Carla Eckels

Reporter, Music Host

Carla Eckels has been an award-winning announcer/news producer for KMUW 89.1FM, Wichita Public Radio for 15 years. Carla also produces a R&B and gospel show Soulsations, Sunday nights at 6 on KMUW.  She also hosts Joyful Sounds, a Sunday morning gospel radio show on the internet Grown Folk Jamz.  Prior to KMUW, she was the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition at WYSO public radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio and co-hosted a nationally syndicated Gospel Countdown Radio show in Cincinnati. 

Carla has reported on national news stories such as the BTK serial killer case, Roeder trial, Greensburg tornadoes and the 1958 Dockum Drug Store sit-in for NPR.  The Dockum feature was the number one listened to story on KMUW’s website in 2007.

She’s the recipient of an Edward R. Murrow regional award for her reporting on Alzheimer’s. Carla has annually emceed the Wichita River Festival and Black Arts Festival gospel music segments. She was the emcee for the 2010, 2011 A Tribute to Trail Blazers Gala for the Kansas African American Museum and the 2011 NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet.

From 2004 to 2007, Carla hosted the number one gospel radio show on KSJM 107.9 JAMZ. She is the recipient of the Best Disc Jockey award voted on by subscribers of The Community Voice Newspaper.

Carla is a graduate of Wichita State University with a degree in communications. Her greatest joy is her family. She is married to Wichita and WSU Football Hall-of-Famer, Rev. Reuben Eckels and they are co-founders of New Day Christian Church. They have two children. Carla serves at New Day along side her husband, Reuben and co-pastor Rev., Dr. Cynthia Wolford.

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Wichita City Council
6:05 am
Wed February 6, 2013

City Council Approves 10-Year, $12.5M Bike Plan

Credit City of Wichita - Bicycle Master Plan
An illustration of one bike-friendly design option for Wichita streets.

The Wichita City Council Tuesday approved the Bicycle Master Plan. It recommends ways to make bicycling easier, safer and more convenient in Wichita.

A 19-member steering committee worked on the plan for two years. More than 4,000 people participated in the planning process at various meetings and events.

At the council meeting, Scott Wadle of the city's planning department outlined some of the recommendations:

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Community
4:46 pm
Tue February 5, 2013

What Did $100M Do For Downtown Wichita?

Credit chris.locke / flickr
View of downtown Wichita from the top of the Old Town Square parking garage.

Nearly $100 million was invested in downtown projects last year including the Ambassador Hotel, St. Mary's Cathedral and the YMCA.

This figure comes from the 2012 Project Downtown annual report that was presented to the Wichita City Council Tuesday by Jeff Fluhr, president of the Wichita Downtown Development Corp., and Scott Knebel from the city.

David Dixon, principle for planning and urban design at Goody Clancy out of Boston, was also part of the presentation because he helped craft the master plan.

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Community
4:22 pm
Fri February 1, 2013

After 5 Years And $17M, St. Mary's Cathedral Reopens In Downtown Wichita

Credit St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral will reopen to the public Saturday after a renovation that took five years to plan and complete.

St. Mary's Cathedral will reopen after the dedication of the altar Saturday in downtown Wichita.

Father John Sherlock says after $17 million dollars and five years of planning, the sanctuary has been totally renovated, including a new baptismal, 7-ft bronze statues, extension of the choir loft and the return of the tabernacle to the front of the church.

He says there is also a significant space inside the top of the dome.

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Arts
6:03 am
Fri February 1, 2013

Gospel Music Executive To Start Network In Wichita

Credit Michael Gomez
Gospel music executive, Carla Williams.

For more than two decades, Carla Williams has worked as a gospel music executive. She’s helped manage the careers of platinum and Grammy award-winning gospel artists.

A couple of years ago, she started her own company, CW Creative, and recently returned home to Wichita to start a new initiative to help area artists.

KMUW’s Carla Eckels talked with Williams about her expertise in the industry and launching The Gathering Network.

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Business
6:14 am
Thu January 31, 2013

Chamber Survey Suggests Strong Support For Tax Cuts

Results from the 10th annual Kansas Chamber CEO Poll were released Wednesday. The Chamber uses the results to assist in developing its agenda.

Project Director Pat McFerron says the survey showed strong support for continued state tax reform.

"Twenty-nine percent of Kansas business owners say that taxes are their top concern," says McFerron.

"It's the same percentage that we had last year and again, for 10 years it's been a top concern and this is asked at the start of the survey without us mentioning anything else."

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Community
6:13 am
Fri January 25, 2013

Community Members To Hold Vigil In Support Of Immigrant Rights

Students and support organizations in Wichita will lead a prayer vigil at Newman University Friday in support of immigration legislation that creates paths to citizenship.

The Newman University Hispanic American Leadership Opportunity group (H.A.L.O.), student organizations, Sunflower Action, the Wichita Casa De La Semilla, and other organizations are partnering to host the prayer vigil called Respect Human Dignity - Keep Families Together.

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Community
6:05 am
Tue January 22, 2013

Wichita Celebrates Life Of MLK, Inauguration

Credit Carla Eckels

Hundreds took part in an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in Wichita Monday, co-sponsored by The Greater Wichita Ministerial League and Wichita State University.

This year’s event showcased a live broadcast of the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. 

The audience erupted in applause while watching Obama take the ceremonial oath of office on a big screen at the WSU Metroplex.

Attendee Floyd Johnson, Sr. considered the day historic.

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Community
5:54 am
Fri January 18, 2013

Wichita To Celebrate Life Of MLK With Several Events

Credit Tom LeGro/PBS NewsHour / Flickr
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C

Several events will take place in Wichita this weekend in remembrance of civil rights leader, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities are scheduled through the King federal holiday on Monday.

Saturday's kickoff event includes an MLK parade starting at Christian Faith Centre, on South Broadway, winding through downtown Wichita heading to the Chester I. Lewis Reflection Square on Douglas.

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City Government
6:19 am
Wed January 16, 2013

Wichita City Council Approves Bonds For Sports Complex

The Wichita City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve phase one of the STAR Bond project plan that will help establish a multi-sport athletic complex in northeast Wichita.

The 430 acre complex site near K-96 and Greenwich road will serve as an attraction for regional and national youth sports competition. The site plan includes hotels, retailers and an aquatic attraction with a goal of increasing tourism for Wichita and the region.

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City Government
1:34 pm
Tue January 15, 2013

Paul Gray Sworn In As Interim District IV City Council Member

Credit Carla Eckels / KMUW
Municipal court judge Jennifer Jones swears in Paul Gray as the interim city council member for District IV.

The Wichita City Council chose former council member Paul Gray to fill the interim District IV seat, which represents southwest Wichita.

The vote was 4-2, with Mayor Carl Brewer and Vice Mayor Janet Miller voting for former council member Stan Reeser.

Gray previously served two terms with the council and left due to term limits.

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