Three longtime staffers retiring from Illinois Public Media

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Three talk-show staffers at WILL-AM in Urbana, Ill., are retiring, Illinois Public Media said on its website. Departing will be David Inge, longtime host of morning show Focus; the show’s producer, Harriet Williamson; and Afternoon Magazine host Celeste Quinn, married to Inge for 24 years after the two met at the station.

Inge, retiring June 30, has conducted more than 12,000 Focus interviews in his 29-plus years as the program’s host. He started at the station as a classical music announcer, then became a reporter. He also hosted WILL-TV’s pubaffairs Talking Point from 1992 until it ended in 2001. Williamson began at the station as a volunteer, joining the staff in 1996 after careers as a medical librarian and nurse. Quinn began working at WILL in 1980 as a reporter, covering police, courts and the city councils before taking on hosting  duties for Afternoon Magazine in 1993. For the past year, she has been editor of WILLConnect, Illinois Public Media’s community engagement website. She retires April 30.

The station is “planning to carry on the strong tradition” that the three have established over the last 30 years, General Manager Mark Leonard said. “We’ll be hiring people for several positions to help us do that.”

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