This story ran along with a story about the pot dealer in New Monterey – do pot smokers still get all paranoid after all these years? There are more stronger RF signals in the air everywhere.

The council also approved a number of “housekeeping” ordinances, including changes in regulations of microwave equipment and antennas.

Resident Lorna Moffett said the council should consider health problems that could be caused by microwave radiation from cell phone towers. She said proposed antenna locations should be marked so the public would be aware of them.

Put Away The Tinfoil Hats, People

Laura Ellen brought back the KFAT sound to Pacific Grove’s KOCN before starting KPIG.

Laura Ellen Hopper, the longtime program director and co-founder of KPIG 107.5 FM, died Monday from complications of lung cancer. She was 57.

Hopper of Royal Oaks was widely known to fans of KPIG as the mellow midday disc jockey who loved to champion emerging country/folk singer/songwriters, but she also was largely responsible for shaping both the sound and the public image of one of California’s most idiosyncratic and beloved radio stations.

Laura Ellen also worked at PG’s KOCN when it was enjoying an era of KFAT style programming.

Another local hero has passed. . .

Article from Santa Cruz Sentinal

KPIG DJ Laura Ellen, dies from cancer at 57

In a recent rare visit to Cannery Row I noticed that there are very few landmarks left. The cannery buildings are all but gone and replaced with replicas. What those that are still there have changed drastically to accommodate imprisoned fish, tourists and more commerce. Gone forever are original bohemian places like Odyssey Records, Kalisa’s, Capone’s Warehouse and The 812 Cinema. One thing that has not really physically changed in over 35 years is the radio station offices, studio and transmitter that broadcasts at 1240 AM. Once Monterey’s only top 40 pop station KMBY, it’s now a talk radio format known as KNRY. Back in the 1970s, friends and I would often visit the studio, whether to collect prizes won in the many call in contests, or just see the DJ working at the turntables. Here’s a photo collection of the studio as it is today.

Antenna sits on shoreline of Macabee Beach.

A long way up

Danger!

The Bear Flag Building.

1929

Sign over the door.

Sign on street.

Entry Way.

Going upstairs. Everything is the same as I remember from the 70s.

Reach the top, go around the corner . .

The Hallway. Door to studios, observation window, door to offices.

Here’s where you’d see real live DJs spinning 45s like The Monkees or Martha And The Vandellas.

If you went into the office lobby, you could pick up the latest survey of the “Top 12 plus 40″

Time to leave. Going downstairs you’d notice the low ceiling. The redwood ceiling is from the 70s era.

Thanks for the memories. Step out and back out into the phony charm.

KMBY 1240 Original Studios – Virtually Unchanged

A ruptured water heater forced the shutdown of radio station KAZU early this morning, said the station’s general manager.

The water heater was located directly above the station’s master control and broadcast operations center and the water poured directly on the equipment, destroying some of it.

KAZU has had a run of bad luck, after a fire in downtown PG, and this is the second flood at the present location. Perhaps the Chamber Of Commerce can raise some funds to buy KAZU a couple of umbrellas to put over the control board.

KAZU Knocked Off Air – Again