About Jason
Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania and raised in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, Jason comes to Springfield, Missouri via New Mexico, Minnesota and Michigan. Until his movement into tech support in August 2007 Jason spent 20 years working in radio broadcasting. He is the father of Dale and Eli, fiancee of Amy and future step father to Julie. He is a member of LifePoint Church. He enjoys fantasy baseball, writing, reading and good movies. He is a conservative but renounced the Republican Party in 2004 after White House lawyers on behalf of the Bush Administration filed papers to give blanket immunity to drug companies if their vaccines caused autism in children. He believes that what you do says a lot more than what you say.
He loves the food at DiGiacinto’s and would spend way too much money at 1984 in Springfield if it wasn’t just five bucks to get in. He’s a big 80s music geek. He’s also a die-hard, rabid Philadelphia Phillies, Flyers and Eagles fan. He follows NASCAR and is a fan of Martin Truex, Jr. driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy.
His son Elijah has autism and Jason is a big supporter of autism awareness, research and activism.
He is a three time “winner” of National Novel Writing Month and hopefully will finish one of those books before he dies.
Note: A common question asked of me is why I’m covering local events and being involved in local issues. When I was a teenager, I remember talking to my grandfather Dale King (yes, my oldest son is named after him) who told me that “it’s a citizen’s responsibility to vote and if you’re going to vote then you need to know what you’re voting about.” I don’t see how I can know what I’m voting about unless I get involved and ask some tough questions (and easy ones too.) I just hope what I post is interesting and informative for the most part. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Jason,
I am enjoying reading your blog. I am posting about it on my blog.
I volunteer for the Disabilities Advocacy and Support Network. We are looking for board members and I think you would be a really good one. Let me know if you are interested.
Any fan of Rusty’s is a fan of mine.
He forgot to mention that he is a GREAT guy, and a loyal friend!
Hello Jason Just a jot to say thanks for your Outback
experience. I have a teen in the Spectrum and I have
encountered some real doozies over the years. I have found that if you can get in an explanation most people do back off, some even apologize. But the one
that still gets me tickled is an elderly woman telling
me as we waited for the city bus…”.I know raising kids is hard dear but being Artistic is no reason for
her to scream like that….”
Welcome to the Springfield area Jason!
Thanks for the comments on my posts as they are much appreciated.
If you haven’t already been told, there is a Springfield Bloggers Meeting the third Tuesday of every month at Patton Alley Pub downtown. I’ve been absent for a while due to summer, vacation, and now soccer practice EVERY Tuesday, but hopefully will be able to start going soon. If you can make it, we are a lively crowd, and full of stories.
I appreciate your activism in supporting your child Elijah. My oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD and although not the same, it can really be a struggle.
Your posts are great. Keep on bloggin’!
Dear Jason:
You are exactly right on and thank you for your recent letter to the Editor and semi-defending me.
Rev. Kennedy was a great man, 100 times greater than the idiots that blog the Springfield News Leader. Apparently they don’t have enough to do except to run down Godly people.
If you will send me your address, I would like to send you a complimentary copy of a book that I wrote several years ago on the Myth of Separation. Perhaps you will agree with most or all of the book.
Thanks again for your letter and keep it up.
Sincerely,
Dee Wampler
Hi Jason. I enjoyed your comments about the LEED program, but there’s a lot more to it. We’re entertaining a guy from the USGBC (sponsors of LEED) who will explain what the program means for local governments on October 2, Tuesday at the Chamber at Noon. Its a public meeting and you are welcome. If you have any questions, call me at work: 447-8051.
thanks!
dan
Hey Jason, great blog. Found it via Chatter. God bless!
Hi Jason,
Thanks for covering the city council. I see in your coverage that you said that we spent a few hundred thousand dollars on the building where the Jordon Valley Health Care clinic is going in. I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was talking about the old MFA building that we clean up and then sold to Missouri State University to put in the JVIC technology center that eventually resulted in $30 million in downtown development.
the point was that it was part of an overall strategy to acquire buildings in the downtown area that could then be mothballed until an appropriate use could be obtained for them.
Jason, Did you note that the Mayor scarcely mentioned the petition to rescind the councils earlier decision to rezone the Pythian Castle to Planned Development zone for new construction? By rescinding the council’s earlier action, it would have allowed the Castle to return to it’s original zoning of G/I instead of holding it in a Planned Development zoning. Planned Development is clearly the wrong zone for a historic building with the new construction codes. PD zone does not fit the Castle or any other historic building. G/I does if they acknowledge that it allows dancing. Disallowing dancing in G/I started the whole problem.
Last night the council voted to allow the Property on Hammonds Parkway to rezone to CC, a very easy code to meet for all uses and they acknowledged it had less requirements for off-street parking, etc.. If you are going to be the voice, please compare these codes. To allow Pythian Castle to return to G/I zone and acknowledge that it does allow dancing, things can progress along. Obviously G/I zone does allow dancing since it includes hotels, convention center, bars, taverns, soroities, and many other such dance venues in that zone. P & Z should never have given Tamara a letter of refusal in G/I and required her rezone to PD . But they did do that. So, the city council has the authority to rescind their earlier decision to rezone. That would fix a multitude of problems, and it could become a fixable problem.
Also, can anyone imagine signing a contract that they will not be able to sell or encumber their property without written consent of the city when they had worked with the city for 3.5 years, and still had not been issued a usable permit to do the work the city requires? I have not met anyone who would sign that contract giving the city that much power over their ability to sell or borrow money on their property!
I think you posted that in the wrong area.
I noticed the Autism Speaks logo when reading a comment you posted over on These Little Moments. I have a nephew with autism and have become very passionate about raising autism awareness. I hope that Elijah makes great strides this new year and that you and your entire family have a healthy and happy 2008.
why is the top part written in 3rd person and the “Note” written in first person?
Jason-
Hey this is Brad Haller from KOLR/KSFX. The reason I send this comment is that we’re starting a new “blogging” segment on our new Ozarks Fox in the Morning show and would like to have you come on to talk about your blog. If you could please email me at bradhaller@gmail.com that would rawk!
-Brad
Hey Jason,
Welcome to Springfield. Give me a call reference Autism Awareness, Research and Activism.
Randy Brookman
Owner-WiseguyTravel LLC
417-840-8005