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Get $80 off your first month with promo code SPACE80 when you go to talkspace.com. Match with a licensed therapist today at talkspace.com and save $80 with code Space80. That's space80 at talkspace.com. From the Mighty 990 Broadcast Center, you're waking up in Starnes Country with Todd Starnes. And good morning, everybody.
It is the calm before the storm, we think. Wow, great to have you with us. Welcome to Stearns Country. I am Todd Stearns, and we are proud to be broadcasting in the Principal Toyota Memphis studio. If you're looking for a great deal on a car, you go and see my good friend Todd Lochner down at Principal Toyota.
So, look, we have got a jam-packed show for you this morning, and Joey Celipek is going to be along a little bit later to give us the very latest updates on the storm system. Also, just want to sort of lay out the landscape for you here at the radio station. We are going to be live as much as humanly possible over the next 72 hours, providing you with all the latest information, especially when it comes to power outages and road conditions and things of that nature.
So, there'll be a lot of moving. Parts, but we're going to keep you updated not only on the radio, but also on our social media feeds.
So we would love for you to be sure to follow us on all of the social media feeds. One other thing, and this is an important one: one of the things about radio towers, they are very large. And the radio towers are very tall and they don't like ice.
So, when you have any sort of significant ice buildup, sometimes the signal there is interference. And it doesn't matter if you're AM or FM, it's just the nature of the beast. What are you going to do?
So, well, we've answered that question actually because we have an app for you to download, and you can listen to the Mighty 990 on your phone, our streaming system, and our streaming service is not impacted by the weather.
So, you'll be able to listen and get breaking news information throughout the next 72 hours. And you'll be able to listen to KWAM wherever you are across the nation. All right, so here's what we're going to do this morning, and we've got a lot of news to cover as well, but We put out an item on our social media page yesterday, on our Facebook page. And you guys are amazing and offer so much information. It's a very simple question.
Grocery stores are starting to. Uh empty out.
So, the shelves are starting to look a little bit sparse.
So, here's what we're looking for this morning. We want to know, and this is where you can help us. We want to know where you can find groceries, where can you find supplies? We've been getting some notes on our social media page about where people can find generators. What about snow removal?
Is there someone who might be able to help, especially for some of our older KYM listeners? They're going to be looking for folks to help with snow removal. Also, things like firewood, candles, things you might need. And we're going to go through a checklist a little bit later just to make sure, just to make sure that everybody has what they need. But if you know of a good place to get supplies, if you want to, or if you've been down to Kroger in Bucksnort, Tennessee, and they're all out of milk and bread, let us know.
Give us a call. Let us know where folks can find supplies. 901-260-5926. Again, our telephone number: 901-260. You say, Todd, why is this important?
Well, it's important because you guys are citizen journalists. I think a couple of years ago when I bought the station, I deputized the entire city.
So, all of you guys are citizen journalists, and we want to help each other. And this is the way that we can do that.
So, again, give us a call. Let us know. I do know that a lot of folks were wondering about generators. Those seem to be in hot demand right now.
So, give us a call if you have any of that information or if you have any questions as well. And we will put you on the air. 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926. By the way, Memphis Light Gas and Water holding a press conference yesterday.
Memphis Light Gas and Water says they are prepared for the storm, but it is going to be a big storm. As a matter of fact, we're going to get to the latest information from the National Weather Service here in just a moment. But that winter storm watch goes into. Um uh at noon tomorrow and will uh stay uh stay up until january the twenty fifth. And we understand the frigid temperatures.
Looking ahead this Sunday night, it's going to be two degrees. Two degrees. Here in the mid-south. MLGW held a briefing yesterday saying that they are prepared and they know that there are going to be outages. Seventy five electrical crews on standby, thirty five utility employees, thirty five contract crews.
And you know, Selepec was talking about this yesterday. He said that the issue is this storm is so massive that they're going to have a hard time. Finding outside crews to come in and help, specifically in Memphis, because they're helping in so many other areas.
