Mike's Newspaper Column

Mike's Newspaper Column
Read Mike's column weekly in the Times Community Newspaper Family, including the legendary Kettering-Oakwood Times, and posted here the following week.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Dyslexia fundraiser hits home with radio show host Mike Scinto

by
Dale Huffman

October 1, 2007
Dayton Daily News (OH)
SECTION: Local
PAGE: A6


As a veteran Dayton radio talk show host, Mike Scinto is sometimes called upon to help support and publicize charity events and fundraisers. "I am always pleased to help when I can," Scinto said. "But when the folks organizing a walk to help children with dyslexia were in touch, there was no doubt I would give until it hurts. This one is close to my heart."

Scinto, who hosts a radio talk show on WDAO-AM (1210) weekdays from noon to 2 p.m., has a personal interest in dyslexia.

"My son Zak, who now is 15, has been challenged with this his whole life," Scinto said. "We knew he had a problem with words, but it was six years ago when we took him to Children's Medical Center, and they diagnosed him with severe dyslexia."

Scinto said he learned dyslexia is a language-based disorder characterized by difficulties in single-word decoding. It can result in problems with reading, writing and spelling.

"They tell me that people who suffer from dyslexia are sometimes considered to be lazy, rebellious or class clowns," Scinto said. "These misconceptions, without understanding dyslexia's effect on the person's life, can lead to rejection, isolation, feelings of inferiority and low selfesteem."

Scinto's son is a sophomore at Tippecanoe High School. "The teachers there are very helpful, but in the past we had to explain the situation to some teachers. Then they were more than willing to work with Zak and help him deal with it."

Scinto, who has been a talk show host for three decades in Dayton, also fills in from time to time for Mike Gallagher, a nationally syndicated radio talk show host based in New York City, and also is a guest contributor on the Fox News Channel on television.

"On a personal note, I can't imagine what it would be like to struggle with dyslexia, since my profession is based on using words," Scinto said. "It makes me think I really do take a lot for granted." Over a year ago Scinto's son began attending special classes for those with dsylexia sponsored by the Shriners at the Dayton Masonic Temple, 525 W. Riverview Ave.

"Students are given specialized lessons in learning to cope by highly trained professionals," Scinto said. "It is working and many young people are being helped."

According to Scinto, there is a waiting list for classes at the Masonic Learning Center. "There is a shortage of trained tutors and not enough school room space," he said.

That is why Scinto, and many other caring folks in the Miami Valley, are supporting a fundraising 5K walk to benefit the Masonic Learning Center for Children on Oct. 13, beginning at 10 a.m.

Mike Terwilliger, chief meteorologist for Dayton 22 and Fox 45 television in Dayton, and I have been invited to take part by acting as honorary co-chairmen.

Mike and I invite you to join the walk which begins at the Masonic Temple and includes a stroll through historic Daytonview and along the Great Miami River downtown.

Participants can walk at their own pace and can make a contribution as they wish. In the past, some have donated and decided not to walk.

For more information, call (937) 496-2242.

Dale Huffman wants your story ideas. This column is for you. Send e-mail to dhuffman@DaytonDailyNews.com or write to Dale at 1611 S. Main St. Dayton OH 45409. Fax: (937) 225-2489. Phone: (937) 225-2272.

Copyright, 2007, Cox Ohio Publishing. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Campaign 2008-Here We Go Again

by

Mike Scinto

January 24, 2007

With the infusion of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s names officially into America’s political veins this past week, I feel compelled to once again express my concerns about how our election system has evolved.

The race is on. Actually, truth be known, the race began well before our 2006 election. I have been involved in covering elections from both the news booth and the talk show host’s chair for three decades. Back in the Reagan and Bush (Bush #41) years I was actively chasing candidates down on the campaign trail and sticking microphones in their faces to grab that perfect sound bite for my show. But I’ve changed as have the campaigns. I believe my metamorphosis has been good. I can’t say the same for the candidates.

Back in 2003-2004 presidential hopefuls were traveling up and down County Road 25-A more than I was……and I travel it at least twice daily. The greater Dayton area was ground zero for the campaigns.

I was offered presidential press credentials by both political parties and afforded the opportunity to be at any and all of their traverses through the Miami Valley. I declined all of them. I was simply burned out on the whole process.

Don’t get me wrong, I love our system in principal. What I’m not crazy about is what my colleagues in the media have turned it into….a circus. It’s an expensive circus too.

There was always speculation about who might throw their hat in the ring in the next presidential election. But the campaigning really didn’t start until late fall the year before election year. And that was early enough for me.

And the price tags; I haven’t looked at the most recent price tag estimates for the 2008 presidential elections but I guarantee you’d have to win several of the 200 million dollar power balls drawings to have a snowball’s chance in Miami of being able to run.

I have a feeling Abe Lincoln and his contemporaries are rolling over in their graves. The day of walking, or riding a horse or slow train, from town to town and actually meeting the people face-to-face is long gone. The best we get is a high def visit on our plasma TV with pre-screened Q and A and well-spun promises. The closest we come to shaking their hand is clicking the remote.

And this is good for us and the future of our system? Maybe these changes were inevitable just as progress is inevitable. Well, you may not stop progress, or even slow it down. That doesn’t mean it’s always for the best. I suppose I sound a bit like my Dad and Granddad now. Maybe the values they instilled in me weren’t so “uncool” after all…..I just didn’t realize it at the time.

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Mike Scinto hosts the longest running radio talk show in Southwestern Ohio. Now in its 30th year, The Mike Scinto Show can be heard from Noon until 2:00 PM weekdays on 1210AM WDAO. Mike also sits in on the nationally syndicated Mike Gallagher Show and is a contributor on cable’s Fox News Channel.