In McHenry County, Ill., Nunda Twp., workers and community members filling sandbags for local residents and businesses. Credit: Nunda Twp. Connoisseur Media is highlighting its northwest suburban Chicago station as an example of local radio providing immediate assistance during a crisis. In response to recent Fox River flooding, 105.5 WZSR(FM), licensed to Woodstock, Ill., in McHenry County, worked with local township officials to coordinate a volunteer relief effort, according to a Connoisseur release. Following four to six inches of rain across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin between April 13–17 — part of the Chicagoland’s wettest start to spring on record according to the National Weather Service — the Fox River overflowed from a combination of heavy rainfall and upstream runoff. Joe Cicero and Tina Bree While seasonal flooding is common along the river, local reports indicated this was the worst flooding neighboring Lake County has seen since 2017. As water levels rose, “Star 105.5’s” morning duo, Joe Cicero and Tina Bree, used their live platform to ask listeners to help fill sandbags for affected neighborhoods, Connoisseur said. The team, who have been on the air together for 16 years, felt that the immediacy of live radio was effective in mobilizing volunteers. “Using our radio station as a megaphone to find people of all ages to step up and fill sandbags to save homes is an amazing thing,” Cicero said. Nunda Township Road Commissioner Rob Parrish thanked the morning crew in a letter and said that with the help of those volunteers, nearly 80,000 sandbags were delivered across the township’s road district in less than a week. WZSR was among the stations Connoisseur Media acquired from Alpha Media last year. [Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.] The post Chicagoland Station Rallies Volunteers for Fox River Flood Relief appeared first on Radio World. [TheTopNews] Read More.
3 days ago