So I was talking to some folks in emergency management last night. They say this is changing. The forecast is literally changing on an hourly basis.
So we're going to just chill out here. We're going to be prepared, but we're also going to cover the major news of the day. All right. Again, our telephone number, 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926.
By the way, Senator Bill Haggerty is in the headlines. He surfaced just yesterday, making an appearance on Fox, and he is very, very excited about the work that's being done here in Memphis when it comes to the crime crackdown. Let's take a listen. Look at what happened in my home state of Memphis. I began working with the local mayor back in 2024, Governor Lee, a Republican, stepping up here in Tennessee, cooperating.
Local leadership in Memphis cooperating. And what's happened? We've arrested over 5,000 criminals on the streets of Memphis. Had become, on a per capita basis, the murder capital of America in 2023. And that has changed dramatically.
And it's all because of local cooperation with federal authorities. We've got 16 different federal agencies working hand in glove with local authorities in Memphis right now. Memphis is becoming one of the safest cities in America. What a contrast versus Minneapolis.
So, I got a note. This is sort of funny. I got a call from the senator's office. You know, we remember, was it about a month or so ago we did the big feeding of the troops? You know, K-Wam fed the troops.
And so, we get a note from the senator's office, and this ties into who he is thanking, talking about how he was working with the mayor's office. Mayor had nothing to do with this, Governor Lee had nothing to do with this. Governor Lee never wanted to send the National Guard to Memphis. And again, that's water under the bridge. But, you know, whenever these senators come out there and they're trying to prop up all of these failed elected leaders we have in this state, we got to call them out on it.
So, anyway, they asked for a list of all the people responsible because they wanted to send these very nice, kind thank-you notes. Helen, you don't need to turn your rock. Have we gotten our thank you? No, we have not. All right, just checking, just checking.
Not a big deal. We don't do it for the thank yous, we do it because it's the right thing to do. All right, so last night we had a great conversation. Conversation. You know, we've been following the developments out of Minnesota.
And I just want to say something about the Attorney General Pam Bondi for just a moment. She's a very nice person. I don't think that she is necessarily qualified to do the job that she was hired to do in this administration. Um the the same situ the same thing's happening in Homeland Security, by the way.
So they announced they announced two days ago that arrests would be made within hours regarding the the storming of the church, a city's church in St. Paul, Minnesota. And they said, within hours, we're going to have a rest. There were no arrests. Nobody's been arrested.
As a matter of fact, the exact opposite is happening.
Now you have elected leaders. We're talking about Democrats, state lawmakers. including congresspeople's And they're out there saying. That these activists actually do have a right to storm church houses across America. This is insanity.
But this is what the Democrats are doing. And these are registered Democrats. They were elected as Democrats. Therefore, It is their party that's responsible for the storming of of churches in America.
So We don't know when these people are going to be arrested or charged, but we do know they held a press conference yesterday, and the activist who stormed into the church said the church was unfriendly to them. And they also are now demanding that the pastor, one of the pastors works for ICE, and they want the pastor. fired. They want the pastor To lose his Job at the church. This is insanity.
So, anyway, we'll keep you updated on that. But here's the deal: the vice president, J.D. Vance, they announced yesterday he's flying to Minneapolis. And I think this is great. I've got no problem at all with the Vice President being boosted on the ground.
But unless there are 1,500 soldiers in the plane with him, I'm not sure what the point of all of it is. We don't need any more photo ops. I mean, you've got people yesterday. Greg Bovino, who's a regular on my national radio show, he's with Border Patrol. Greg Bovino was leading a team at a speedway, you know, a convenience store.
They refused to let him in. They weren't allowed to buy any, I don't know, Dr. Pepper and Cheetos or whatever they were going to get. They wanted a snack. You know, it's...
It's a lot of work rounding up these illegals and these activists. Especially the big-boned gals of girth. I mean, you could work up a sweat. I'm just saying. It's kind of like.
Well It's kind of like hurting Jell-O, right? There's a lot of blubber there.
