Comparing Gulf Job Sites

State budget cuts to public radio don't silence 90.7FM

PANAMA CITY — The state budget cut $4.8 million in funding for all public television and radio, which eliminated a $87,000 Community Service Grant for Gulf Coast State College radio station WKGC 90.7 FM.

But the station will be just fine without the grant, according to station manager Chris Thomes. 

“The Community Service Grant was used for salaries and programming, but our staff has pulled together to fill in the gaps and help each other out,” said Thomes, who is also executive director of media and community relations for the college.

The radio station has five full-time and three part-time employees, which is only one full-time employee down since the budget cuts. Another job position will be vacated with the upcoming retirement of Wally Crawford, host of Afternoon Jazz.

“During the storms a few weeks ago, our transmitter was hit with lightning, so our signal was down,” said Morning Vibe host Harley Benner. “But one of our most valuable volunteers and everyone from the staff was going back and forth trying to get it fixed, and we ended up streaming everything over the Internet through the transmitter to restore the feed.”

The radio station focused on local music shows in 2008 in order to move from a solely national feed with one local show to a format featuring 17 local shows.

“We definitely have a small staff, but with the amount of local programming we produce, it’s hard to compare us to other stations because we do what most cannot,” Thomes said.

The local shows include Afternoon Jazz, Art Talk, Big Band Bash, Blues Before Midnight, Emerald Coast Studio, Funk 180, Gulf Coast Today, Local News, Lone Star State of Mind, Morning Vibe, My Generation, On-Stage, Peter Michael’s Place, Rapline, The Retro Lounge, Showcase of Show Tunes and Weekend Motown.

The shows are malleable and shaped by the listeners and the hosts. Morning Vibe originally started as a smooth jazz morning show, and as Benner’s music taste began to expand he brought in new artists. Listeners also would recommend their favorite bands. Now, Morning Vibe is a combination of smooth jazz, R&B and funk.

“I’m just giving my best suggestions for my listening audience. I’ll research artists, find new music and give props to the listeners who contacted me,” he said. “It’s something that public radio allows us to do that, unfortunately, commercial radio can’t do because their format just won’t allow it.

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Whether you want to build a luxury or log home, chances are you have attempted to compare floor plans on websites. One of the more difficult aspects of selecting floor plans is trying to imagine the interior of the home. But you can save time and avoid costly mistakes when you learn how to compare home floor plans with the following tips.

Compare Floor Plans by Need

It is a good idea for home buyers and builders to set priorities before comparing floor plans, according to Buildwisely.com, a company that specializes in home plans. List your required features, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Amend the list to include lifestyle considerations. If you prefer casual living, jot down an eat-in kitchen or kitchen-hearth combo. Inversely, if you desire separate living and entertaining spaces, include a formal dining room. Don’t forget to add features that are necessities in many homes, such as a home theater or an office.

Consider the terrain of the home site when you compare floor plans. Of course, a sloping lot will have different design considerations than those of a flat parcel. But listing the dimensions of the lot will help you maintain focus on a house that is feasible.

Find Floor Plans to Compare

There are hundreds of websites that sell home plans, and most include a search function. Google the terms “floor plans,” “home plans” or “house plans.” You will find a variety of sites that allow you to find and compare home designs by style, square footage, number of floors and just about anything on your list.

When you spot an appealing home, print off copies, and bookmark the site so that you can compare floor plans later. But be aware many sites feature variations of the same floor plan.

Virtual Marketing Concepts boasts one of the largest collections online, with over 30,000 floor plans, supplied by the nation’s oldest housing plan broker, Garling House at Familyhomeplans.com, and one of the leading independent websites at Coolhouseplans.com. Save time sifting through repeats. Make notes of any websites or partner sites that you visit to compare home plans.

Evaluate the Floor Plans

A search for floor plans returns plans based on criteria set by the home builder, yet the results may not be relevant. A search for a home with a kitchen and a garage may yield plans where the kitchen is located on the opposite side of the house. This is a design flaw that is tough on the homeowner and the floor too. That’s why it is important to compare the layout of floor plans carefully.

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