89.5
WETS Environmental News Online
The
idea for the WETS Environmental News program was born when Pete Zars, a
member of the Sequoia Group in California (where a similar radio program
was already in existence), moved to East Tennessee and brought it to the
attention of Jane Ensign. They decided to try it and in November of 1992
WETS Environmental News was founded with the recording of the first studio
promo with Pete Zars, Jane Ensign, Arthur Smith and Kristin Zimet. The
first show aired March 6, 1993.
Getting To Know the Staff
Jane Ensign * Arthur S. Smith * Pete Zars
* Dean Whitworth * Captain Jack West
Marie Graves * Frosty Levy * Elaine Walker
Rob Eggers * Ron Wickman * Don Sluder
Kevin O'Donnell * Kathy and Brian Stubblefield
One of the founding members of the program, Arthur S. Smith, is a retired chemical engineer from Kingsport who writes extensively for Environmental News and reads scripts on the air regularly. His current environmental concerns include sprawl, excessive automobile dependence, too many highways, protection of national forests, regional air pollution and the connected issues of litter and recycling. Arthur loves hiking and gardening. He describes himself as a competent amateur botanist and experienced birder.
Jane
Ensign is also one of the founding members of the program. Her many tasks
include editor, producer, writer and organizer.
Dean
Whitworth joined Environmental News at its early stages in Spring of '93.
He makes his living in engineering, acting and conservation. He occasionally
writes for and moderates the show.
Marie
Graves is a regular reader for Environmental News. She is happy to be involved
in order to act in a small way on her beliefs and concerns about the environment.
Marie says, "reading poetry and fiction is a special creative outlet for
me, and I am amazed how much I learn about our environment at each recording
session."
(PICTURE TO GO HERE)
Frosty
Levy and Elaine Walker (NO BLURB YET)
Kevin
O'Donnell is an Associate Professor of English
at East Tennessee State University and has lived in the Southern Appalachians
since 1993. He enjoys hiking, nature writing (whatever that is, exactly),
and regional history.
