DEAR SUN SPOTS: I was at Goodwill today shopping for a winter jacket for my 9-year-old daughter. She lost her only warm jacket yesterday at an after-school event. While we waited in quite a long line, a nice woman in front of us commented on my daughter’s patience and we talked about the weather and how expensive everything seems to be these days. She was very sweet. 

After she paid for her items, she waved goodbye and said, “I will remember you both for a long time.” Well, we’ll remember her too. She had paid for the $20 jacket. Thank you, dear lady. We really needed that kindness. —No name, Auburn

ANSWER: Beautiful!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’m looking for the pattern and red yarn to make those knitted hats everyone is talking about. — Louise, no town

ANSWER: The Norwegian resistance hats are a hot item these days. The pattern and materials can be found at just about any yarn shop. The hats are typically red, knitted, and feature a pointed top with a tassel. I’m not a knitter but a friend told me she got her supplies in Freeport at Grace Robinson & Co., 208 Route 1 South (865-6110). The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I’ll add more shops as I find out about them, and you can help by letting me know where you found your red yarn and pattern!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Spectrum has recently changed FOX from Channel 4 to Channel 9 and it is no longer listed on the TV schedule. Is there a reason for its exclusion? — No name, no town

ANSWER: I got help from AI on this one. Based on recent Spectrum channel lineup changes, FOX local affiliates have been moved to new channel numbers (such as moving from 4 to 9 or similar changes) to align with updated over-the-air signal broadcasting. The channel isn’t excluded from your service but has likely shifted due to these adjustments. 

Here are the reasons for the change and how to fix the missing listing in your schedule:

Many FOX affiliates (e.g., FOX23 in some regions) have shifted their broadcast, requiring cable providers like Spectrum to reassign their channel numbers.

Cable box channel guides don’t always update immediately. When a channel moves, the old number may go blank or show “To Be Announced” while the guide catches up. 

You can find or fix the channel by using a manual search. Use your remote to directly enter the new channel number (9 in your case) to see if the signal appears.

Reboot the cable box by unplugging your Spectrum receiver from the power outlet for at least 60 seconds and plug it back in to force a guide update.

If you are using a digital converter box, perform a channel scan to refresh your local channel lineup.

Ensure your guide filter is set to “All Channels” rather than “Subscribed” or “Favorites,” as the new location may not have updated in your filter. 

If the channel still does not appear after these steps, it is recommended to check the updated channel lineup on the MySpectrum app or call Spectrum to refresh your box signal. 

If other readers have advice to share on this topic, please let us know! 

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