1on1 with Jon Evans

Chris Everett is now working on the follow-up to his award-winning 2015 documentary film Wilmington on Fire, which chronicled the 1898 Wilmington Massacre that overthrew the existing city government and resulted in the deaths of dozens of Black leaders. Chris talks about the film’s renewed importance in conversations about racial justice, the retired pro basketball player who helped to get it finished, and the stories he wants to tell in Chapter II. 

Actress Jen Lilley’s latest project for The Hallmark Channel brought her to Wilmington to shoot USS Christmas during the pandemic. Along with spreading holiday cheer through the movie, Jen also came up with a way to keep COVID-19 from cancelling Christmas for families and children in need. She’s also channeled her advocacy for foster children and adoption into the successful Fostering Hope podcast.

Takayo Siddle became the head coach of the UNCW Men’s Basketball Team in March of 2020. He’s had to work hard, on and off the court, to keep his team virus-free during the COVID-19 pandemic. Siddle talks about that challenge, his journey to becoming a head coach, and the tough love lesson he learned when his Mom did not pick up the phone.

Dr. Charles Foust takes over as the Superintendent of New Hanover County Schools at a turbulent time. The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for students, families, teachers and staff. Three educators from inside the system were arrested and charged with sex crimes against children in the past two years, and the investigation into whether administrators violated any laws in handling allegations brought to their attention. Dr. Foust talks about how he plans to address the challenges that lie ahead, in and out of the classroom.

Trevor Donovan has been on hiatus since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But the actor is getting back in front of the cameras, coming to Wilmington in September to star in another Christmas movie for the Hallmark Channel. Donovan talks about working under new pandemic-related safety rules, the importance of his breakthrough role on the CW's 90210, and the decision he calls the ‘best of his career’.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center has operated for more than 50 years as a public hospital. That's likely to change by the end of 2020, as negotiations are underway to sell NHRMC to Novant Health in a deal worth upwards of $5 billion. Jon interviews the two Chief Executive Officers, John Gizdic of NHRMC and Carl Armato of Novant, with questions raised by the public, and hears how they believe the partnership will reform healthcare and improve lives in southeastern North Carolina.

Beck Black grew up in rural North Carolina loving to sing and play music. Little did she know one day, she would be teamed up with one of the most famous musicians in the world. Beck’s new song, “Who’s Gonna Save Rock n’ Roll”, features Ringo Starr on drums, and the former Beatle also appears in the music video. Here’s the story of how it all came together, and what’s on the horizon for Beck Black’s music career.

According to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, 129 journalists were physically attacked while covering protests that followed the death of George Floyd. They were shoved to the ground, hit with batons, rubber rounds, tear gas, rocks, bottles and other projectiles, all while trying to document the history-making Black Lives Matter movement. Four television news reporters describe their experiences and emotions of covering the civil unrest.

After earning three degrees from Ivy League schools and handling multiple health crises on the federal and state levels, Dr. Mandy Cohen says she never anticipated having to help ten million people through a pandemic. Now, as Secretary of North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Cohen is the face of the state’s effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, while balancing being a wife and mom to two little girls.

Few partnerships in radio or television have lasted as long as the one forged by John Isley and Bill James. They met in 1980 and are still together today on the wildly successful “John Boy & Billy Big Show”, waking people up with laughter on radio stations across the country. We caught up with John Isley in Wrightsville Beach, where he spends a lot of time away from work, and asked about how he got his start, the crew involved in producing the ‘Big Show’ magic, and how much longer the show will go on.