All-volunteer KOSW celebrates new studio

Ocean Shores’ community radio operation, KOSW-LP 91.3FM, showed the public its new colors with an Associated Arts of Ocean Shores-painted mural on the outside and new studio inside at an open house Saturday celebrating the 12th year of the all-volunteer station.

The event showcased the station’s studio expansion project and the new and improved studio at 189 Ocean Lake Way, and featured a mayoral proclamation, a ribbon cutting by the Ocean Shores/North Beach Chamber of Commerce and live music by the New Blues Remedy band and Unexpected Soul. KOSW on-air personalities were on hand and the public was able to tour the expanded station and enjoy light refreshments before a driving rain storm drenched those outside.

KOSW went on the air in July 2004.

“It is very impressive what they have done with the station,” said City Councilman Jon Martin, the liaison to the city’s Radio Board.

One of the changes not so evident is that Scott Johnston has stepped down, and the board continues to have two vacancies. Butch Larson is now acting station manager, Martin said in a report to the City Council.

Larson on Saturday thanked the volunteers and DJ’s who put in countless hours at the station, and introduced Mayor Crystal Dingler on air as the New Blues Remedy jammed live in the new studio.

“This has been a long time coming. They have been working on this for the past couple of years,” Dingler said. “And talk about super-volunteers. They have had people who have made donations and people who have helped out in a variety of ways.”

She noted that local woodworker Dennis Hogan custom-made the large radio desk for the studio; Jim and Vickie Roberts made a large donation of $5,000 that allowed construction to begin; and she gave credit to many who have helped the station in the early days, such as Arnold Samuels, Teresa Fajardo Lambert, John Farra, and Bruce Hansen “the Handyman.”

In addition to the new studio, KOSW in recent years has enhanced its remote broadcasting ability and online presence, enabling listeners to catch local North Beach sports, events and town hall meetings.

Dingler said the city also continues to support the station in many ways:

“We have done what we could, and we will continue to try to support the station. This has just been a wonderful growth that has taken place in the last few years.”