Seguin Today: September 2023

SEPTEMBER 2023, Volume 3 l Issue 8

Seguin Radio KWED turns 75 years old this month. It’s hard to believe the station has been around this long. I’ve only been here for three of those, but being a part of this team is such a joy.

In this issue of Seguin Today, we celebrate this milestone with stories from the founders, a look inside our programs, as well as share some hopes for the future. You’ll find old photos from when KWED first launched, and staff photos from today.

The staff at KWED and Seguin Today love this town. We love this community, and appreciate your trust in us to always have the news you need, the music you love, and stories to warm your heart.

So as the faintest hint of fall appears in the wind, and scarecrows & skeletons begin to line the streets of downtown, we wish Seguin the best and can’t wait to see what the future holds. From all of us here at KWED, Seguin Today and Seguin Daily News….thank you for 75 amazing years!

Lizz Daniels, Creative Director

facebook.com/KWEDradio

kwed.seguindailynews

@kwed

COVERSHOT

KWED General Manager Darren Dunn is the voice of Seguin, bringing locals the news they need ––when they need it.

MEMORIES FROM WHEN IT ALL STARTED

stories from station family

YOU’RE LISTENING TO THE TRADING POST Behind the scenes with one of KWED’s longest running programs

EVENTS CALENDAR

Community events & special promotions happening in the area this month.

DIY: RECIPE TO TRY

A whimsical flying unicorn pie

IT’S NOT BRAGGING IF IT’S TRUE Darren Dunn on KWED’s platinum celebration

Karen Kiel Wallock, the daughter of KWED’s founder shares

Photo by Lizz Daniels

SEPTEMBER 2023, Volume 3 l Issue 8

GENERAL MANAGER

Darren Dunn

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Lizz Daniels

WRITERS

Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

Lizz Daniels

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Nick Spence

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

Laurie Ann Heideke

Linda Duncan

DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCER

Jarred Kindles

OFFICE MANAGER

Memories from when

ItAllBegan

Kiel Wallock shares stories from growing up in the KWED family

Column by Karen Kiel Wallock

KWED’s first day on the air was September 9, 1948.

My mom was pregnant with me, so KWED has always been a part of my life. At just 32 years old, my dad Garfield Kiel was one of the founders, along with Weldon Lawson, who owned an auto dealership near where Tyson is now. The transmitter remained on that property until just recently. I do not have the complete history of the station, but I can share some of my memories. I talked to my older siblings, Jeep Kiel and Beverly Hoffman because they were a bit older while my younger brother Ken wasn’t born yet. We have had a great time remembering these stories, with just a minor disagreement over some of our memories.

KWED began in a building on the corner of Camp and Donegan, which is now a county parking lot. The radio station was upstairs, and South Texas Printing was on the ground floor, and they had a good working relationship. I remember visiting with Alice Solmky and Jody Dixon whenever we would take things to Dad. One of the few things I remember was how ugly the upstairs curtains were!

After several years, the station moved to its current location on Court Street –– with much better curtains.

In the early years, the programs were all local. The news came on at 7:30, followed by Today’s Topic, music, and then mid-morning was the “For the Ladies” program. One of the early hosts was Ellie Selig, while Faye Chessher and Henry Lehnhoff would be most remembered as the long-time hosts. Cliftine Dwyer took over for Faye when Faye became a teacher. There would be news of women’s club activities, household hints, and general chit-chat. The station employees became family friends, and my sister and I remember spending time with Faye, and she would paint our fingernails—I even remember that the color was Revlon’s Persian Melon. We spent many evenings with the Chesshers, the Lehnhoffs, and the McKenzies, barbecuing and enjoying each other’s company.

Back then there was a noon newscast and the famous Trading Post hosted by Ed Sagebiel, who had also become a station partner. People would call in items they had to sell or

things they wanted to buy, and somehow, they would get matched up! Eventually, there were other hosts, but the format stayed the same.

In the afternoon, there might be the Oom Pah Pah show, with Henry hosting German polka music. Rosita Ornelas was a long-time employee of KWED, and she hosted a Tejano music program called Cita con Rosita. She was a frequent emcee for the area quinceaneras and was very respected and well-liked.

