Joey Self
Program Director / Morning News Host
Joey Self is from Warsaw, VA, part of the historic Northern Neck. He began his broadcasting career in 1984, moving to Blacksburg in 1994 and later to Roanoke. An avid news and sports fan, Joey loves hosting “Roanoke Valley’s Morning News” each weekday morning from 6:00 to 9:00 AM.
Beyond his on-air work, Joey oversees sports programming and scheduling across multiple stations at Mel Wheeler Inc. He is also the public address announcer for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, bringing energy to the Berglund Center during home games.
Joey has long been involved in Motorsports, serving as a track announcer for NASCAR events at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway. He has also worked multiple events at Daytona International Speedway, including the Daytona 500.
Joey and his wife Sue have two daughters.
Ian Price
News Director / Morning Anchor
Ian Price joined WFIR as a part-time employee in October 2014 and moved to full-time as the overnight reporter almost exactly a year later. He was promoted to Morning Anchor in December 2016 and later became News Director in August 2021. Ian is the Morning Anchor for The Roanoke Valley’s Morning News, an award-winning program recognized multiple times by both the Associated Press and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters for Best Newscast. He anchors live newscasts throughout the morning and continues delivering news updates on WFIR and Sports Radio WPLY / WPLI until the evening.
A Vinton native, Ian graduated from William Byrd High School (2009) and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Radford University (2014).
Outside of work, Ian enjoys following professional sports, especially the NFL, March Madness, the NBA, and the WNBA. He also plays bass guitar and spends time outdoors with his Lab-Pit mix, Carmen San Diego. In his free time, Ian MCs live events and hosts independent podcasts covering sports, pop culture, and other trending topics.
Gene Marrano
Reporter / Anchor
Gene Marrano is a long-time radio, print, and cable TV journalist in the Roanoke Valley, with a background in commercial and public radio spanning more than 20 years. He anchors late-morning and afternoon newscasts and prepares reports that air throughout the day. Now on his second tour with WFIR as a news reporter and anchor, Gene has earned several awards for local news coverage, including multiple selections to the Virginia School Boards Association’s “Media Honor Roll”.
In his spare time, Gene enjoys running, painting when inspiration strikes, and even taking the stage in local theater productions. A father of four and a proud grandfather several times over, Gene also spent years working in sales and manufacturing before turning his attention full-time to journalism.
Clark Palmer
Morning Reporter / Anchor
Clark Palmer is from Huntington, WV, and came to the Roanoke Valley while attending Roanoke College, where he graduated with a degree in History and Communications. Clark first joined WFIR as a news intern in 2016, later working in part-time and fill-in roles before becoming a Morning Reporter in January 2019.
His many responsibilities include preparing and presenting reports for Roanoke Valley’s Morning News and anchoring newscasts throughout the day. Clark also plays a key role at Sports Radio WPLY / WPLI, providing daily sports updates and anchoring newscasts on the station until 6:00 PM on weekdays.
Clark is an avid fan of Marshall University, the University of Michigan, and the Detroit Lions. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, watching sports, and spending time with his wife, Samantha.
Evan Jones
Fill-in reporter
Evan Jones joined WFIR in 2008, moving to full-time in 2010 and serving as News Director for five years before retiring in August 2021. While mostly retired, he still fills in for various news duties as needed and played a key role in covering WFIR’s 100th Anniversary in 2024.
With more than 50 years in radio and television news, Evan has worked in virtually every on-air and managerial role in the industry. In 2023, his distinguished career was recognized with the Robert Gallimore Distinguished Service Award from the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters.
A New England native, Evan graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in Mass Communications. His wife, Erin, is a retired middle and high school mathematics teacher. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.
When he’s not at work, Evan devotes entirely too much time to planning his next vacation—his travels have taken him to 49 states and numerous foreign countries.