So, anyway, they're trying to get a snack. They're wanting a Dr. Pepper. And they said, no, you're not allowed here. And then the protesters start hurling food.
They start hurling food. At the ICE agents, the federal agents. On top of that, you've got, and we're not going to play any of this, I don't want to give these people any more attention because that's what they're looking for. You've got people openly calling for the assassination of federal agents. All that to say, we don't need any more photo ops.
We need action. And the President is backing far away from declaring an insurrection. He's getting very bad advice. This thing is going to go on, and it will go on for months and months. And you know how things work.
The American people, especially conservatives, have short-term memory. And they're going to get tired of all of this, and they're going to say, we've got to stop. Yeah. And we can't stop.
So I would much rather see the administration flooding Minneapolis with thousands of soldiers. Restoring law and order, putting down the anarchy, arresting the bad guys so that the law abiding taxpayers of Minneapolis can go about their lives. By the way, that's what happened here. And thank God I mean. When you compare us to Minneapolis, we're like We're like heaven.
I mean, this is amazing what the troop surge has done for our community. Thank you, Senator Brent Taylor. We appreciate that. All right, we've got to take a quick break here. Again, we've got Joey Selepet coming up.
Our good buddy Randy Hutchinson is going to drop by as well. We also have a trivia question because we've got to have a little bit of fun. It is going to be. It's really going to be tough over the next 72 hours, ladies and gentlemen. Billy Bob Thornton, one of my favorite actors.
And if you haven't seen Landman, you don't know what you're missing. It is not for kids, but mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, you got to go watch it. It's a great show on Paramount. Billy Bob Thornton doing an interview with CBS Mornings, and he. Gave a shout out to a Memphis clothing store.
This clothing store made famous because it was the clothing store that outfitted. Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry, Lee Lewis, many others. Can you name the department store, the clothing store, that Billy Bob Thornton was talking about the other day on CBS News? Give us a call, 901-260-5926. Again, our number, 901-260-5926.
All right, let's check it with Commander Chuck standing by with a look at traffic. Popular, happy, well-rounded kids across America are being exploited online through a sinister scheme that leaves them broken, defeated, or worse. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the U.S. And to raise awareness, SalemNow.com is offering Sexploited in America, the four-part talkie series from AGA Media, at 50% off. Sexploited in America now, just $4.99 at SalemNow.com.
See, what did I tell you? You guys, you're awesome. Cynthia Ann Kessler, one of our K-Wham listeners now living here in the South, but she's originally from Michigan. She's a Michigander. That's what they call the people up in those parts.
Anyway, she's on our Facebook page, and she's giving all of us. all of us great information on how we can survive. More importantly, how we can make coffee in the event the power goes out.
So this is, it's great intel. Also, we want to hear from you this morning. If you've been to the grocery store yesterday, give us a call. Let us know what the conditions were like. Was all you know what breaking loose or was everybody well-behaved?
And if you know of where people can actually get a generator, that does seem to be a big question among our K-Wham listeners.
So give us a call, 901-260-5926. By the way, I want to share this. Craig says South Haven Supply has the faucet covers. They're also going to have ice melt and snow. Shovels Thursday afternoon.
So, if you guys are looking for, I only laugh, Helen, because the first snowstorm we had when I came back, we had a broom, like a broom that you sweep your kitchen with. That was our shows, our snow shovel here at K-Wham.
So, man, we, Craig, we really appreciate that information coming out of South Haven again.
South Haven Supply, they're going to have a full supply of ice melt and snow shovels this afternoon.
So, you might want to get down there. Also, if you're looking for firewood, Karen says, Todd, Germantown Parkway, they had about 15 to 20 trucks of firewood. That's right outside the Ag Center.
So, if you'll see them, they'll be on the side of the road. 901-260-5926. Let's go over to East Memphis. Lynn is on the line. Lynn, are you ready for the big storm?
I'm as ready as I can be.
Well, that's good.