Then there was the evening news, and the station signed off at 6 p.m. Seasonally, Roger Erck would play Santa Claus with children writing their wish lists. Roger would read their letters with his wife Haweis and daughter Sharie, alternately playing Trixie. The children loved this.

I was born on a Sunday, and my birth announcement was the Sunday schedule, which included programs from the New Hope Gospel Singers, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Assembly of God churches, and music by Henry Upper and Phil Medlin! It was important to my dad for the radio station to reflect the community’s makeup and include community members.

Karen

Stan McKenzie was a long-time employee who eventually owned and managed the station. He was the voice of Seguin (much as Darren is now). He had the news and hisToday’sTopics, focusing on any particular news item of interest, most being in support of community projects. Again, they were family friends. I babysat his children, and he and Emma Jean were frequent guests at our family barbecues and more. There was a strong mutual respect for each other. In an October 12, 1992 Today’s Topic about his heroes, Stan said, “Garfield Kiel, one of the founders of this radio station, was a hero. His philosophy about service to community had a deep and lasting influence on those of us who worked for and with him.”

Louis Sowders was the weatherman on air and the fix-it man for the station’s equipment. I remember frequent transmitter situations! And, who can forget Molly Pogor? She stepped in for Faye some, but was the woman who got things done, like pulling the news off the teletype machine and doing the books. You could always count on Molly to do whatever needed to be done quietly with a smile on her face.

John Traeger was the sports announcer. He would walk over to the (old) station from Vivroux, do the program, and go back to his “real”job. He would also tape the Matador football games to be played on Saturday mornings, so those who couldn’t make it to the games could listen to it. One story my brother remembers is one night, there was a nail-biter of a game with Joel “Curly”Tigett as the quarterback. Joel is in the Seguin High School Hall of Honor. You can just hear Traeger’s voice saying something like, “Tigett is going back for a pass, he’s scrambling, there’s a receiver in the end zone, and goddammit, the son of a bitch dropped it!” Yes, this is our respected State Senator John Traeger, and now you understand the three-second broadcast delay. Oops!

Bob Dyess recorded the cattle auction from the present location, and it was aired the next day. This was important news to many of our listeners.

KWED Radio Schedule from January 30, 1949

Aaron Allen hosted a country western show and during his career, Willie Nelson recorded one of his songs. He became a pretty well-known songwriter.

Since my dad was a Texas Lutheran graduate and long-time employee, he often employed students part-time. Some of these became very successful men. Joe Menn became president of Texas Lutheran, William Staats (married to Ester Streng, a Seguinite) was a Federal Reserve banker and then a distinguished professor at Louisiana State University, Verne Lundquist was a network sportscaster, and Don Mischer a winner of 15 Emmy’s and many awards in the film industry.

As is true now, KWED was very supportive of community events and strove to be a voice for all of the Seguin community. Remember that my memories here are mostly from the 1950s, a time that wasn’t very inclusive. I also remember Dad often telling us to shop local and support our advertisers (I still do that!)

My mom Edith, was a quiet influence in Dad’s work. My sister remembers Mom waking early, taking down the news over the phone, and then listening throughout the day for any mistakes or things to improve. I believe Dad coined the phrase for KWED—

Keeps Working Every Day, but Mom liked to say that it should be Kiel Works Edith Daily!

Dad liked to put us kids to work as youngsters. My brother did custodial work there as a part-time college job. My sister did some bill collecting from people who owed just a bit and didn’t justify a full-time employee doing it. One radio station-related job my sister and I had was to visit the small neighboring towns—we even got to drive the station car! We had printed KWED schedules, and we were to knock on doors in Geronimo,

Schertz, Cibolo, McQueeney, and Zorn and survey the residents on if and when they listened to the station, and if they didn’t listen would they please consider it. We left them with a red and white peppermint, and we were off to the next home.

