to avoid electric shock. Also, read all labels to make sure light sets are correctly deployed and determine whether they are designed for indoor or outdoor use. Practice tree smarts: According to the National Fire Protection Association, 45 percent of Christmas tree fires are related to faulty or misused lighting and electricity. Play it safe by keeping natural trees consistently watered. Additionally, keep all extension cords and light strings away from the tree stand and water bowl. When buying an artificial tree, look for one with an Underwriters Laboratories label to ensure it has been tested for fire and electrical safety. Don’t overload branches with too many decorations or hang ornaments on lighting wires. Finally, avoid electric-powered decorations when decorating a tree with metallic needles or branches. Be on guard outdoors: Always be aware of your surroundings when decorating outside, as contact with power lines can lead to serious or fatal injuries. Decorations cannot be hung on or even near live electrical supply lines. Keep decorations at least 10 feet away from power lines and maintain that same distance when using an aluminum ladder. All lights, cords, plugs, and sockets should be rated for outdoor or all-weather conditions, and protect cords by keeping them off the ground or using waterproof cord covers. All exterior lighting should be plugged into ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI), which automatically cut power when faults occur to prevent electric shock. Don’t get overloaded: A common danger with decorating for the holidays is overloading your electrical circuits, which can trip breakers and fuses. To avoid this, check the fuse or breaker panel to determine circuit capacity and never double-up extension cords or power strips. Older homes generally have circuits that carry a maximum of 1800 watts each, while newer homes’ circuits can carry a maximum of 2400 watts. The holidays should be a time of joy and peace. Lights can help make things festive and bright. Keeping these safety tips in mind can help you enjoy a stress-free holiday. As always, National Grid will continue working every day to build and maintain a smarter, stronger, cleaner electric system that reliably and affordably powers your celebrations year-round. Learn More For further facts and tips, visit www.nationalgridus.com. |