So are you do you did you go grocery shopping? How does Lynn prepare for a major storm? I picked up one or two things, but I usually have extra stuff around the house. I'm more concerned about keeping the cold air out of the house around the windows. I've got some old towels to put on the windowsills, stuff like that.
Our friends over at the city of Bartlett suggested that everybody pick one room, which is going to be the warm room.
So in the event things you know, in the event the power does go out, you've got one room that is really well insulated and you know you got the blankets and all that kind of what. It's good it's good advice, actually. Yeah. Sounds good to me. All right, we're going to try to help you win a little prize here.
We're talking about Billy Bob Thornton, did an interview, and he's a big fan of a local Memphis clothing store that used to outfit Elvis. Who are we talking about, Lynn? Lanskies. Yeah, it is. It's land skis.
You know, I was we were just down there a couple of days ago, Helen and the guys, we were all uh watching the Ducks march and uh we were uh seated right in front of Lansky's and they were doing some pretty good business. Wow. That's amazing. They're still in still doing a lot of work. Yeah, they're look, they're great guys.
And the as a matter of fact, our good friend Caleb Park, who left us to go work for Newsmax, actually bought a couple of shirts from Lansky's. He actually does bear a striking resemblance to Elvis, and people would always do a double take. Good for you. Exactly. Oh, my goodness.
All right, Lynn, congratulations. We're going to hook you up with the latest copy of my book. It's called Star Spangled Blessings: Devotions for Patriots. We're going to put you on hold and we'll get all of that to you. It may be after the storm, Lynn.
Congratulations. All right, hang tight. Don't go anywhere, Lynn. Let's go to Memphis. Dean Franklin, our good buddy Dean, is on the line.
Dean, are you getting ready? Are you getting ready, my friend? I guess so. I've got to run to the shop. I've got a generator there at the shop, and I'll bring it home and probably anchor it down to the back patio so nobody takes it.
For something tells me if this is as bad as they say, I don't think we're going to have to worry about any thug activity for the next 72 hours. I wouldn't think so. And I did see one cool piece of advice on Facebook the other, I guess it was yesterday, saying that. If the power does go out and is it as cold as it's going to be outside, Just get a cooler or something like that, put your frozen stuff in it and set it outside. That is actually a brilliant idea.
And we're going to try that here at K-Win because we're going to be here 24-7 and we'll be breaking in at all sorts of odd hours. I love that idea. By the way, our friend the Michigander said, make your coffee in advance and just put it in the refrigerator. And that way, you know, if your power goes out, you'll still have coffee available, which is good advice, actually. That does sound good.
There is a supply store. Over on Raleigh. Raleigh LaGrange. Yeah, Raleigh Lagrange called Eagle Sells. They sell all types of electrical stuff and this, that, and the other.
So they may have generators, but they did post that they had like. five pound bags of rock salt and stuff like that as well. That's very good advice. Dean, I appreciate you passing that along. We've got about fifteen seconds here.
I saw your comments about Senator Haggerty. He had a few factual errors in that content, didn't he? Just a little, just a little bit. And I do want to plug Landscape up real quick because. Between me and my wife, I I've got a closet full of shirts and a nice leather jacket, and Hal Lansky Junior is one of the best people we've got in Memphis.
One of the finest stores, and that's where actually they have on-cloud shoes. I highly recommend them. They're great tennis shoes. Yep, they're great. I got mine at Lansky's.
Yes, sir. Dean, that music means we got to scoot out of here. You be safe, my friend. Let us know how things are going in your neighborhood. All right, hang tight.
Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back, everybody. Popular, happy, well-rounded kids across America are being exploited online through a sinister scheme that leaves them broken, defeated, or worse. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the U.S. And to raise awareness, SalemNow.com is offering Sexploited in America, the four-part talkie series from AGA Media, at 50% off.
Sexploited in America now just $4.99 at SalemNow.com. All right. There is a dense fog advisory. In effect, for the Mid-South, not just for Democrats, it's for all of us. Yes, there's literal fog out there on the roadways.