To see that KWED has continued to be an important voice in our community, that it is a voice for everyone, that it supports our community in so many ways is very gratifying to us Kiels. We are grateful to be a part of this community, then and now. •

I also remember Dad often telling us to shop local and support our advertisers ( I still do that!)

-Karen Kiel Wallock -

POST TRADING You’reListening

Behind the scenes with one of KWED’s longest running programs

Story by Lizz Daniels

Let’s set a scene. It’s Friday, and you’re drivingthroughSeguinlisteningtothenoon news hours on Seguin Radio AM 1580

KWED. At 12:30, the tone changes and a melody plays. A man’s voice comes across the radio.

“Good afternoon, this is Jarred Kindles,” the voice says. “You’re listening to the trading post!”

KWED’s Trading Post goes live daily, Monday through Friday, allowing listeners to call in with items to buy, sell, trade, or even give away. The radio station itself has now been around 75 years, and in that time, the world has changed drastically. KWED makes

it a core tenet in an attempt to keep up with the times of serving today’s Seguin community. To that end, AM 1580 can be listened to on the radio and digitally online, so no matter where you go, home is just a click away.

The voice you hear on Friday is KWED digital media producer and sports producer Jarred Kindles.

“The Trading Post is strictly local,” he said. “And I think it’s honestly fun for people to use. There’s more of an individual connection for people, and it’s less transactional. I’ve had people call in selling animals –– parakeets, cattle. They’llalsosellinstruments,andwealwayshave

yardsales.Weevenhadsomebodylosetheirkeys once, and call in for help finding them.”

Jarred, of course, is not the only voice you’ll hear while listening to the Trading Post. Linda Duncan and Cindy Aguirre-Herrera often handle it during the week.

The Trading Post, while originating in a time before the internet, continues to be a preferred method for locals to trade and barter even with online options like Facebook Marketplace, Offerup, and Craiglist readily available. KWED’s news director, Cindy Aguirre-Herrera, considers herself a huge advocate for the program.

It is interesting when folks have unique items for sale. I guess the most unique item that comes to mind is one that I will not mention...

- Linda Duncan -

“I’m always trying to sell the KWED Trading Post over the Marketplace or other social media sites,”she said.“While those options started off fun, folks now often find themselves the victim of scams or have become disappointed when their‘I’ll take”or“next please”comments are ignored or when they are simply passed up -- only for the item to be sold to someone at the end of the line. More importantly, a phone number is always attached to each KWED Trading Post Ad. Sure folks don’t have to answer. But it’s harder to ignore someone when they can leave behind multiple calls and texts. Besides, the people who utilize the on-air service are great and return every time.”

The Trading Post is always live, and hosts must always be prepared for the unexpected. Linda Duncan says she’s had her fair share of funny calls and sales over the years.

“It is interesting when folks have unique items for sale,” she said. “I guess the most unique item that comes to mind is one that I will not mention… but I can tell you that I told the seller that the Trading Post is a family show, and I wasn’t selling that on the program. To which he replied, “Oh, I’m sorry,” and hung up. Probably, the funniest written item that I started reading on the air was a description of a car that, as I got about half way through the ad, I realized was my own vehicle and my telephone number. Someone decided to play a prank on me that day and it was hilarious.”

Having a sense of humor helps when hosting theTrading Post, and so does having a strong sense of self-control, according to Cindy.

“When Linda or Jarred can’t host the show, it’s usually me who you will find behind the mic. I’ve always had a great time. It feels like having lots of conversations with your buddies. I also like a good deal (personally), so it’s sometimes hard for me to stay focused,” she laughs.”That’s because I’m always thinking while hosting the show -- hmmm, I wonder if we can get that refrigerator today? Or do I really need a pygmy goat? Could I squeeze into a pair of 7.5 size shoes? Or, yummy, fresh strawberries and avocados.”

At the end of the day, the Trading Post has become a place for the community to come together and support each other. Bartering and trading for goods is not some long-lost ideal. It’s still alive and well and is a boon for the community.

