Growing up in suburban Detroit, Steve’s earliest memories are of Motown, blues and rock coming from his ever-present radio. While in high school, Steve worked at Cousino High School’s WPHS radio and interned at the legendary (and now defunct) WABX in Detroit. Landing a job as a roadie for The Sugarcubes, Steve moved to Iceland with the band and earned his permanent radio operator’s license through a correspondence course he saw advertised on a napkin. A chance at his dream job brought Labenz back to the U.S., and he did the morning farm report on a Waxahachie, Texas, station for 17 years while he raced flat-track motorcycles in his spare time. He now takes his helmet off long enough to do middays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday afternoon drive time at Greatest Hits 98.7 WFGR.
Steve Labenz
Lowell Police Department Warns Residents of Light & Power Scam
The Lowell Police Department would like to notify area residents that a telephone scam is being targeted at Lowell Light & Power customers.
The caller states that they are from Lowell Light & Power and tells the customers if they don’t pay, their power is being shut off.
West Michigan’s Zeigler Auto Group Acquires MINI Dealer in Chicago Suburb
West Michigan based Zeigler Auto Group, a growing company that now operates auto dealers across the county, has officially acquired a MINI Cooper dealership.
The MINI of Orland Park franchise joins the BMW of Orland Park dealership.
John Ball Zoo Opens Second Phase of their New Tiger Habitat
Visitors to Grand Rapids' John Ball Zoo will now be able to get up close and personal with some swimming tigers! (You'll be behind glass, it's totally safe.)
The zoo unveiled new features of its Tigers of the Realm exhibit on Monday, including the River Realm and Tiger Trail.
DNR Confirms Michigan’s First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer
The Michigan departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) confirmed Monday that a free-ranging deer in Meridian Township (Ingham County) has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.
This is the first time the disease has been found in Michigan’s free-ranging deer
Man Arrested After Loaded Gun Found in Carry-On at Ford Airport
Officials from the Transportation Security Administration say that a 69-year-old man was arrested after they found a loaded gun in his carry-on luggage at Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Grand Rapids Police Officers Visit Young Boy’s Birthday Party
Two Grand Rapids Police Department officers gave a Grand Rapids boy a wonderful birthday surprise.
Officers Kooyer and Laudenslager made an appearance at a party for nine-year-old Darius Whitfield. The Grand Rapids Police Department posted a photo of the officers with the boy on their Facebook page on Tuesday, and it's been liked nearly 2,500 times since then.
Massachusetts Police Advise Residents Not to Chase Bears Through the Woods With a Hatchet While Drunk
What should you do if you see a bear? What you definitely should NOT do is chase it through the woods with a dull hatchet while you're intoxicated.
At least according to the police in North Adams, Massachusetts. A recent incident led to them having to post a warning about doing just that on their Facebook page.
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to Host Annual Fishing Derby for Residents
The pond behind the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans will be stocked with 125 rainbow trout on Wednesday, May 13, giving residents of the home the opportunity to spend a “day on the lake” reeling in their own fish.
Volunteers Needed for Grand Rapids’ Veterans’ Cemetery Cleanup
Grand Rapids' Veterans' Cemetery is going to be getting some much-needed spring cleaning Saturday morning when residents clean and restore the headstones.
Griffins Take Game One Against the IceHogs, 5-3
Teemu Pulkkinen scored the seventh playoff hat trick in Griffins' history on Wednesday night and became the team's all-time leading postseason goal scorer, as Grand Rapids took Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals with a 5-3 win over the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena.
Rockford Changes Name to Griffinville to Support the Griffins During the Playoffs
For the next two weeks, any time that you visit the town that you consider to be Rockford, you'll actually be visiting Griffinville.
The City of Rockford has renamed itself as Griffinville for the next two weeks, while the Grand Rapids Griffins take on the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL's Western Conference Finals.
‘Star Trek’ Actress Grace Lee Whitney Dies at 85
Grace Lee Whitney, the actress who played Captain Kirk's assistant on the original Star Trek series, has died at age 85.
Whitney died of natural causes Friday in her home, according to her son Jonathan Dweck.