• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

Met fired after speaking out on air against company’s “code red” severe weather outlooks

The TV station in question serves my area, though I didn't watch it over the air very often (dropped cable years ago). Crain was well liked by many people in central Illinois and after he was let go a whole bunch of local businesses withdrew their advertising from the station. He has NOT been rehired; the "agreement" to "move on from their dispute" is generally being interpreted as Channel 20's ploy to get the local advertisers back on board.... but I don't think they are in any hurry to do so.

While Crain did have a point about Code Red being overused, the fact remains that in just about any media job, if you tick off the managers/publishers/owners they have NO obligation to keep employing you.
 
Update: Crain has a new job -- but not in the weather field.

"SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A Springfield meteorologist fired in June for criticizing his TV station’s severe weather-alert brand has been hired at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that Joe Crain will be the $75,000-a-year director of public programs at the Springfield institution.
Museum director Alan Lowe says Crain will oversee the facility’s public events. The job will include developing ideas for public programming, logistics and marketing.
Crain was a WICS-TV staff meteorologist for 15 years when on the air June 5 he agreed with public complaints that “Code Red” weather alerts were overused and caused undue concern. Crain noted it was an initiative of WICS owner Sinclair Broadcast Group."

(The ALPLM is a State of Illinois facility, unlike other presidential museums that are established by private foundations.)
 
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