“It’s not just available to Seguin people,” Jarred added. “Anybody in our listening area can call in. That means if you’re in New Braunfels, Marion or even San Antonio, it can be used to find the stuff you’re looking for. I think this could be really beneficial to newer community members, or younger individuals looking to furnish their first apartment.We get furniture all the time for sale, and I’ve had people call in with houses for rent and sale. Literally, any kind of thing can pop up on the Trading Post. Every single day is different.”

And while every day on theTrading Post is unique, the legacy of the program lives on, providing an opportunity for locals to connect in a way that, while not exclusive to Seguin, is a cherished piece of the local community and its history. •

Featured Events

Featured Events

Upcoming events and special promotions happening locally!

To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com

September 2023

Guadalupe County Fair

The Guadalupe County Fair & PRCA rodeo will take place October 12-15 at the fairgrounds in Seguin. Visit gcfair.org for more information & a schedule of events.

September 30

Fall Clean-Up Day

The City of Seguin will have its Fall Clean-up Day from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Seguin Events Complex (Coliseum) parking lot, located at 950 S. Austin St. in Seguin. A proof of residency is required. Accepted items include: junk disposal, scrap metal, appliances (without Freon), a maximum of 10 automobile tires (no larger than 19.5”).

October 3

Scarecrow & Skeleton Contest

The Seguin Main Street Program and the Guadalupe County Fair Association will have its Downtown Scarecrow & Skeleton Display Contest Tuesday, Oct. 3 in downtown Seguin. All entries need to be up by Monday, Oct. 2 for judging on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Entries forms are available at www.seguintexas.gov or at the Seguin Main Street Office, located at 116 N. Camp St. in Seguin.

HOLIDAYS

4th

September 30

Pumpkin Patch

The First Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch 2023 will begin Saturday, Sept. 30 and remain open daily from 10 am. To 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays in Oct. For more information visit www.seguinmethodist. org, FMC Seguin Pumpkin Patch on Facebook, or call 830-379-4112.

October 7

Relay for Life

The Relay for Life of Guadalupe and Comal will have its main fundraising event from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Patricia K Irvine-King Pavillion at Starcke Park. For more information visit the Relay for Life of Guadalupe & Comal Facebook page.

October 1

50th Annual Festival

The Immaculate Conception Church will have its 50th Annual Festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1. BBQ meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $13. The live auction will begin at 2 p.m. There will also be raffle tickets available for purchase.

October 21 Run & Scavenger Hunt

The Guadalupe Valley Young Marines will have the 4thAnnual Kiki Camarena Run & Scavenger Hunt from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. You can join in on the fun either on a motorcycle for the run or in a vehicle for the scavenger hunt. The fee is $20 per driver and $10 for each passenger. Vendors are needed. For questions, call Dina Dillon at 423-227-9610 or email gvyoungmarines@gmail.com.

3 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL

1 TABLESPOON CUMIN SEEDS

1 MEDIUM YELLOW ONION, CHOPPED

KOSHER SALT

1 TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE

2 TEASPOONS CAYENNE PEPPER

1 28-OUNCE CAN DICED

TOMATOES

2 15-OUNCE CANS KIDNEY BEANS, RINSED AND DRAINED

1 POUND TEXAS-STYLE BEEF BRISKET (SEE BELOW), CHOPPED

A Tailgate Treat!

Brisket Chili - Serves 8

Tailgating at the big game is a time-honored and beloved tradition for millions of football fans. Tailgates tend to be parties in parking lots, and no party is complete without food.

The best teams in the National Football League will battle it out on the gridiron in their quest for a championship this January and February. Despite chilly temperatures, fans of those teams will undoubtedly be tailgating outside the stadium before and after the games. A hearty dish that sticks to the ribs can make it easier to withstand winter weather at this year’s playoff tailgate. This recipe for “Brisket Chili” from Will Budiaman’s “The Essential Kamado Grill Cookbook” (Rockridge Press) can be just what football fans need to stay warm at this year’s tailgate. Better yet, it makes excellent use of leftover Texas-style beef brisket, giving football fans a great reason to smoke some brisket in the days before the big game.

