KONP/Port Angeles, Sandy Keys “Weekend Wrap-Up”

KONP radio has been a fixture on Washington State’s North Olympic Peninsula since 1945.  Its signal covers Port Angeles and surrounding areas, including Sequim, and across the Canadian border into Victoria, British Columbia.

Originally playing music of the Big Band era, then changing with the times to Top 40, and eventually becoming “Newsradio 1450 KONP” in the mid ‘90s, the station is an ABC affiliate and the local source for Seattle Seahawks and Mariners play by play.

KONP’s longest tenured employee is Sandy Keys.  Having been with the station since 1962, Sandy can still be heard on the air today.  A former history teacher at Port Angeles High School and prominent local historian, Sandy has enjoyed an almost unheard of run in the radio business.

In the recording below, Todd Ortloff introduces a regular Monday feature called the “Weekend Wrap-Up.” It is basically the Clallam County police blotter from the weekend, presented by Sandy Keys with a dash of old time charm.

Runtime:  2:23

Sam Lawson

Student engineer at pioneer Nathan Hale radio station KNH 1210 in 1970 (prior to KNHC). Also attended North Seattle Community College and L.H. Bates in Tacoma (KTOY-FM). Sam’s career began as a KJR request line operator in 1970, with his first on-air job at KRKO in 1972. In 1976 he segued to overnights at KTAC as Cory Landon, then weekends at KING. In 1978 he moved to Lewiston, Idaho for afternoons on KOZE and KRLC. Throughout the ‘80s he was an announcer and/or engineer at "the best mix and biggest variety" of Spokane radio stations; including 97KREM, KZUN, KGA, KKER (The Sam & Pam Show), KZZU, PD of KJRB, 98 KISS-FM, and the voice of KAYU-TV. In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles as Assistant Chief Engineer and weekends at KZLA/KLAC. Also engineered for KBIG, KFI, Premiere Radio Networks, CBS Radio, and others. "After avoiding any actual work for nearly 45 years, now happily retired and very appreciatively back in the great Pacific Northwest!" ---Click here for other Sam Lawson articles ---and here for Sam Lawson airchecks