Akron Radio: Newsman Larry States Is Retiring

Larry States

After over 40 years in radio news, the last 30-plus at Rubber City Radio Group talk WAKR 1590 AM Akron, Larry States is calling it a career, according to ohiomediawatch.com.

States tells Akron Beacon Journal writer Rich Heldenfels that there’s a very personal reason he’s stepping away from the microphone:

States said Tuesday that he was retiring to take care of his wife, Wanda, who has ataxia, a brain disorder that affects coordination. “Intellectually, it is not a problem,” States said. But the physical challenges can be enormous.

Larry States has most recently been WAKR’s midday and afternoon anchor, following a long stint as its morning news anchor alongside morning drive host Ray Horner.

States worked his way into Akron from a first job at WINW 1520 AM in Canton, to the former WCUE 1150 AM in the Akron market.

Larry worked at Susquehanna talk WHLO 640 AM when its newsroom was active and fully staffed in the 1970s, before moving to WAKR in 1982.

As you might expect for someone so good at what he does, it will be difficult to replace Larry States…so, it won’t be done by one person.

Starting October 1st, existing station staffers will adjust their schedules to cover Larry’s midday and afternoon newscasts…