Salvation Army executive takes "a closer look" at Rice Lake area non-profits

Duana Bremer

The June Producer of the Month is a volunteer with Rice Lake Community Media. Duana Bremer is the Executive Director of the Salvation Army for St. Croix, Burnett, and Polk Counties in Northwest Wisconsin.

Bremer started doing her show, “A Closer Look”, after she approached Rice Lake Community Media Executive Director James Wyngaard with the idea of hosting a show featuring non-profits from around the area.  Wyngaard said, “Duana asked if I would be interested in doing a show about non-profits in and around Rice Lake.

I said that would be a great idea for a show, however, since I’m already doing 8 to 10 studio shows depending on the month, how about you host?” Bremer is now responsible for scheduling guests for the show and setting up the recording dates. Bremer said, “James is easy to work with. He’s always making the guests and myself feel comfortable in the studio. It’s always great to hear his speech about the different ways people can watch and use our show on their own social media platforms or other ways to promote their organizations.”

Bremer started her show in November 2021 and has featured groups from the Aging and Disability Resource Center, to Birth to 3, and other groups from across Barron County.

To see the most recent, “A Closer Look,” click here.

Mike Powers is the voice of Sun Prairie Football on Sun Prairie Media

For the last thirty years, Mike Powers has been a well-recognized voice of Sun Prairie High School football broadcasts on Sun Prairie Media Center channels. This year, the Wisconsin Community Media Board of Directors is honoring his service to the community with a Friend of Access Award. He is one of two to receive the award this year.

Mike Powers at home in the control booth

Mike was the announcer for the Madison Muskie’s baseball team when in 1992, Pam Steitz, the former director of the Sun Prairie Media Center, and Jim Yeager, the play-by-play announcer for Sun Prairie football games, approached him for help.  “Jim had a hard time handling live play-by-play at the same time as the broadcast,” said Powers, “so they were getting various people to help.  I was one of them and I just stayed on.”   After Jim left, a trio of Powers, Bill Baker, and Jamison Rabbitt took on the announcing duties.  Sometimes all three would do the games, sometimes they rotated. 

Powers’ 30th year coincided with the opening of a second high school in Sun Prairie.  During the first-ever game between the Sun Prairie East Cardinals and the Sun Prairie West Wolves on September 16, 2022, Powers was honored during half-time.  Sun Prairie Media Center submitted this game to the Best of the Midwest Media Fest, and it won a top Excellence Award and a Best in Show Award in the amateur level category, “Client:  School.”  Producers on the show were Dan Corcoran, Mike Powers, and Bill Baker.

Rabbitt, Powers and Baker announcing high school football for Sun Praire Media Center.

Now with two teams to cover for the city, the trio is splitting up, with Baker and Powers taking East High School football and Rabbitt and Steve Sabatke taking on West High.  They also plan to expand their coverage of high school sports to boys’ baseball and girls’ softball. 

Powers may have retired after 34 years at his “real” broadcast job with 102.5 Christian Radio in 2020, but he keeps busy.  That year he and his wife founded InSpiritRadio.online where Powers is the CEO and morning show host.  And he has his own radio show on Sun Prairie Media’s LPFM radio station, The Sun 103.5, on Sundays called Praise on the Prairie.  He’s also produced a few video programs at Sun Prairie Media Center where he’s had fun interviewing artists and country music singers. 

“People at the media center are my friends.  And Sun Prairie Media Center is one of the finest media centers in the whole state,” said Powers.  “I have an outstanding group to work with.  Everyone has been so supportive.” 

Powers will be accepting his Friend of Access Award at the Best of the Midwest Media Fest Banquet and Show the evening of May 4, 2023.  For ticket information, go here.