Ledger-Enquirer from Columbus, Georgia • B1

SATURDAY JUNE 10 2017 1BFACEBOOK.COM/COLUMBUSLEDGERENQUIRER TWITTER.COM/LEDGERENQUIRERLEDGER-ENQUIRER.COM Faith A father and son have been on the job togeth- er since local Christian television station WY- BU went on the air 11 years ago. Virgil Thompson, 64, is gener- al manager and Alex Thompson, 32, is production manager at the Phenix City station. feel called to introduce Jesus Christ to Alex said. love what we do Virgil agreed, saying there is no better way of making a living. get to help those in need and spread the message of Je- he said.

The two are assisted at the station by traffic director Emma McPeters and chaplain Norman Garrison. The station is owned by the Christian Television Network based in Clearwater, which has 17 stations nationally in locations such as Tupelo, Nashville, Quincy, and Ma- con, Ga. Their facility is located in the former home of commercial station WCGT, which was owned by McClure Broadcasting. Both Thompsons are natives of the area. Virgil, who currently lives in Phenix City, attended the defunct Baker High School in Columbus and Columbus State University.

Alex, who lives in Ellerslie, also attended high school in Columbus, grad- uating from Jordan Vocational High School. Virgil is a former member of the Muscogee County School Board. reach an estimated 250,000 Virgil said of WYBU. Over the air locally it can be found on Channel 16. As far as cable, it can be found on Chan- nel 9 on Medicom, Channel 19 on Charter Communications, Channel 68 on Cable TV of East Alabama, Channel 2 on WOW Cable and Channel 11 on Wind- jammer Communications.

Most of the programming comes from CTN, which is led by popular hosts such as Pat Robertson, Charles Stanley and Les Feldick but there is also local programming, some of which is produced in the sta- studio. Several church pastors such as the Rev. Raymond Cochran of Franchise Missionary Baptist Church in Phenix City, the Rev. Charlie Sanders of Liberty Hills Baptist Church in Phenix City and the Rev. Jay Bailey of Solid Rock Church in Columbus have shows.

With with Pam Hovey is a popular production as is Sharon Jones But it is not all about faith. Locally, Georgia State Sen. Ed Harbison has a show discussing a variety of issues. Nationally, Health With Dr. Richard and Cindy talks to viewers about medical conditions.

Virgil said one of the most important national shows is and which airs in the early morning. The host has people call in seeking help with their most serious problems. Alex said he is in the process of putting together a fishing show with professional fisher- man Royce Railey that will be carried nationwide. will be talk about fishing and said Alex, who hopes it will help bring a younger audience to the station. WYBU is a nonprofit station and depends on donations.

It does not sell advertising. has a couple of national telethons each year. I would love to have a local Virgil said. He admits the station could use a new transmitter. are limping along with the one we Virgil said.

WYBU operates a Love Basket ministry aimed at helping sup- port people in financial crisis. Virgil said it deals primarily with single parent families and helps them in several ways. WYBU has a prayer hotline that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alex works with a nonprofit M2540, a ministry providing meals and other items to the homeless on Monday and Tuesday evenings. can help churches and other groups promote their Virgil said.

are about positive Larry Gierer: 706-571-8581, Alex Thompson is production manager and his father, Virgil Thompson, is general manager at WYBU in Phenix City. Father, son lead Christian television station WYBU BY LARRY GIERER VIDEO Learn more about the station in a video at Columbus Corinth Missionary Baptist 4909 12th Ave. Youth Day Celebration 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Rev.

Bray Streeter and the Gethsemane Baptist Church will be the special guests. 706-325-4309 Greater Shady Grove Missionary Baptist 3000 12th Ave. Vacation Bible School. p.m. Monday-Friday.

706-322-7039 Lewis Memorial Baptist 1022 Adair Ave. Pre-Pastor Anniversary. 3 p.m. Sunday. Guest speaker will be the Rev.

