Thursday 11 July 2013

Turn Up Your CHED


When I was a teenager in the early 1970’s I loved listening to the radio more than watching television. I found my imagination could go to places I didn’t even know existed. Living in Edmonton, the AM giant was 630 CHED and I listened to it whenever I could. Heck, I even snuck my transistor radio under my pillow and listened to it when my parents thought I was fast asleep.

The announcers brought everything to life: Wes Montgomery, Al Anderson, Don Kay, Bob McCord, Bruce Bowie, Len Truenesen, Chuck Chandler, Billy Williams, Keith James and so many more. It is still a great thrill today have them as good, personal friends. Take current CHED morning man Bruce Bowie — who is like a brother to me.  We met in 1976 and our friendship keeps growing. Then, there was Eddie Keen, the former Edmonton Journal reporter who wrote editorials for CHED. I started listening to Eddie when I was 13 and he inspired me to be a newspaper reporter.

This Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m at Northlands CHED is broadcasting like they did in the 1970’s when many people in Edmonton listened. They’re calling it Retro Days and we might hear such things as …


“Right now in downtown Edmonton it’s (temperature) C. H. E. Degrees.”


“(Name) is the 630 CHED Good Guy/Gal of the day.”

•Solid Golden Weekends

•The Golden Wheel

• CHED sunspots


  • the Great Bicycle picnics.



Please send your favorite CHED memory from the 1970’s here.


To jod your memory here is a great retro page put together by Keith James

The question needs to be asked: Who is getting a big pay day because of home care changes?



In all the stories I have read, watched and listened to about Alberta’s home care cuts, I have yet to hear a question silently echoing in the back of my mind. And with health minister Fred Horne announcing Tuesday that he isn’t going to reverse Alberta Health Services’ decision to change home care providers for senior citizens in Alberta, I think the time has come to ask it: who is going to make a buck over these decisions? Who is it? And why are Albertans who are senior citizens and who have physical disabilities going through hell so someone’s bank account is padded?

AHS announced in June the number of home care providers will be reduced from 72 to 13. Large corporations such as Rivera and We Care — just to name a few — were awarded contracts when many local, including non-profits, we told “thanks, but no thanks.” I have cerebral palsy and use home care. I am part of a self-directed program and we were told in February of changes. We were also told we had to submit a proposal for funding, despite successfully running the program since 1997. And here’s the kicker: we were warned if we went to the media or contacted MLA’s our proposal could very well be disqualified. In the end, we didn’t get our funding but shared our story. Just over two weeks later AHS reversed their decision on our program and two others in Edmonton. 

I can’t help but thinking this was in the works for month. Deals were made. Contracts were signed. It would be very interesting to know who made these deals and what connection they had with the successful bidders over so many long standing providers. We may never know. But by the Gods of War: the question needs to be asked.