1815 Meadowlark Rd
Clay Center, Kansas 67432
Toll: (785) 632-5661
Fax: (785) 632-5662
Toll Free: (888) 550-5376
Kyle became a co-owner of Taylor Communications in 1994 and joined the management team in 1995. Prior to that, he graduated from K-State in 1980. He has worked as a farmer, business operator, and commercial real estate owner, which he has continued in years since. Kyle is married to Lisa, a middle school teacher and together they have three grown children in the central Kansas region, and eight grandchildren.
He still remembers when KCLY came on the air in 1978, noting that it was a big deal for Clay Center at the time. He enjoys horses, shooting, social events, and playing cards.
Janet Schnell, a native of Lantana, Florida, joined Taylor Communications in 2021. She graduated from Excelsior College with degrees in Administration and Management and Criminal Justice Administration. She also served 20 years in the US Army as a firefighter and paralegal/court reporter.
Janet moved to Clay Center in 2012, when she was stationed at Fort Riley. She lives with her husband, Chad, two boys, Caleb and Lincoln, and numerous farm animals.
She enjoys baking gluten-free foods, riding her motorcycle, and good jokes. She also enjoys educating others about service dogs.
Clay Center native Jamie Bloom has been with Taylor Communications for 25 years. She started working with the company during high school, and then after graduating from K-State with a degree in broadcasting.
Her husband, Caleb, works for Twin Valley, and together they have three grown children, Alyx, Zeb, and Zane. She enjoys music, photography, traveling, and watching sports.
Jamie remembers working at KCLY when it was downtown, above Union State Bank, when she had to spin records and engineer Royals baseball games.
Prior to joining Taylor Communications in 1998, Garla worked as a Physical Education Teacher and raised livestock at her family farm. She now lives on a farm with her husband, Pat.
Together they have six grown children and 10 grandchildren.
Garla enjoys sports, including watching and participating; she’s an avid runner and participates in local races. She loves being a grandma and has dedicated herself to being the best grandma possible.
Her first memories of working for KCLY/KFRM are getting a fast track to writing regularly, often with little information to be included. She gained confidence in writing content, and became a more well-spoken individual as she learned her trade.
Robin joined the staff at Taylor Communications in June of 1995, after graduating from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in business.
Originally from Dickinson County, she now lives north of Clay Center with her husband, Mike, where he farms. They have two grown children, Courtney and Colby.
“Sport Voice Rocky” joined KCLY in 1991, where he began learning the art of live play-by-play on the air. Originally from Warsaw, MO, Rocky moved to the area after managing a video rental store, Movies at Home.
He lives with his wife, Kim, who works for the Kansas State Foundation. They have two grown children and one grandchild, who all live in Kansas. He enjoys golfing and tailgating at Kansas State games.
Rocky’s first memory of KCLY is coming to interview with Vern Yarrow, who he assumed would be a man. He arrived to meet the late Vernadell, who went by Vern.
Jim joined the KFRM staff in September of 2006 and operates the 10:00 am to 2:00 pm shift. He also does Ag Perspectives, the afternoon Ag News, and the 9:40 Market Update on sister station KCLY-FM. Jim and his wife Pam were married in 1979 and have one son, Patrick who attends college at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas.
Jim is a transplanted Iowan who moved to Kansas. He graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. In his spare time, Jim enjoys attending and watching all types of sporting events, spending time with friends and family, reading and traveling.
Julie Walmsley is originally from Minneapolis, KS, but has worked in Clay Center since 2001. Prior to joining the Taylor Communications team in 2019, she managed a Verizon store for seven years. Julie has three children, Emily, Joel, and Hannah, and enjoys spending time with them and her fur babies, including grands. She likes all outdoor activities, including fishing, swimming, and camping (warm weather only). She is a long supporter of KCLY, having listened since 2002, especially to severe weather updates.
Rod joined KCLY/KFRM in 1994; he is a native of Clay Center. Most people know him by his nickname, Cowboy. Prior to moving his career to radio, he rebuilt alternators and sold them in the tri-state area.
He has been married to his wife, Dana, for 36 years and together they have four children and five grandchildren. He is an area rep for Fast Lane in Kansas for the Christian Motorcyclists Association. In addition, he loves spending time with family, shooting guns, ham radio (AKA amateur radio), and riding motorcycles.
Jessica grew up on a central Kansas cattle ranch and farming operation. She and her family are a fourth-generation family business, and she hopes one day her boys, Ty and Mason, will be the fifth. They run a commercial SimAngus cow-calf operation and use their spring-calving cows as recipients in a pure bred embryo transfer service. They also assist in the Ahlquist Farms operation with her dad and brother. Jess enjoys helping companies and producers reach their goals by showcasing their products and services to cattle producers and cattle feeders.
Fun fact: Jess and her family recently added Spanish brush goats to their operation. The goats aid in pasture management, and the Ebert family also sells the goats for meat.
Bethaney Phillips joined Taylor Communications in January of 2022 after returning to Clay Center. She has a bachelor’s degree in English, and has worked in digital marketing and content writing since graduating from K-State.
Bethaney is married to JP, a tractor mechanic. They live with their two young boys, Copper and Colt, and pets. She enjoys reading, gardening, and listening to podcasts.
Her earliest memory of KCLY is recording the Bengal report in middle school; she still has the program on cassette tape.
Michael “Bernie” Fancella, came to Taylor Communications in September of 2011. Prior to that, he worked in Computer Technology and as an IT tech. Originally from Alamogordo, New Mexico, Bernie has two grown children and “the usual assortment of other crazies.”
He enjoys playing and collecting board games, with more than 300 in his collection. He also has 12 gaming consoles and plays games in every genre available.
His first memory of working at KCLY is his first live football broadcast, live and without a net, which he described as “tense and exciting.”
Payton Tholstrup is from Clay Center, KS. She loves animals and has what she calls her own “little zoo” of pets. She has three rescued dogs named Fred, Fozzie, and Moe that she enjoys spending time with. She especially likes to spend time with Moe outside at the walking trail at the zoo park. She also has cats, hermit crabs, and guinea pigs. Payton enjoys reading, listening to all different kinds of music, and spending time with friends and family. She has an associate’s degree and is currently trying to decide if she would like to go back to school and finish her bachelor’s degree.
Emma, 3, is a German Shepard service dog. She was adopted from CCARE by Janet Schnell during the pandemic. Janet began training Emma, then reached out to the program, Train a Dog Save a Warrior (TADSAW), for additional service dog training.
Emma likes treats, and any treat will do; there is not one she has tried and not liked yet. She enjoys saying hello to EVERYONE first thing in the morning, and enjoys getting good morning pets. She also enjoys greeting kids when she is out and about.
Remember, when you see a service dog, always ask to pet. If the owner says no, it’s ok. Sometimes the environment isn’t right and they are protecting the dog and you.