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| Misc.
Items About Central Florida Radio This is the place I will post items of interest. Keep checking back. |
Where
Are They Now? 
posted 6-14-08 Gene Witt drops
us a note: "...I was on the air for WKIS(-AM
740) as Gene Witt in Skywatch 1 from late 1983 through spring
1986. I proposed to my wife over the air live during one of my traffic
reports. I was also one of the "traffic twins" on WOCL(-FM
105.9) Cool 105.9 in the fall of 1985. I was alone in one
plane, and another DJ flown by a pilot was in another. We would do the
reports together. I'm currently a Captain for Delta Airlines,
and my wife Kathy (who was the pilot for WHOO(-AM
990)'s Sergeant
Jim Humphries) is also a Captain with American Airlines..."
posted 6-5-08 Lee Brandel of WFIV-AM
1080, WHOO-AM 990,
WHOO-FM 96.5, WTLN-FM
95.3 and WTLN-AM
1520 is now station manager of WKTS-FM 90.1 ("The
Bridge") in Kingston TN. posted
6-4-08 "Slats" (Tim Guinane)
checks in and let's us know he still has a hand in Central Florida
radio. "...now just a semi-retired golf bum who works at Grand
Cypress in the pro shop & v/t (voice tracks) 3-7pm Sundays
on WJRR." We'll be adding
Slats biography soon. Stay tuned... posted
6-4-08 Carol A. Arvo (Carol
Lewis) also checks in. "...I was a
sales rep for WBJW from 1976 through 1979 and remember many of the
people that you have on the list. I worked with Jerry
Peterson,
Tom West (long gone) and MF. Kershner, who I am still on touch with.
My name back then was Carol Lewis and that is what the BJ people would
know me as. It was a wonderful time to be in radio and we had so
much fun. I still remember all the jokes that we played on each
other, the famous book parties and the times we spent together at the
“House of Beef” with other radio reps in the area. I left BJ in
December of 1979 and went to Detroit Michigan where I worked and met
my husband, Tom Arvo who owned his own agency. We brought the
agency back to Orlando in ’82-’83 where it still is and we
are on Howell Branch Road, known as Arvo Communications, Inc.
I still see a few radio people still working in radio and the
industry. Our agency for the last 25 years specialize in
the hospitality industry and I do not have the opportunity to work or
buy local radio anymore.
posted
4-16-08 Remember "The Hideout"
with El Heffe
(Dro Hinojosa) and co-host J
Dubbs that ran on WTKS-FM
104.1 for
a bit less than a year? Well, El
Heffe has been named Program Director at Genesis
Communications' talker, WWBA-AM 1040 and Sports Radio WHBO-AM
1470 in Tampa. He will also host "Next!",
a weekday show from 9AM-10AM on WWBA, counting down Tampa's Top
Five Stories of the Day. |
Don
McNeill's Breakfast Club Broadcasts From Deltona
 
3-1-08Don McNeill and his wife Kay were close friends of the Mackle Brothers, developers of Deltona Lakes (incorporated as the City of Deltona). Don was an early promoter of Deltona Lakes and brought his nationally syndicated radio show - the Breakfast Club - to Deltona on its first anniversary in 1963. There were 250 residents living in the fledgling community, set in a corner of 15,000 acres of scrub pine land scattered with oaks and palms, dotted with clear lakes. Nearly 350 homes had been built or were under construction. For Deltona 's first birthday, radio personality Don McNeill brought the world-renowned " Breakfast Club " to Southwest Volusia where he and his entire cast broadcast the radio show for the week of Nov. 18-22, 1963. The cast included Fran Allison as Aunt Fanny, comic Sam Cowling, and vocalists Mary Luckett and Bob Newkirk. Don was called the "Voice of Deltona" in the community's early years and always showed up to cut the big birthday cake. (20 feet tall one year). Deltona was a "a fine, outstanding baby," McNeill said when he came to cut the first birthday cake. McNeill's visits, and Deltona's birthday celebrations, were documented in local newspapers and the Mackles' monthly newsletter, "The Deltona News," sent to Deltona lot owners around the world. The popular radio show originated in Chicago and was broadcast on more than 400 ABC stations and the Armed Forces Network. For Deltona's first birthday, he broadcast the show from Elkcam Park (Mackle spelled backward) on Lake Monroe for a week. Some 2,000 fans crammed into the little community clubhouse, which still stands, to see Fran Allison as the gossipy Aunt Fanny, portly comic Sam Cowling and singers Mary Anne Luckett and Bob Newkirk. The show was a corny blend of jokes, inspirational poems and music, including a couple of songs about Deltona. |
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| Where
Are They Now? Posted 12-29-07 We heard from Mark Hellinger. We asked if we could share his email with everyone and he gave us the OK. 