Good to have you with us, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome again to Stern's Country. We are broadcasting in the Principal Toyota Memphis studio. If you are looking for a great deal on a car, I want to encourage you to go check out my good buddy Todd Lochner. He's going to get you set up with a great, great deal.
We're also taking your calls today and tomorrow. A lot of folks looking for supplies. By the way, just got this note that Germantown, the Germantown hardware store, has a full supply of sleds.
So if that's your jam, if you want to go sledding down Poplar Avenue, well, you'll be able to get yourself a sled over there. Let's go to Mike in Memphis talking about storm prep. Hi, Mike. What's on your storm prep list? Hey, greetings, Todd.
Yes, for long term power outages, remember your water towers use electricity to pump the water into the tower. If they're without power for a week and everybody's flushing commodes every five minutes and running water to keep from freezing pipes, the water is going to run out. You'll have no water.
So you need to make sure that if you're planning ahead, fill your tubs, do not drain your water heater. You'll need it because you're going to need water to drink and water to flush with. And you might want to conserve by consolidating as much as you can before you flush. Those are your big water consumption items right there that you need to prepare for. Mike, that's actually really good advice.
You know, the other thing: grab yourself some gallon jugs.
So after you finish your Milo sweet tea, don't throw away the jug. Wash it out, fill it up with water, and put it in the freezer as well.
So at least it'll stay cold. And when the power goes out, that should also help preserve some of the food there, at least for a little while. My garage is packed with Milos, empty jugs full.
Well, not empty now, they're full of water. But yeah, you got the right idea. You know, it's it's and look, I know people are going to be really angry at MLGW when the lights go out, but if we really do get anything over, I mean, a quarter inch of ice, it's going to bring down power lines. I mean, that's just the reality of it. And it's going to take folks, it's going to take those alignment a little while to get out there and get all that work done.
And make friends with your neighbors who have generators and pools because you're going to probably need a power line and some water to keep that commode going. That is great advice.
So all you folks in East Memphis, you better get to know Dean Franklin very well. He's got a generator. Mike, are you all it sounds like you're all set and you're prepared, ready to go? Yeah, I've been working on this for a long time. I'm native Memphian, and so when the ice storm hits, I'm helping others because we're ready to roll.
I love it. You'll have to give us a call on the national show today. That's great advice. And over 100 million people in the nation are going to be under some sort of a winter storm warning. And most of them are like us.
We don't have to deal with this on a regular basis.
So this is sort of new territory. You know, when, unless folks have been around since what was it, 93, 94, when the last big ice storm hit, somewhere around that time. Yeah, we've had a few. I mean, I remember back in 98 when we had about 14 inches of snow, and I was just a kid tunneling through this stuff. But, you know, we may do.
And you learn from those experiences how to prepare so the next time it happens, you're not in a bind. Yeah, I love it. Mike, appreciate the call. You be safe. Give us a call back tomorrow.
Let us know how things are going. Let's go to Bobby in Nashville, who listens, one of our regular Nashville listeners. Hey, Bobby, what's going on up in Nash Vegas? Hey, good morning, Todd. Yeah, K Wham is my favorite station to get through natural rush hours.
Well, we're glad to hear that because Rush Hauer's a booker there in uh in uh the middle part of the state. Oh, yes, it about took me like a half hour just to get through Interstate twenty four this morning. My goodness. All right. Well, tell us real quick, Bobby.
Grocery stores, how's Winter Storm Prep doing in your part of the state? Um, well, ooh, those shells. and some Murfreesboro Walmart, they are empty. It is it is crazy. They're empty and um But thankfully, my wife and I, we don't really panic by like that because we have canned goods and like those.
like mac mac and cheese, we we just keep in storage for like months. And we So we don't need to panic by. Look, I've got enough Wolf River no-beans chili to last me through the apocalypse, so I'm good to go. Good to be here. Oh, yeah.
That sounds amazing. All right. That sounds amazing. Yeah. Well, Bobby, thank you for calling in.
