By Terra Avilla
It would not be hard to guess that I am one of those people who does not just sing along to the radio in my car – I put on full-fledged performances as I bebop around town.
I love listening to the radio when I drive. It is like therapy to me. I always have been like that. When I moved to Susanville, I was less than enthused that we have… um… like four stations. Luckily for me, I am a huge country fan so really JDX is all I need to keep my live, in-car concerts.
Now, if I were to tell you that they play great music, blah, blah, blah… and that is why they are so great that would be very disingenuous of me. JDX does play great songs, however for our community JDX does so much more than make sure we are all up to date on Luke Bryan’s newest single. JDX is a hub of information for our community as well as a capstone in the comings and goings off all the great things our little town does.
They are a one-of-a-kind radio station, run by one-of-a-kind people.
Whether it be their “Live at 5” broadcast or their “Fired Up Fridays” (sorry Chris, we are not going to discuss the “Wheel of Meat”) they have adapted their station to fit our community and we are better for it.
In addition, we all know I cannot write about JDX and not mention “Swap Shop.” It is literally one of my favorite ‘Susanville things.’ Never have I ever heard of anything like it anywhere else, nor will I.
Where else can you sell a 1987 truck camper and a Carhart concealed-carry purse but also buy a split cord of wood and a thoroughbred Siamese cat.
Making the drive back and forth to Reno were worth the early morning commute as I heard Chris Montgomery navigate the buying and selling needs of our community. Visitors who travel through to visit always tune in and comment about how hilarious and amazing the show is.
The best part? Nearly all of the callers I recognize. Susanville perk – you know everyone. It makes me smile to listen in.
The other reason I love JDX? They really give back to the community. Whether it be graciously giving “air time” allowing schools, sport teams, clubs, non-profits etc to come in a talk about their upcoming events and fundraisers or whether it be a live broadcast going out and about in the community to boost attendance at events or raise awareness, they are “all in” when it comes to serving our community.
And the JDX machine is powerful. I can tell you from personnel experience, our community loves to listen and they respond to the radio. It is a great place to obtain local news, and I can tell you that just this past month JDX single handily aided in securing thousands of dollars for Holiday with a Hero and hundreds of toys for Toys for Tots.
I know this because I went on the air with Chris Montgomery at 7:00a.m., and by noon had received over $2,500 in money from people who heard my plea on the radio. Think about that. The influence JDX has on our community.
They do not use it to pump turmoil or propaganda into our community, they use it to help our community be its best.
They help bring us together with sport reports, community news and guest speakers. They encourage, uplift and entertain. The hearts behind JDX are way more than producers and Deejays. They are one of the reasons I love the place we live.
