I lived in Laredo, Texas for four years, leaving the area about ten years ago.  At the time, the city had its share of drug-related problems but nothing on the violent scale that is griping the city now.  I remember Laredo as a friendly place with a small town feel despite it being one of the largest land ports in the country.  I crossed the border a couple of times each week, sometimes with friends, other times by myself, with no apprehension whatsoever.  But now feuding drug cartels have basically shut down the border, keeping Americans from going to Mexico for business, or to shop and eat in the mercado.  Friends of mine from Nuevo Laredo have shut down their stores and businesses in recent years because no one will cross the border.

This report from CNN is worth the read and the video is definitely worth watching.  It demonstrates how Mexico’s problems are becoming our problems.  Sadly, the situation isn’t any better in El Paso, Texas, another border city that I called home for many years.

Recently many news organizations have been striving to offer more good news to listeners, viewers and readers.  Some news agencies are getting it right, others are just annoying in their coverage.

Running a report that 91.9% of Americans are working, instead of reporting the 8.1% unemployment rate for February 2009 is just plain stupid.  I find that kind of coverage condescending in its tone.

On the other hand… NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams started a new series this past week, called “Making a Difference.”  It is a well produced, well written and well told feature.  NBC asked people to email good news stories and their inbox has been inundated ever since.  Each night Williams reads a few emails and then runs one story.  Some of this week’s stories include “A One-man Stimulus”, about a pharmacist who gave all of his employees $700 to spend in the community and for charity; and “A Free Ride Gets Cancer Patients Through Hard Times”, about a man who lost his wife to cancer and is now using her retirement funds to offer free rides to the hospital for chemotherapy patients.

I have thoroughly enjoyed these stories.  Albeit short, they’re just enough to boost my spirits and leave me with a feeling that despite the headlines, not all is bad in the world.

*Update to original posting:  We’ve now added Asset Advisors (financial management), Bellingham Golf and Country Club, and Highland Energy (wind and solar energy) to the new program. 

KGMI News Director Tracy Ellis has hosted Community Connection on Saturdays for more than six years.  It’s a great local program that connects our listeners to Whatcom County businesses.  Due to Community Connection’s popularity, it is expanding to a second hour.  I am hosting the new hour from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday here on KGMI.  So far, The Adich Clinic, Laurel Farm and Western Supply, Bio Bug, and Laser Point Awards are signed up for the show.  About that many more will be onboard in the next couple of weeks.  If you have questions for these business owners (questions about your health, farm issues, pest control problems, etc.) send them to me and I’ll get your questions on the air for our local experts to answer.  My email address is audra@kgmi.com