You be safe up there in Nashville, and we're going to do our best to be safe here in West Tennessee as well. Great American patriot, that fella is. Got a chance to meet him at a KWM event a few months back, and we just love meeting all of our great friends out there that listen to the station. Again, our telephone number: 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926.
Want to go back to An interview that we did last night with the mayor of Knox County. That would be Glenn Jacobs, who's been doing a lot of he's been doing a lot of traveling, spending a lot of time. Here in West Tennessee. A lot of folks suspect he may actually be Marshall Blackburn's replacement in the U.S. Senate.
So, Glenn was on my Newsmax show last night. We covered a lot of ground, especially the situation there in Minneapolis and what's happening here in the volunteer state. Let's take a listen. Good to see you, Mr. Mayor.
You know, this is just really breathtaking to see the magnitude of the fraud coming out of Minnesota. Your reaction.
Well, thanks for having me on, Todd. First of all, to me, it's not really a surprise. I mean, this is unfortunately just how the system works. When we think about immigration, one of the most important aspects of that is the welfare system and this magnet that attracts people who are just want to live off the system and want to live off of, as Mr. Shirley said, the efforts of hardworking Americans.
So it's terrible, but it should really come as a surprise anyway because unfortunately, All welfare systems, this is where they tend to go, you know, with the fraud and just the fact that it ends up becoming so large and becoming such a Massive percentage of budgets overall that this fraud sometimes just becomes almost a roundy there, and that's unacceptable, obviously, but nevertheless, that's the case. You know, I'm curious because this is an issue that's impacting just about every state in the nation. The number of illegals, and especially the numbers that were flown into Tennessee in the dark of night during the last administration, you've got a state representative right out of the Nashville area calling ICE agents KKK and comparing them to some of the most awful people. How big of a deal is that in the volunteer state?
Well, I think we do a good job here. We've been a 287G county, which means that our law enforcement county is deputized by ICE.
So when someone is picked up, they are allowed to check their immigration status. And if they are a legal immigrant, they are held for processing by ICE. In many cases, then you find that there are more charges. And we've also had a couple incidents where illegal immigrants have been driving without a license, without insurance, been involved in accidents. People have died as a result of that.
So that's a problem as well. But our legislature has been working at the White House on comprehensive immigration reform. We're the first state in the nation to do that.
So we take it very seriously here. Back to Minnesota for just a moment. When you look at what's happening in Minneapolis, we're the mayor of that city, a major American city, telling people basically to get in the faces of ICE agents to try to somehow sabotage their efforts. I'm just curious, you're a lawmaker, your reaction to what's happening there in Minnesota with elected leadership. It's really foreign to me.
These sort of things don't happen in East Tennessee.
So when I watch TV and I see this, I'm like, is this America that I'm looking at? But it just shows you that state and local government really do matter. And I feel horrible for many of the people in Minneapolis and Minnesota because this is going on. But at the same time, This is, in many cases, almost what you voted for when you put people in power like that. And we just don't have that here in East Tennessee.
We just wouldn't tolerate it. Our people here wouldn't tolerate it.
So it's incredibly unfortunate. But again, for me, it's almost alien because I could never envision. anything like that. Sheriff Spangler here, there's no way that that would happen in Knox County.
So it's really a testament to good local leadership. And for the rest of the country, you know, you should be looking at your state and local leadership and thinking to yourselves, you know, are these the people that we want running things? Because when you have the wrong people in positions of authority, this is what you get.
Well, and I have to imagine in Knox County, you wouldn't have folks barging into church services and disrupting Sunday worship. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And that was just these people, obviously, they're just they're professional agitators. They get outraged at everything.
As you said, you look what happened under the Obama administration.
Now Trump is doing Basically, the same thing, even not to that same extent.
Now, all of a sudden, you're bad, you're evil because it's Trump. You know, and that's what it all comes down to. I hate Republicans, I hate Donald Trump. Therefore, I can infringe on someone's right to go to a church service and to. Feel safe and to worship the Lord in a peaceful way, just completely unacceptable.
