Tom Beightol
Co-host of “Good Morning Siouxland” and Morning News
Tom, a Sioux City native, started working at KSCJ while going to school at East High.
After a four-year hitch with the United States Navy, Tom came back to Iowa to attend the University of Iowa and, later, Briar Cliff. He worked as a reporter and news anchor for KTIV-TV for several years before changing his career direction. His next series of jobs was with the old “Bell System.” Just before the break-up of Ma Bell, he was the state public relations manager for AT&T.
After the Bell System break-up, Tom worked for the Iowa Department of Economic Development for two years. He then changed career directions again.
Tom joined Meredith Corporation and began his efforts as a staff consultant for training and development. For the next 15 years, he provided consulting and training to Meredith Publishing and Broadcasting Groups of the multi-media corporation.
When he retired, Tom moved back to Sioux City to spend time with his father. He started with KSCJ’s News Department more than five years ago.
You can hear Tom in the Morning from 6am to 8am, and during Openline from 8am to 10am on Talk Radio KSCJ.
Email Tom at: tbeightol@powelliowa.com
Josie Cooper
Early Morning News On KSCJ
Josie was born in Sioux City and raised on a farm outside of Mapleton, Iowa. She graduated from Iowa Western in Council Bluffs and has been reporting quality news ever since.
Josie’s career has taken her to Council Bluffs, North Platte, Nebraska, where she received a first place ranking for the Associated Press’ “Best Newscast” Award and was a news reporter in Dubuque, Iowa before returning home to Siouxland.
Josie has six nieces and enjoys spending time with her friends and family whenever possible. Email Josie at: josiecooper@powelliowa.com
Larry Fuller
I was born and raised in Sioux City, graduated from Central High and after serving in the Marine Corps, attended Morningside College on the GI bill. I worked with my father in the furniture business for many years before being hired by Abbott/Ross Laboratories as a pharmaceutical rep for more than 25 years, retiring in 2005. A life long love of old time radio led to teaming up with Don Miller to start Nostalgia Theater on December 7, 2002.
Don Miller
Don Miller, known in some circles as “Gary Golden Throat,” has been a fixture in Siouxland radio for half a century. With the exception of a brief sojourn into the newspaper business, Don has spent his career in radio in one aspect or another – from announcing, to programming, to news, sales, and an old time radio show host.
Don got the radio bug from his brother Millord, joining him at 620 KCOM (now KMNS) while a student at Central High School. After three years of “spinning the tunes” Don asked and was given the go-ahead to organize a news department. He was the news department – a one-man, 24-hour operation, always on call.
The ’50’s were an exciting time and gave Don the opportunity to interview people who would become legends – Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole, and President Harry Truman. He also covered the 1959 visit of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to the Garst farm in Coon Rapids.
In November of 1963 Don and a Sioux City Journal reporter founded the Sioux City Press Club. Don was the charter president and is a lifetime member. The following year he headed to Minneapolis for a brief stint at KSTP, the giant 50,000-watt voice of NBC. An inveterate newsman, Don quickly learned that he wanted to be more than a “voice” and returned to his old stompin’ grounds to work in sales for Paul and Patti Olson at KLEM in Le Mars.
In a bold career move in 1974 Don went from a sure, secure position with the Olson’s, to help establish Big Country KBCM-FM (now KG-95) in Sioux City. There was a real stagecoach; the city’s first live radar weather and Don introduced his Sunday afternoon Nostalgia Theater that ran from 1976 to 1983. Don’s next move was back to cross-town rival KMNS for three years.
Defecting from the airwaves, but still in media business, Don spent the following eight-plus years running the advertising department for the Globe, the weekly newspaper for the Diocese of Sioux City. There may have been ink on his fingers, but it never really flowed in his veins. Soon after Don’s March 2001 retirement, KSCJ came calling for him to lend a hand in the news department. Always a newsman to the core, Don was soon back in stride mastering the challenge of computer-driven, high-tech radio.
Don’s real love though was the revival of his Nostalgia Theater, a program of old time radio shows running the gamut from “Suspense” and “The Shadow” to “The Jack Benny Show”. Don has been replaying shows from the ’40’s and ’50’s every Saturday morning since December of 2002 on KSCJ. It’s a real kick featuring quizzes, prizes, and great “theater of the mind” for all ages.
E-mail us suggestions for certain episodes or shows at nostalgiatheater@yahoo.com
Justin Barker
Program / Sports Director
Co/Host Good Morning Siouxland
I was born and raised in Sioux City and graduated from East High School. I have been a part of the Powell Broadcasting family since August 1997; while still attending East.
I started working part time on KSUX and KSCJ and have worked just about every shift our stations have to offer. Now, I am proud to be the Program and Sports Director of KSCJ. I grew up listening to KSCJ especially Jim Zabel, Gary Dolphin and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
I have been the play-by-play announcer for Briar Cliff University, NAIA Women’s Division II National Basketball Tournament broadcasts, and Supersports high school football and basketball on KSCJ. I also serve as the host of “Talk Hawks” with Brian and Dan Vakulskas on Wednesday nights during the football season from 6-7p
My wife and I have two boys Brady and Colton, and a daughter named Kinley. We have two dogs, Emma, a Rottweiler, and Paisley, a St. Bernard.
Email JB at jb@kscj.com.
Woody Gottburg
News Director
Woody Gottburg brings over 30 years of Radio and TV experience in Sioux City as KSCJ’s News director. Gottburg is a native of Sioux City who was in West High School’s first graduating class in 1973, and obtained his bachelor’s degree from Morningside College in 1978. That was the year Don Miller hired him for his first radio job broadcasting Musketeers hockey play by play. Woody has previously served as news director and sports director at other city radio stations, and newsroom assignment editor at all three Sioux City TV companies. He was also the voice of the Sioux City Musketeers at various times during the hockey teams first 30 years of existence, and broadcast city high school sports and Briar Cliff Basketball for 12 years. Woody and his wife Lisa have two sons.
Contact Woody at: News@KSCJ.com & 712-239-2107
Brian Vakulskas
A lifelong Sioux City resident, Brian earned his B.A. at the University of Northern Iowa and his J.D. at the University of South Dakota School of Law. A co-host of “Talk Hawks,” Brian was formerly a contributor to the “Hawkeye Insider Kickoff Show” on KSCJ. A general practice attorney at Vakulskas Law Firm, P.C., he is a senior writer for Hawkeye Insider magazine, published by Fox Sports’ Scout Media. He provides color commentary during KSCJ’s broadcast of local high school football and basketball broadcasts. You can e-mail Brian at bbv@cableone.net and follow him on Twitter at @bvak.
Dan Vakulskas
Dan is a life long resident of Sioux City, Iowa. His contributions at KSCJ include serving as co-host of “Talk Hawks” on Wednesday night during the football season. Also, he is a sideline reporter for high school football and a color commentator for high school basketball.
Dan practices law in Sioux City, Iowa with his father, brother, and sister.
