KPGZ Honors Weather Director Through Scholarship

KPGZ Radio presented its first scholarship to honor their long-time weather director Pete Chaston on Tuesday, May 9. The $500 scholarship was awarded to Kearney High School senior Dante Distefano.

102.7FM KPGZ General Manager Brian Watts presented the scholarship to Dante Distefano at Kearney High School’s scholarship awards ceremony. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must submit an audio or video recording of their broadcast work and want to have a career in meteorology or broadcast journalism.

 “The Board of Directors have chosen Dante as the recipient of the Pete Chaston Memorial Scholarship. Congratulations and best wishes for your future success,” said Watts.

Distefano has been accepted to Northwest Missouri State University where he plans on studying Mass Media this fall. After college he wants to work at a major news or sports network.

Chaston, who was KPGZ’s Weather Director and Sunday afternoon doo-wop show host, died Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Liberty Hospital. He was 78 years old. KPGZ started this memorial fund after they received several emails and phone calls for information about donating to a Chaston Memorial.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story