Gillespie, Kingsville Baptist Church from Cusseta, Ga. 706-323-2519 Mt. Tabor Baptist Shepherd Court. Cloth- ing give-away. Noon-3 p.m.

Saturday; 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday. 706-682-0847 Nazareth Baptist 526 Radcliff Ave. Combined Vacation Bible School with Greater Peace Baptist Church. 6 p.m.

Monday-Friday. Held at Rothschild Leadership Academy, 1136 Hunt Ave. 706-327-8720 Riverview Baptist 132 30th Ave. Vacation Bible School. 6 p.m.

daily Monday-Friday. 706-561-8158 St. James CME 380 Northstar Drive. lst Pastoral Appreciation. 10 a.m.

Sunday. Lunch to follow. Guest will be the Rev. Dr. Donovan Coley from Forrest Park Batist Church.

706-682- 2908 St. James Missionary Baptist 5214 St. James St. Youth Day Celebration. 11 a.m.

Sun- day. Guest speaker will be Sister Diamond Burk. kelly- Twelve Disciples Baptist 3625 Youmans St. Fish Fry. 11 a.m.

Saturday. Fish and chicken Fish and chicken Sides include baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, bread and cake. Phenix City Gospel Singing Center 13 Fontaine Road. Gospel Singing. 7 p.m.

Saturday. Fea- turing New Stars Faith, Gospel Jubilettes and more. Mt. Mariah Baptist 1403 3rd St. Annual Home- coming.

11 a.m. Sunday. Food, fun and fellowship. 334-291- 3095 Pleasant Grove Baptist 415 S. Seale Road.

Mens Day. 11 a.m. Sunday. Guest speaker will be Mr. Ed Harbi- son Jr.

334-298-0147 Around the Valley Friendship Baptist Hwy. 431 Villula, Ala. Annual Usher Anniversary. 2:30 Sunday. Special guests are Pastor Robert Buckner and the Benevolent Grove Baptist Church of Pitts- view, Ala.

334-855-3506 Friendship Baptist 101 Friendship Hamil- ton, Ga. Vacation Bible School. 6:30 p.m. nightly Monday-Thursday. Guest facilitator for the adult class will be the Rev.

Dr. Benjamin Hinton, pastor of the Taber- nacle Baptist Church in Gasto- nia, N.C. 706-682-5027 Howard Chapel AME 5865 N. Uchee Road, Hatchechechubbee, Ala. An- nual Mens Day.

2 p.m. Sun- day. Guest will be the Rev. Bernard Rose of Mt. Mariah Baptist Church.

706-325-4246 CHURCH CALENDAR SEE CHURCH, 2B Clooneys welcome twins: Ella and Alexander George and Amal Clooney are now parents of twins and, rest assured, George is doing fine. The Clooneys welcomed a girl and a boy Ella and Alexander on Tuesday morning, the couple announced in a joint statement. Both mother and children, born at a hospital in London, are healthy and doing is sedated and should recover in a few added the statement, released through publicist. No other details were imme- diately available. The Clooneys had been living in London while awaiting the arrival of their babies.

They own a historic mansion just west of London in Berkshire. Clooney, 56, and international human rights lawyer Amal Ala- muddin, 39, married in Italy in 2014. These are the first chil- dren for both. In an interview in February with the French program contres de Clooney said fatherhood was to be an ASSOCIATED PRESS Pacino to star as Penn Paterno Al Pacino will star as late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in an upcoming HBO biopic directed by Barry Levin- son. The film will focus on Paterno dealing with the fallout from the child sex abuse scandal involv- ing his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, HBO said.

The all-time winningest coach in major college football history was fired days after Nov. 2011 arrest and died two months later at the age of 85. A report commissioned by the university and conducted by a team led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh concluded that Paterno and three adminis- trators hushed up the allega- tions against Sandusky. The three administrators were sen- tenced to jail terms recently. ASSOCIATED PRESS PEOPLE THIBAULT CAMUS AP George and Amal Clooney, shown in February, became parents Tuesday to twins Ella and Alexander..