A 'family' reunion for KGEZ

Stokes says he’ll be on the air soon

The Edge Family - loyal listeners to The Edge, John Stokes' former Z-600 Radio - had a reunion Sunday afternoon.

They got together, said several people chatting beside a campfire at the sunny outdoor social gathering, because they missed talking with each other on the call-in shows that Stokes hosted on KGEZ Radio.

Those shows came to an abrupt end on Sept. 24 when federal bankruptcy court trustees seized Stokes' assets, including the station. A judge had denied Stokes' bid to rescind his Chapter 13 bankruptcy and ordered his Chapter 7 liquidation.

At Sunday's gathering, the listeners celebrated some good news for Stokes.

Stokes said he expects to be back in the old radio station building and on the air in a couple weeks.

And he said Bob Barr, the 2008 Libertarian presidential nominee and an Atlanta-based attorney, has all but agreed to sign on as Stokes' new lawyer.

Barr sent him the attorney's retainer paperwork, Stokes said.

Stokes signed it and sent it back, he added. All he has to do now is raise $75,000 for legal fees.

That figure came from Stokes' new Web site. When asked for the dollar figure on Sunday, Stokes said it was a private matter between Barr and himself.

Sunday's gathering was billed by one supporter as a fundraiser. Stokes characterized its purpose a bit differently.

"To keep all the people together, give them hope," he said.

"I think we'll get the station back. We're working now with a legal team," Stokes said. "But I'm still streaming."

The Edge's new Web site streams free downloads from American Freedom Radio and Rule of Law, Stokes said. It has an on-air schedule and blogs yet to go live, new links, a chat room, a link titled "take action" and another link to donate to Stokes' legal fund.

Stokes talked Sunday of the way bankruptcy trustees are mishandling the radio station's business by not paying its bills or invoicing accounts or airing advertisements. He talked of the "unlawful" $4 million defamation judgment that the Gardner family won against him.

He's hopeful, he said, "but it's still up to the men in black."

Sunday's get-together was at Judy and Tim Rowland's West Reserve home, the site of a farmer's market and Hutterite produce outlet.

"He's all about connecting the community," Judy Rowland said. She had gotten into the habit of daily calls during his midday show just to stay in touch.

"And you knew that 2 1/2 hours a day, five days a week you could call up and be connected with the whole family. Now we don't have that."

She said Stokes is a great asset to the valley, a man who fostered connections.

"It's just about a family," Rowland said, "A community that became a family. … This man is no rebel rouser."

Judah's Roar, a local Christian band, offered a musical backdrop. Choruses of "Happy Birthday" went out to a 13-year-old and an octogenarian. Attendees shared finger food.

"We're here because we've been listeners since the beginning," Doug Chase said. "This is the only place you can get the truth."

Myrl Arthur agreed. He talked of government misinformation about flu vaccines and about connecting with the family.

"People just want the truth," Arthur said. "All the crap you hear from the government organizations … they're not telling us the truth. And all the lies eventually get exposed."