If you were to take a peek at our payroll system, he would be listed as employee #2.
After 21 years, we bid farewell to a trusted voice & friend of Nevada Public Radio, Rick Andrews. From news to weather, if you've tuned in to KNPR over the years, odds are you've heard Rick's, once described "Cotton Candy-like", voice before.
We had the opportunity to catch up with Rick one last time and hear more about his experience working in a city like Las Vegas, as well as how the medium of radio has changed from the eyes (and voice) of someone who's helped make it possible. Read the transcript from Rick's farewell below.
Rick Andrews: It seems to me now that my 21 years with KNPR has gone by in the blink of an eye. I recall that I was working for another NPR affiliate Station in Florida back in the 90s, when I had the opportunity to visit NPRs headquarters in Washington, DC. It was fascinating to meet a few of the faces behind well known voices. I even got to sit and watch a legendary newscaster, Carl Kasell, deliver the news. He was a super nice guy, and what a great and unflappable voice that visit was, a long time ago, but I still recall the camaraderie that I observed in their bustling newsroom.
In the years that followed, I got to fill quite a few positions in both radio and television, and I'm glad that I finally landed at Nevada Public Radio, granted, my easy going style of announcing is a bit of a contrast to the fast paced city of Las Vegas, somebody even described my voice once as sounding like cotton candy, and I'll take that as a compliment.
Like the city of Las Vegas, KNPR has had to adapt to changes all around and they will undoubtedly keep doing just that. Through the years, I've seen firsthand how digital signals have reshaped radio the essential tools that I was familiar with in my younger days, like reel to reel tape machines and record players, are now talked about with a sense of nostalgia. The fast paced evolution jumped from cassettes to CDs and onto MP3 players and satellite radio. Editing software these days is nothing short of amazing. We can only imagine what lies ahead.
Delivering the news has brought high points and lows. Talking about the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup or the ACES winning the championship twice, were definitely high points. But there have also been stories of hardship and tragedy. One October was a terrible event that none of us will ever forget. A memorial in Las Vegas is set to be completed by October 1, 2027 which will mark the 10th Anniversary of the mass shooting that claimed so many innocent lives and touched everyone who lives here.
The weather is something that I enjoy talking about on the radio, especially when it rains, a good downpour just doesn't happen that often in Southern Nevada, so it's exciting when it does, though Mojave can also get windy and very, very hot. In fact, climate change is expected to keep turning up the heat on our beautiful part of the Southwest. Projections call for an increase in extreme heat days and a rise in record high temperatures by mid century. But whether it's sunny and mild or cloudy with a chance for rain, I've always enjoyed giving the forecast. It's something that most everyone seems interested in, including myself.
When people that I've known have retired, the first thing I ask is, well, what are you going to do now? We're curious about the trajectory that people set for themselves, even in their senior years. And yes, it does feel funny to say that I'm now in my senior years with more days behind me than what's ahead of me. Radio is a magical medium, and I feel lucky to have been on the air for a while in such a magical place as Las Vegas. Thanks for tuning in for KNPR News. I'm Rick Andrews.
This interview transcript was generated using AI transcription technology. While we strive for accuracy, there may be errors in transcription, including misheard words, speaker identification, or technical terminology. Please refer to the original audio recording for verification of specific quotes or details.