By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

ALABASTER–One year after launching the local Shelby County radio station, APH Radio has made tremendous strides within the community, and their new radio station is set to open in early August.

The new APH Radio studio will be located at 217 First St. N. in Alabaster, and an open house will be held for the public on Monday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to tour the new studio.

“We will be having an open house all day on Monday, and people are welcome to come by and ask questions,” said station manager Gene Rowley. “It’s not a big building but people are welcome to come by and we will be serving some light refreshments.”

The station is located on the top floor of the building above the Salon 5 studio.

APH Radio is a non-profit radio station and gives out its net profits back to the communities through charitable donations.

In the past year, APH also received the award for best new business from the South Shelby Chamber Diamond Awards.

Rowley is excited about what the station has been able to accomplish in the past year and hopes this year can be even better.

“Not only did we reach our goals for last year, but we surpassed them and we far exceeded what we wanted to do,” said Rowley. “Our goal this year is to double what we did last year. We plan to expand our business operations and we’re looking to hire people full-time and be a job provider in Shelby County because we’re all volunteer right now.”

Another unique aspect of APH Radio is its local sports coverage of various high school games. Rowley said the station will be expanding its sports coverage this year.

“We’re planning to expand our football broadcasts this year,” said Rowley. “We are also planning to have a weekly coaches’ show with University of Montevallo coaches and to have Chris Stewart of the Alabama Crimson Tide Network.”

APH Radio can be heard locally on 99.9 FM. For more information visit the station’s website at Aphradio.org.