Original Call Letters: WEUS

Originally Licensed: Aug 1947   

Original City of License: Leesburg 

Original Frequency: 790 

Origin of Call Letters: Location; LeesBurg/Eustis 

Original Power: 5,000 watts daytime/1,000 watts nighttime

Original Location: 1240 Floradell Ave.

Network Affiliation(s):

History Of WLBE
The Husebo brothers, Paul and Wendy, came to Lake County from Minneapolis in 1951. Wendy had worked in a major station there as the program director and chief announcer. When his brother, Paul Husebo, called him to say he was moving to Central Florida from their native Minnesota, Wendy Husebo told him if he found a radio station for sale, he would move, too. While Paul Husebo was scouting around for the right town, he arrived in Leesburg on the day of the Watermelon Festival. He liked the friendliness and the activity in the town, spotted a radio tower and stopped in a gas station to call the station. "He asked if the station was for sale, and the voice said, `Yes.' " WLBE, had been purchased by the former publisher of Liberty Magazine, who died within six months,  Husebo said. The man's wife was stuck trying to keep the station running. From 1951 to 1962, WLBE was a major news source to people in Lake County. Husebo remembered the first remote broadcast of a Leesburg High School football game in Palatka and a 37-hour stretch at the microphone during Hurricane Donna in 1960. "People depended on radio for local news," he said. "We didn't have television, and most of the papers were weekly. So, we tried to cover everything."  Lacking also were the services of an advertising and public relations agency. When area businesses wanted to stage a grand opening or plan a promotion, they went to Wendy Husebo. So did civic leaders in Leesburg, when, in a twist of fate, they named him chairman of the festival that helped bring him to Leesburg. In the 1950s, the Leesburg Watermelon Festival was important to the city. To promote it, the mayor and prominent residents formed a 30-car motorcade with a P.A. system and part of the high-school band and visited all the other towns in the area. "Our mayor would pop out and present their mayor with a watermelon," Husebo said. "The people in the cars would jump out and put posters in all the windows..." By 1962, he was so involved in promotion outside the radio business that he sold WLBE and formed Husebo Advertising & Public Relations. His son, Lanny Husebo, worked with him in the mid-1970s. "He has become known for his sayings, "How may I brighten your day?" and "Consider it done."

Tampa Tribune Jul 12, 1949
PEPPER TO TALK AT OPENING OF RADIO STATION LEESBURG. 
July 11 (Special)  Senator Claude Pepper and Congressman A. S. (Syd) Herlong are expected to speak at opening ceremonies of Lake County's new radio station. WLBE, Thursday night, Aug. 4. Paul Hunter, former editor and publisher of Liberty Magazine, who has purchased both radio stations WLBE of Leesburg and WEUS of Eustis, will begin operating WLBE, a consolidation of the two, July 24, he said today. WLBE will use the WEUS spot of 790 on the dial and the Eustis 1000-watt transmitter. Programs will originate In the Leesburg studios on Floradel Ave. and in the Eustis studios on Magnolia Ave.

Eustis Lake Region News July 28, 1949
Click photo for full sized view

Tampa Tribune Nov. 1, 1951
Sale of Leesburg Radio Station Is Announced
LEESBURG, Oct. 31. (Special) Sale of radio station WLBE, of Leesburg and Eustis, awaiting approval of the Federal Communications Commission, was announced today by the owner, Mrs. Paul Hunter, for an unrevealed price. Purchasers are two brothers from Minnesota: Paul Husebo, of Minneapolis, and Wendell Husebo, of Thief River Falls. The sale includes the Silver Lake studio, transmitter and radio equipment of the station. Wendell has had considerable radio experience, while Paul was formerly associated in the wholesale hardware business. Radio station WLBE was formed from stations WLBE of Leesburg and WEUS of Eustis a little more than two years ago. when it was purchased by the Paul Hunters. This past year the station became affiliated with the Liberty Broadcasting network.

Clark Taylor-1966-"Clark Taylor Show"-Heard Broadcasting, Inc.  Biography

Charles (Charlie) Northrup-1966-Heard Broadcasting, Inc.

R. Hogsboro-1967-Chief Engineer-Heard Broadcasting, Inc.

Dutch Edwards-1971-Heard Broadcasting, Inc.

Wayne Coleman-1972-1974-Heard Broadcasting, Inc.

Dick Ravenhill-1975-Program Director-WLBE Radio, Inc.  In Memory

Tom Slusarchyk-1985-WLBE 790, Inc.

Greg Sherlock-2007-2008-WLBE 790, Inc.

Andrew Silanskas-2007-2008-Creator, Producer & Host-"Powerline 790"-WLBE 790, Inc. 

Fred Johnson-2008-Co-host "Lake County/Central Florida Roundtable"-WLBE 790, Inc.

Ralph Smith-2008-Co-host "Lake County/Central Florida Roundtable"-WLBE 790, Inc.

Lee Gillette-News Director  

Michael Solt

Bill Gephart-News Director  In Memory

"Uncle Russie"-Russ Ross-Mon-Fri-4PM-6PM  Biography

Chuck Stevens-Host of "Party Line"-WLBE 790, Inc.. 

Eve Martin-Host of "Eve the Mystic"-WLBE 790, Inc.

Al Martin-WLBE 790, Inc.

Mark Logas-WLBE 790, Inc. Biography                  

Ronald V. Regan-Host of "Veterans Cafe"-WLBE 790, Inc.

Allan Konstan-Engineer/Announcer

Tommy Roberts-Program Director