And those people should be ashamed of themselves for doing that. They won't be, but they should be ashamed of themselves for doing that. Popular, happy, well-rounded kids across America are being exploited online through a sinister scheme that leaves them broken, defeated, or worse. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the U.S. And to raise awareness, SalemNow.com is offering Sexploited in America, the four-part talkie series from AGA Media, at 50% off.
Sexploited in America now, just $4.99 at SalemNow.com. All right, we were talking about Ben Dieter and the break. You can't help but smile when you talk about Dieter. Daniel Irwin joining us from the Better Business Bureau. Daniel, hope you're doing well.
I am. I am. It's kind of cold, but I'm doing okay. A smidge, a smidge. I want to go, Daniel, we're going to hang tight for a second.
I want to bring in Joey Solopek, who may or may not be wearing a cape. Joey, your social media is starting to scare me a little bit. Yeah. Well, the good news is this tape keeps you warm when those temperatures drop. Fair enough.
Man, you're crushing it. I mean, you're all over the place. And I think a lot. I've got to brag on you for a moment. I can't name the large city here in Shelby County, but I was talking to somebody that was a part of their emergency planning, and I said, Hey, what's the latest?
You know, what are you guys hearing? And they said, follow Joey Sullipec's Facebook page.
Well, that's a huge compliment. Very, very kind. I'll tell you off air.
Okay, that's good. That's good.
So, yeah, this is still looking like a mess, Todd. Not much has changed. And I'll tell you: if we're going to speak in broad generalities, I think the heaviest snow expectation starting. uh late Friday, early morning to Saturday, is going to be north of Memphis. Unfortunately, I still think freezing rain or sleet is going to be a huge component.
And that looks pretty strong for North Mississippi, but let's go to that middle line where Memphis is and the surrounding areas. Everything is in play, but I'm still tilting towards ICE being a bigger impact. And I wish that wasn't the case. And I will tell you that I want to be wrong. But right now, that's what I still see headed our way throughout the day Saturday.
All right. So now is the time to get ready. And it certainly looks like a lot of people are already starting to do that, Joey. Yeah, you know, I've had people call me and say they went into Kroger and there wasn't even any celery left. And I don't know why you need celery for a snow or iceberg.
It really is going to be apocalypse. Yeah, the shelves are bare, but I will say this. Listen, I'm a fan of. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. And we've had a lot of advanced knowledge on this one that.
Something is headed our way. It is going to be dangerously cold starting Saturday into the next like three to four days. And if ice is a component and some of us happen to lose power, that's going to be an issue.
So I, you know, if this thing were to fall apart, I'd be thrilled because then everybody would be safe and warm. But like you just said. It's best now just to make some decisions just in case you get stuck and it's cold. Joey, we've got to pivot over to Daniel Irwin, who's going to give us some tips on making sure we don't get ripped off with contractors coming in. We're going to check in with you again tomorrow.
And again, we are going to have K-WAM manned 24-7 during the storm and the aftermath.
So, folks, you're going to have a lifeline. You want to talk to somebody on the radio? You're going to be able to do that. Joey, we really appreciate the great work you're doing. I tell you, you are a lifeline for many, many people here in the city.
Thanks, Todd. Love Kay Williams. All right. Joey Selepec, our resident superhero. And if you haven't seen his social media page, you got to he makes a great hero.
What can you say? Daniel Irwin. A lot of people are going to be trying to take advantage. Of homeowners over the next 72 hours. Yes.
And it's a good idea now to start thinking about, you know, like you said, you know, we're prepared for the worst. We hope for the best.
Well, the worst can mean ice and that can mean repairs. That can mean, you know, falling tree limbs and stuff.
So go ahead and now and think about who you might call if you need something done. Don't wait to the last minute. Because after a storm, we see what we call storm chasers. Those are less than reputable people that show up at your door saying that they can do repairs, usually for a lower cost, or they may say they're already doing repairs at your neighbor's house. But typically, after a major storm, we see people that come down from like Kentucky or places like that.
