Updated 7:45am Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012
By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson-based classical public radio station WDAV-FM will replace its transmission antenna in the coming moths after an August lightning strike caused “catastrophic damage” and knocked out the broadcast signal for some listeners.

The 100,000-watt radio station has been limping along on a lower-height backup antenna since the August lightning strike, which has limited its reach. The replacement will cost the station more than $50,000 after insurance, money not in WDAV’s regular budget, so the station has launched a special antenna-replacement fund-raising campaign. Read the full story

Santa Claus climbed onto the old Davidson Engine No. 2, the siren sounded, and Thursday just before 6pm they headed to the Village Green to kick off the 25th annual Christmas in Davidson. Thousands of people from Davidson, surrounding towns, Charlotte and beyond strolled along Main and South Main streets taking in the sights and sounds of the season.

More photos by DavidsonNews.net’s Brenda Barger and David Boraks below. Read the full story

Davidson College said Friday that WDAV-FM General Manager Scott Nolan will step down Nov. 2. The station named longtime program manager Frank Dominguez as interim general manager and said it would immediately begin a search for a replacement. Read the full story

Listeners at the edges of WDAV-FM’s broadcast area should have their signal back this week, after the Davidson-based classical public radio radio station completed most of the repairs to its antenna, which was damaged in May. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Some listeners of Davidson-based WDAV-FM could lose their signal for up to a month while the classical music public radio station uses a backup antenna so it can repair damage on its main antenna.

The damage was unexpected and spectacular: A recent tower inspection found a section of the antenna glowing orange from heat. General Manager Scott Nolan said Tuesday engineers aren’t sure what’s causing the heat. They won’t know more until they dismantle the antenna this week. Read the full story

Radio host Frank Dominguez of Davidson-based classical public radio station WDAV-FM is getting some national recognition this month: The station said Friday Mr. Dominguez is a finalist for two National Hispanic Radio Awards: Radio Personality of the Year and Programmer of the Year. Read the full story

A showdown between Davidson-based WDAV-FM and National Public Radio over the off-air activities of a program host came to a head Friday when NPR announced it would no longer distribute “World of Opera,” which is produced at WDAV. NPR’s decision came after WDAV refused to fire the program’s host, Lisa Simeone, over her involvement in a Washington, D.C., protest related to the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. WDAV said it would take over distribution next month.

NPR sent an email to member stations Friday saying it would no longer distribute the program.  The statement, reported on a blog on the NPR website, said the decision resulted “from different views about the role of a program host.” Read the full story

Updated 3:30 p.m.
Controversy has erupted this week over a public radio music announcer’s involvement with protests in Washington, and there’s a Davidson angle. Lisa Simeone is the free-lance host of NPR’s “World of Opera,” which is produced at Davidson-based classical music station WDAV-FM. She still has that job, though she was fired from another contract gig at Washington’s WAMU-FM. Read the full story