HStern's NYC radio competition drops dead.

Joner1

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Feb 6, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/6/98

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An excerpt from the story below :

" Junior Hernandez, the popular Latino radio personality whose morning
show on WSKQ-FM / 97.9 was second only to Howard Stern's in the ratings,
died of a heart attack Wednesday. "

* [ Fred....please play the chicken clucking/cock fighting sound effect. ]

* [ Is that a Mariachi band that I hear? ]

Source: Newsday - 2/6/98 < http://www.newsday.com >
===================================================

Junior Hernandez, 34, Latino Radio Star

Mourning a Friend / Listeners grieve for radio personality Junior
Hernandez

Margaret Ramirez. STAFF WRITER

Thousands of grieving fans lined up outside the Spanish-language
radio station known as "La Mega" yesterday to mourn the raspy-voiced man
who woke them up every morning.
Junior Hernandez, the popular Latino radio personality whose morning
show on WSKQ-FM / 97.9 was second only to Howard Stern's in the ratings,
died of a heart attack Wednesday. Hernandez, who suffered from chronic
asthma, was 34.
After news of Hernandez' death hit the airwaves, the station was
forced to lock its doors as fans mobbed the building to pay tribute.
Yesterday morning in the hours when Hernandez was usually heard, loyal
listeners gathered outside the Manhattan station, leaving candles and
flowers in the lobby. Others waited in the rain for hours to write
messages of grief in a condolence book.
Jacqueline Torres, the station program director and a friend of
Hernandez, struggled through tears as she stared at the mass of flowers
and tried to control the crowd.
"It's amazing," she said. "I don't think he knew how much he was
loved."
After leaving the station Wednesday, Hernandez collapsed at West
56th Street and Sixth Avenue in front of the Harley-Davidson Cafe.
He was rushed to St. Clare's Hospital and Health Center, where he was
pronounced dead, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Paco Navarro, the afternoon disc jockey at La Mega, dedicated his
entire show to the memory of Hernandez. Navarro had known Hernandez for
seven years.
"It happened so quick and it was so unexpected," Navarro said. "It
shook everyone up."
Station manager Carey Davis credited Hernandez with helping
Spanish-language programing grow in the radio industry. Carey said it
was primarily due to Hernandez that La Mega became the
third-highest-rated station in the city. His morning show, "El Vacilon
de la Manana," co-hosted by Luis Jimenez, drew listeners with its pranks
and practical jokes.
But Davis said it was Hernandez' down-to-earth demeanor that made
him special to friends and listeners. Success had not changed him, Davis
said.
"We're talking about an industry of many ego-maniacs, and Junior
just wasn't like that. He had this humanity and humility about him."
Born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Hernandez got his start at Radio
Tropica, a Puerto Rican radio station, and later moved to the island's
top station, WKAQ-FM.
In 1985, he came to New York and worked at the Spanish-language
station Super KQ-620-AM and later WADO-AM. In 1993, He joined WSKQ, and
after a brief stint at a Miami sister station, he returned to New York
and back to WSKQ in 1994 as host of "El Vacilon de la Manana" from 6 to
10 a.m.
With his co-host, Hernandez developed an array of characters that
brought the morning program quick success. Navarro recalled his favorite
character was a gossip reporter whom Hernandez named Popeye.
"Popeye would just make up crazy things about celebrities and ask
the listeners to beg for the initials," Torres said. "Thinking about
those things is helping us get through this."
A wake is to be held today at Ortiz Funeral Home, 2121 Westchester
Ave., the Bronx.
A memorial service is being planned for Saturday; details were not
final yesterday.
Hernandez, who is survived by his mother and brother, is to be buried
in Puerto Rico.

Mourning a Friend / Listeners grieve for radio personality Junior Hernandez.,
02-06-1998, pp A07.
=================================================
Source: Newsday - 2/6/98 < http://www.newsday.com >

(end)

Robert Romero

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Feb 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/8/98

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Dont worrry theres no shortage of Puerto Ricans in New York. He'll be
replaced in about two minutes with a puerto rican jew radio wildman named
Juan Epstein!

Clay

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Feb 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/8/98

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"Welcome Back, Kotter" references are not appreciated on this
newsgroup.

Sorry !!!

See you in Cyberspace
Clay
http://www.walrus.com/~rcgwcwu/
___________________

We're off the Streets now
And back on the Road
On the Riot trail... SY
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