Happy New Year To Everyone !!! I hope everyone had a nice Christmas
and remembered what Christmas is all about. 2007 has been a difficult year
for us. Valerie's father passed away on October 16th. Soon
after, my dog Lucy died after 12 years of being the greatest dog in
the world. I miss her so much. In May, Valerie's son
Gregory was shot on his way home from work in Miami. Thank God
he is doing OK. Also in 2007, I found out that cancer was detected
after I had a colonoscopy. Dr. Frank Lopez believes he was able
to catch it just in time. I have to be tested on a regular
basis. My father also battled colon cancer but the doctors
believe they were able to remove the cancer. In 1985, my uncle
Charles Hellinger, former mayor of Ontario, Ohio an co-founder of
Jones Potato Chips Company, died from colon cancer. For
those who know me, it's hard to believe that my little body can
have so much trauma and survive. I remember in 2002, doctors at
Grady Hospital in Atlanta told my parents that I had less than 48
hours to live after heart failure and kidney failure. I
totally believe that God had his reasons for keeping me on this earth.
I know for a fact that God brought me to Jasper, Georgia to
reopen WYYZ Radio to be of service to hundreds if not thousands
of people. I know for a fact that what we (the staff) at WYYZ
was a blessing to many. Even though the past five years has been
a struggle, there has been a lot of good that has happened in my life.
I met Valerie in January of 2004. We were married six months
later. Before January of 2004, I thought no one would ever want
to spend their life with me. When I least expected it, God
answered my prayers. During my illness, I know for a fact that many
people prayed for me and that's why I am here today. No matter what
2008 might bring, I know that I am in good company. A
wonderful wife and a God who loves me no matter what I have done in
the past. I know that God does answer prayers so I am asking
you to say a prayer or two for me, Valerie, and my family. I LOVE
ALL OF YOU !!! HAPPY NEW YEAR AND PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH.
LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST.
Mark Hellinger Wyyz1490@aol.com
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| Where
Are They Now? Posted 4-20-07 From Rick (Saylor) Morgan of Rick and Dick fame; "Just in case anyone ever utters the phrase, "Whatever happened to that Rick Saylor guy? Yeah, that 'Rick and Dick dude". Here's the scoop. For the past 13 years I've been doing morning drive for about 85 stations on the Hot Country format for the Jones Radio Networks in Denver, Colorado. I lost the Rick Saylor name back in Tampa in the late '80's when I was doing mornings for Mix96 (Morgan & Mimi/Morgan & Murphy) It's Rick Morgan now (Morgan in the Morning). I also do some part-time work for Clear Channel in Denver doing midday traffic reports for several stations. Doesn't everyone in radio have 2 or 3 jobs? |
| Follow-up
Posted 2-1-07 Gary S. Wheeler aka Adam Cook, former program director at WXXL-FM 106.7 pleaded no contest to charges that he used the Internet to lure a child for sex and send sexually explicit photographs to a Citrus County sheriff's detective posing as a 14-year-old girl. Circuit Judge Ric Howard gave the 49-year-old a suspended 15-year prison sentence, meaning Wheeler won't spend jail time if he successfully completes 15 years of sex offender probation. Judge Howard also ordered him to pay $3,000 in fines, undergo electronic monitoring and register as a sex offender. Wheeler could have been sentenced to jail for as long as 15 years. Wheeler's wife was in court supporting him. Wheeler apologized for his actions, saying that he is "looking for a new start." |
| Radio
Memories Posted 8-10-06 Bob Lipscomb the assistant Chief Engineer for Salem Media's five stations in Atlanta dropped us an email the other day. He reminisced about his CFLRadio memories. "...My first exposure to radio was WEUS (now WLBE-AM 790) in Eustis, my home town, where as kids returning from the Saturday afternoon movies in the late 40's, we would stop by the studios and watch a live country-western band playing on the radio. Later on in the late 50's while living in Winter Garden and in high school, I met the owners of WGOA (now WOKB-AM 1600) shortly after they started the station which was at that time a full service MOR station. They did a midday live show from the Citrus Tower over in Clermont five days a week. Another story I recall, is "Radio Hi Fi", WHIY, (now WRLZ-AM 1270) in Orlando having an announcer lock himself in the control room and play the song "Personality" (by