WADS

Contributor Frank Derak:

     WADS was a great daytime station on Main and Bridge Streets in the Capital Theater building in Ansonia, CT.  The voice of the valley, serving Ansonia, Derby, Shelton and Seymour plus southern CT including Bridgeport and New Haven.  Sydney E. Byrnes was the owner and a regular voice on the air with editorials, news, valley stories and the big one, the terrible flood of 1955.  He was there on top of it.

        Wes Hobby was the operations manager and did a record show with music from the 40’s and 50’s during the mid day and Frank was the inland marine reporter, trailering a marine boat equipped with weather and fishing information gear.  Frank traveled to various inland lakes (Zoar, Candlewood, Compounce) plus off shore Long Island Sound locations in our coverage area.  Great assignment covering all water beauty pageants, board shows, water ski shows and he reported on marine weather and fishing conditions Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

       Steve Powers joined our staff as News Director, with Jim McLean, Gordon Bensing, and Allan Fletcher.  Other personalies included Don Richeson who later became GM of WADS and Tim Richmond.

       We had the reliable music host, and on air talents of Vin Roberts who would come through for us in many emergencies.  Wes, Frank, Steve, Vin, Syd, Don and Mary contributed time and effort on behalf of the station to the Valley Association for Retarded Children and Adults.

  The weekends were filled with ethnic programming including a Polish show starting Victor and Sophie Zembrusky.  We even had a world famous entertainer on the air.  Rose Ria, who lived in the area, who was the organist for many years on “All My Children”, featured on the NBC Radio Network.

      I must not forget the office staff, Lorraine Clifford, who was the office Manager and held it all together. Without her where would we be?  As a matter of fact she was so efficient the station manager Wes Hobby and Lorraine married!  The sales and office staff consisted of Jean Borkowski, Pat Tarquinio, Dorthea Duda, and Barbara Criscola. Lisle Dorian was the Chief Engineer and he was assisted by Angelo Grutadoria. 

Contributor Mark P. Chudwick:
   I joined the news staff of WADS in 1977 after graduating from journalism school at the University of Bridgeport.  Station was located in glass-enclosed studios at the former Ansonia Mall.  Kenneth Dawson owned the station at that time.  News Director was Bill Grant, on air folks included Dean Pepin, Walter Short, Tony Napoleon, Steven B (Ed Zel), Jack Whitten.  Station GM was Tim Clark.  Place was held together by Receptionist Fran Tuttle and Payroll Specialist Jeanne Tarby.  Our meteorologist was Dr. Mel Goldstein.    
    Bill Grant returned to our sister station, WKND, and new News Director was Fred Landau.  Fred instituted Walt Dibble-like news reporting with lots of local sound and V/Os.  We personally covered a lot of local news, including as many as three municipal meetings in a single night and ran a lot of local sound.  Station won several AP news awards during my time there, which ran until 1981.  Biggest event was our 24-hour emergency coverage of the Blizzard of ’78 when skeleton air and news staff lived at the station for three days broadcasting emergency information.  Fellow news reporters included John Noonan, Nancy Langdon, Dave Goodale, Scott Thompson, Becky Soukkup, Kerry Kowanowski.  Sports guys included Ed Clements (Clem Najar) and Mike Harmon (Cliff Hennessy).