2. Pour the oil into the Dutch oven and close the grill lid. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for about 15 seconds or until they start to pop.

3. Add the onion and stir until coated with the oil. Close the grill lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened and browned.

4. Season with salt. Stir in the tomato paste. Close the grill lid and cook for 1 minute or until bright red.

5. Stir in the cayenne, tomatoes with their juices, and beans. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat.

6. Wearing barbecue gloves, carefully remove the grate, install the heat deflector, and replace the grate. Reduce the grill temperature to 350 F.

7. Put the Dutch oven back on the grate. Close the grill lid and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour or until thickened. Serve immediately.

1. Bring the grill to 500 F with the cooking grate installed, then preheat a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven on the grate with the lid closed.

It’s NOT BRAGGING if it’s TRUE

Column by Darren

I’ve been in and around the radio business for over 30 years. And there have been many changes over the years. That’s also true here at AM 1580 KWED. We have a proud tradition of community service at our station, and we are thrilled to be able to bring locally produced news, weather, sports, and other information to this community daily. KWED keeps this community connected like no other news source can. We keep you connected during the best and worst of times and every moment in between. We are live, local and bring you the information you need in real time. As we continue to

evolve our business, we are excited about the new opportunities that are coming our way.

We’ve already expanded our print and digital operations. Our online newspaper, the Seguin Daily News, is produced five days a week. It’s a free publication and can be easily accessed daily from our website,seguintoday.comandfrom our KWED/Seguin Daily News Facebook page. For almost two years, KWED has been producing and printing our monthly Seguin Today magazine.The vision behind the magazine was always to tell stories about the people, places, and things in Seguin that matter most.

Dunn

General Manager Darren Dunn on KWED’s PLATINUM celebration

210-749-7793

We focus on stories that improve the quality of life of all Seguin area residents, and we also make sure we have plenty of details inside to make our visitors feel welcome. The free magazine is available at a number of locations around town, here at our studios, or you can also download copies online.The free publication will make you feel good about Seguin. But more importantly, when you read Seguin Today, you learn about the best this community offers. We strongly believe that representation matters, and Seguin Today looks and feels like the people and families here in Seguin. We are proud of that. Our diversity is part of what makes this community special.

We already have a monthly podcast. It’s something that I love, but we believe it can be even better.We are working to streamline the program so that it’s easier for you to listen to and that it hopefully will be available to you on a more frequent basis.

I also want to quickly mention our website. Seguintoday.com welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and it’s the place where all of our products converge. Want to listen to the radio station, read our newspaper and magazine, or maybe just check the weather? You can do it all from seguintoday.com.

I jokingly tell our team that we shouldn’t be able to do all that we do. Like most things said in jest, that statement has some truth. We are a radio station, a newspaper, a magazine, a website, a streaming service, and a podcaster, just to name a few of the things that we do on a regular basis.That’s not even counting our special annual events, like Freedom Fiesta and the KWED Food & Toy Drive. We have a small and hyper-talented staff. I count on them for so much, and they step up and execute on our behalf each and every day. It makes me proud and excited for the future.

We already have plans to expand our video presence in the community. We’ve dabbled with videos for some of our clients, but there’s more to come. We hope to have some videos available ondemand and to give you a chance to connect to more content that’s uniquetoSeguin.Wearealsoworkingwithacompanythatwillallowus tocreateavideonetworkthatwillhelpkeepourcommunityconnected. The network will help provide some additional ad impressions for our clients, but more importantly, it will also offer locally produced stories thatwillhelpkeepthiscommunityinformed.Aninformedcommunity has the ability to tackle any challenges that come our way.

We’ve got several other ideas in the pipeline. They all point to the fact that while we are a radio station at our core, we are much more than that. We are a multimediacompanythatservices Seguin/Guadalupe County and the surrounding areas. We think we do this better than anyone else.

My pastor, growing up used to say, “if it’s true, it’s not bragging.” Take a look at what we did over the last 75 years, and what we are currently doing now, and then watch as we continue to evolve into a company that takes care of Seguin – its business community and its people. •

Space available to host small group gatherings