Lloyd Price) all day long. After that it was called "Personality Radio" for a while. We later moved to Melbourne where I graduated from high school while working part time at WMMB(-AM 1240) dubbing taped commercials. This was prior to cart machines so commercials were all recorded on reel to reel tapes. I was eventually replaced by a new fangled device called a Gates Spot Recorder which put all the commercials on a paper roll size roll of tape and allowed the reel to reel commercial playing to be phased out. After graduating from Brevard Community College I went to work for Harris Corporation in Palm Bay but did a short stint as a weekend announcer/engineer for WMEG (now WMEL-AM 920) working from 6 PM to the 1 AM sign off. The studios were out in a near swamp West of Eau Gallie and I can recall attempting to read the news live on the air while swatting mosquitoes with my other hand. Where
Are They Now? Update on JJ
Duling Posted 4-18-06 Chuck Bennett
Posted 10-24-05 Names and More Names
Posted
8-15-05
Bobby
Sharpe, WLOF-AM
950 personality let us know he's hosting Saturday nights #1,
25-54 funk and dance show on "STAR 94.5", WCFB-FM
94.5. Bobby's been there just short of 5 years now. Bobby
also worked at the old "Hot Rockin' Y-106" WHLY-FM
106.7 from 1983 until 1986. Then it was on to Philadelphia
with his mentor Scott Walker at WCAU/WOGL.
Bobby had a 10 year run there.
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Before
Arbitron There was Mediastat Click photos for a full sized view
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The Passing of a Legend |
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Late Night Reception |
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Where are they now? |
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WLOF
TOUR |
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My
Daddy the DJ |
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Bobby Andrews, son of radio legend Bob
Andrews relays some great stories and personal memories
about Central Florida radio and his dad. |
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Chastain's
Restaurant |
| "Radio Tales..." Wonderful stories about radio personalities from Anne Jeffries |
"WKIS(-AM 740) used to have a morning man named Al Dunaway and the infamous Bud Brewer did overnights. One morning Al was making the drive time "KIS cash call" and boy did he get a wrong number as the dialog went like this: Al: Good Morning this is the WKIS cash call, what's your name? Caller: Al?, what are you doing this is Bud. Al: Well good morning Bud, can you give me the count and the amount? Caller: Al, I don't think you understand. This is Bud...Bud Brewer...I work here. Al: Bud? gee, how did I get your number. Caller: Beats the sh*t out of me AL..!! It seems that Al had awakened Bud who had just gotten off from his overnight shift. This "phoner" led to WKIS issuing a policy that all phone calls had to be taped in advance of being aired. It was a story frequently told at the media lunch table at Malcolm's Hungry Bear (restaurant) and "beats the sh*t out of me Al" had become somewhat of a catch phrase. One morning while working at WHOO-FM 96.5, Frank Vaught who was doing sports for the AM station, tapped me on the shoulder and called me into the production room. Much to my surprise Frank actually played me an aircheck of this infamous phoner, proving once an for all it was a true story. "Being fortunate enough to be an accepted member of the lunchtime media group at Malcolm's (Hungry Bear restaurant on Colonial Drive-next door to the old Dancing Waters restaurant) I have many stories I can share. Back when Carole Nelson was doing news at WDBO-AM 580) she was having lunch one day at Malcolm's with the media group. (One of the nice things about Malcolm's were those comfortable captains chairs with arm rests at the tables.) Well one of the fellows at the media table was on the OPD (Orlando Police Department) force and as a prank, handcuffed Carole to her chair. After making a couple of jokes he got up, paid his check and promptly left. After about 10 minutes or so it became apparent that he was not returning and Carol needed to get back to the DBO studio for her newscast. Quickly running out of time they called a cab, loaded Carole and the chair in the back and headed for the studio. As luck would have it they made it back to WDBO just in time for Carole (still handcuffed to the chair) to grab her copy and do her newscast! From what I understand it was completely hysterical and proved Carole once and for all to be a "good sport". |
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