A Change of Tune at WAGE Radio?

On "Good Morning Loudoun," Kitzmiller, Jon and others would discuss news and entertainment topics, often with a local twist. For example, when the TV show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader?" made its debut, Kitzmiller brought in Loudoun teachers to pose elementary-school questions and see how much the radio hosts remembered.

"Loudoun is very fortunate to have a community-oriented radio station, from what the government did last night to who won the ballgame. And that's the way it's been for years," said former WAGE announcer Bill Torrey, who is Draisey's half-brother. "Who knows what the format is going to be now?"

Draisey, after starting at WAGE as a DJ, was promoted to news director, assistant manager and general manager. He returned to WAGE this winter after a brief hiatus to become host of "The Drive Home." He said that being told last week of the restructuring was "like hearing of a death in the family."

Scarangella did not return a phone call, and Kitzmiller and Jon could not be located for comment.

Bill Harrison, president of the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, worked with Draisey at WAGE in the 1980s when Harrison hosted an educational program about agriculture through the county's extension office.

"Paul was really the voice of Loudoun County, and it's shocking because he's been part of the institution for a long time," Harrison said. "I thought that if they were going to make a change, it would have happened back when they had that change of ownership."

Office manager Sandy Mauck and Loudoun Extra columnist Eugene Scheel contributed to this report.