And the problem is, is not all of them are bad, but a lot of them won't be here after, you know, they've done the repairs.
So if something goes wrong, you've got no recourse.
So if they're from out of town, I would automatically be suspect. And nothing personal, but I think this is where you really do want somebody local to be fixing what's broken. Right. And especially if you're in Memphis, because. Home improvement licensing can be very, very tricky because in Tennessee it varies county to county.
Now in Shelby County, jobs under $25,000 don't require a license. That's a handyman or someone like that.
So anybody can do that. Jobs $25,000, or excuse me, jobs up to $3,000 require no license. That's a handyman. Jobs $3,000 to $25,000 require what's called a home improvement license. And then anything after $25,000 requires a general contract.
contractor's license. I think there's a misconception that there's some type of competency license for a tree trimmer, but there's not.
So you've got to be really, really careful when you're picking someone to do the repairs on your house. You want to make sure they're licensed because that means that someone has checked their insurance, right? But when you come to tree trimmers, which might come into play here if we have a lot of ice. Be very, very weary of someone that just shows up your door with a chainsaw because there is no competency license in the state of Tennessee for a tree trimmer. And you're responsible for your tree.
So if that person gives you a great deal, that's great. But if they don't know what they're doing and they lop off a limb in an incorrect way and something falls on your neighbor's house or falls on your house. You're liable for that. And if you didn't use, you know, a proper person, right, or someone that's local, you know, your insurance company might not cover that claim.
So you just have to be very careful who you use and make sure you vet them. This is all great common sense advice. And it's just hard because when you're in the throes of, oh my gosh, I have a hole in my roof, or you know, the water pipes have busted, you really freak out and you're not thinking clearly.
So that's why you need to have a plan going into all of this. Right. And remember, reputable contractors are going to be booked out and they're going to be busy after a major storm.
So just be really very weary of anybody that just shows up unannounced and wants to give you a discount. And then also the other thing we talk about is, you know, you have to do what's best for you and your house. And there's a lot of people after a storm that may not be skilled, but they genuinely want to help, right? Maybe it's a neighbor that wants to climb on in and cut a limb off your tree or something, right? And that's great.
We know that people want to help, but that may not be the safest or the best thing because, again, you have to think about. About, you know, does this person know what they're doing? Just because they want to help me out in a buying doesn't mean that they're qualified to trim my tree or doesn't mean they're qualified to do that repair, right? And that could kind of come into play later when you're talking about insurance claims. And one of the things we're going to be doing starting tomorrow, we have assembled our team of experts on roofing, plumbing, generators, you name electricity.
We're going to have those people here taking your calls tomorrow on the morning show.
So if you've got questions about, okay, should I run hot water, cold water, should I drip? Should I let it be a stream? We're going to answer all those questions for you tomorrow. And again, these are well-vetted, reputable people that are from locally owned companies.
So they have a vested interest here in what's happening in the Mid-South. Yeah. And, you know, like I said, get your, that's a great idea. That's great because, you know, I think nowadays, too, so many people get their information from social media, right? From a meme or From a post.
And that may not be the best information either, right? You know, that's not vetted.
So make sure you're getting your advice and your repairs done from a licensed professional. All right, Daniel, where can people go? If they want to get information, they can reach out to you guys right now. Please do. Again, don't wait till after the storm to know who you'll hire.
Go to bbb.org. You can choose an accredited business. You can see their ratings. You can see their reviews. You can see and read their complaints and how they responded to them.
So you know how that business is going to act if there is an issue. You know, and just vet them as much as you can, but check them out. The great thing about hiring an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau is we've already vetted them and we've checked their licensing. All right. Daniel Irwin, Better Business Bureau.
That music means we've got to screw down up here. Folks, KWAMRadio.com, all sorts of breaking news there. Be sure to check it out. We're going to be back tomorrow. Same time, same place.
Stick around. Be safe out there, everybody. We'll see you at 11 o'clock right here on KWAM. This episode was brought to you by Alianz Travel Insurance. Everyone was all set for family vacation.
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