Allegheny Mountain Radio Staff

Scott Smith

is the General Manager for Allegheny Mountain Radio and Station Coordinator for WVLS.  Scott’s family has deep roots in Highland County. While he did not grow up here, he spent as much time as possible on the family farm, and eventually moved to Highland to continue the tradition, which he still pursues with his cousin. Unfortunately, farming doesn’t pay all the bills, so he has previously taken other jobs to support his farming hobby, including pressman/writer for The Recorder, and Ag Projects Coordinator for The Highland Center. He lives in Hightown with wife Michelle. In his spare time, he wishes he had more spare time, especially to ride his prized Harley-Davidson motorcycle. scott@amrmail.org

Chuck Niday

is the Allegheny Mountain Radio Chief Engineer (with an FCC General Radio telephone License), a volunteer DJ co-hosting a Wednesday evening show, Something Different (with his wife Heather), and an Amateur Radio Operator with a General Class license. Chuck is also an accomplished musician, having played the baritone horn with the Richmond Concert Band for 10 years. He also has a general aviation private pilots license. His broadcasting experience spans three decades and multiple radio stations, and his engineering work includes radio-related work in Virginia with the Department of Transportation, the State Police, Department of Health Emergency Medical Services, and a local electric co-op. His daytime job is with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. chuck@amrmail.org

Heather Niday

is our Program Director and News Director. She started with Allegheny Mountain Radio as a volunteer deejay. She then joined the AMR staff in February of 2007. Heather grew up in the Richmond, Virginia, area and now lives in Arbovale, West Virginia with her husband Chuck. Heather is a wonderful flute player, and choir director for Arbovale UMC. You can hear Heather as the host of Noon Hour magazine Monday through Friday and also on Wednesday nights from 10 p.m. until midnight as she and Chuck co-host two hours of jazz on Something Different. heather@amrmail.org

Tim Walker

is the WVMR News Reporter. Tim is a native of Maryland who started coming to Pocahontas County in the 1970’s as a caver. He bought land on Droop Mountain off Jacox Road in 1976 and built a small house there in the early 80’s. While still working in Maryland, Tim spent much time at his place which is located on the Friars Hole Cave Preserve. Retiring in 2011 as a Lieutenant with the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland, Tim finally took the plunge and moved from Maryland to his real home on Droop Mountain. He began working as the Pocahontas County Reporter for Allegheny Mountain Radio in January of 2015. Tim can be contacted at tim@amrmail.org.

Danny Cardwell

is the Station Coordinator for WCHG and our Social Media Coordinator, and the host of our gospel and country hours on Wednesdays 10:00 am to noon. He and his wife Renee Cardwell live with a spoiled dog (Toddie) in Hot Springs. Danny is a Deacon at Piney Grove Baptist Church in Hot Springs. He operates Thoughtwrestler.blogspot.com, and is a site administrator and featured writer for the website Dagblog.com. He has been a frequent contributor to The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show, All Politics Are Local, and Politics Done Right. Danny has tutored, lectured, and mentored at risk youth in churches, group homes, and inside the Virginia Department Corrections. He serves on the board of directors for Preservation Bath. danny@amrmail.org

Abby Dufour

is the WCHG News Reporter and afternoon host of Dufour Dujour. After graduating from Bath County High School in 2012, she worked on music- flying out to Colorado and eventually Texas where she lived for over 2 years. In 2017, she moved back to her hometown in Bath County. In her free time, she likes to read, do art, and drink coffee. She’s very thankful to work in a place that is in beautiful Appalachia and allows her to be creative and write. She is always looking for a story and interviews to do with the public. To get in contact, email her at abby@amrmail.org

Bonnie Ralston

is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens. Bonnie can be reached at bonnie@amrmail.org.

Olivia Kesling

is the Office Service Specialist for AMR. She is from the beautiful Bridgeport, West Virginia, and graduated from Bridgeport High School in 2021. She moved to Dunmore in January of 2023. She noted, “It was definitely an adjustment moving from a “city” to a much more rural area, but I truly believe moving has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. It is so heartwarming how well the community has made me feel right at home here.” Before joining AMR, she worked at PMH Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee and barista. She can be reached at olivia@amrmail.org.

Tony McClain

is Station Coordinator for WVMR. Born in Beckley WV, he has roots in Pocahontas County going back over 200 years. He has lived in every U.S. time zone, but Pocahontas has always been the place called home. His long-time family roots have contributed to a deep interest in local history. Tony has been a longtime working musician for the last 30 + years playing various types of music in many different settings and locations. In recent years, he has left the stage life to enjoy other interests and moved home to Pocahontas County on a full-time basis. Tony is the proud father of two grown children and enjoys woodworking, hunting, fishing, and hiking in the mountains, along with riding his ATV while looking after his family land. He can be reached at tony@amrmail.org

Brit Chambers

is a news reporter for Allegheny Mountain Radio. She is a resident of Highland County, Virginia and loves living in a small town and relishes the outdoor adventures and community feeling that Highland has to offer. Brit has a background in journalism, marketing, and public relations and spends her free time reading good books, baking sourdough bread, and hiking with her family. She can be reached at britchambers@gmail.com.

Heath Chambers

is the host of the All Over the Road morning show from 6-10am weekdays playing the hits across genres.  Allegheny Mountain Radio is a family affair for the Chambers with son, Cash hosting the Kaching Radio Show since he was 14 years old, and wife, Brit producing local news features.  Heath, Brit and their four teenagers live in Monterey.  They love to hike and explore and live for a good swimming hole.  Heath loves all things outdoors, but has a particular love for fishing and paddling local rivers. He can be reached at heath@amrmail.org.