Calvin Pynn
All Things Considered Host / ReporterCalvin Pynn is WMRA's local All Things Considered Host and works as a full-time reporter in the WMRA newsroom.
Calvin has also spent time as WMRA's Sunday morning host, and as a free-lance radio reporter, writer, and photographer based in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Originally hailing from the New River Valley, his career has been a continuous back and forth switch between radio broadcasting and print journalism. Before earning his bachelors degree in English from Radford University in 2012, Calvin held various positions at the university's radio station, WVRU 89.9, and was also the Arts and Entertainment Editor for RU's newspaper, The Tartan. From 2013 to 2015, he reported for The Southwest Times in Pulaski, VA. He has also contributed articles to The Roanoke Times, The Daily News-Record, and has also volunteered on air for Virginia Tech's radio station, WUVT 90.7, and recently for Staunton's community station, WQSV 106.3.
Calvin's reporting interests include business and technology, art and culture, human interest features, and the wider impact of social justice issues.
In his spare time, Calvin enjoys immersing himself in music - whether it's supporting local bands, going to major concerts, playing guitar, programming electronic music, or just listening to heavy metal. He also enjoys reading, riding his bike, and cooking.
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Following the announcement in December that Court Square Theater in Harrisonburg would close at the end of 2025, several organizations gathered to keep the theater open for the foreseeable future. The Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which owns the space, agreed to take on the financial responsibilities, while the ACT ONE Theater Company will operate Court Square Theater over the next year. I asked JP Gulla, ACT ONE’s executive director, why they stepped in to run the space. -
Host Intro: It seemed like Court Square Theater in Downtown Harrisonburg would close its doors for good at the end of last year. But in a matter of days, a coalition met to keep the theater open. The Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority owns the space and will host a series of community meetings for input on the theater’s future starting later this week. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked the agency's Executive Director, Michael Wong about their interest in Court Square Theater. -
The General Assembly started its 2026 legislative session this week. Several bills related to firearm safety are among the many issues that will be considered in the House of Delegates and State Senate. Joshua Horwitz is a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who has been following the legislative efforts with a Democratic majority Richmond. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked him what this session could mean for gun violence intervention in the Commonwealth. -
The story of a formerly enslaved woman in Virginia who escaped to freedom is finally being told... A candidate drops his bid for the Republican nomination for the U-S senate race in 2026... and a bill aimed at helping renters is being prepared for when the General Assembly convenes next month... -
Last month, Harrisonburg City Council member Laura Dent travelled to Belém, Brazil, to participate in the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP30. Currently in her second term, Dent has advocated for environmentally-friendly initiatives in the city since she was elected in 2020. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked Dent what led to her attendance at COP30. -
Workers at the Starbucks on Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg are in the process of unionizing. They went on strike last week and are expected to vote on unionization this Friday, December 19. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn spoke with barista and union rep Michael Hulleman and asked what led to the decision to unionize. -
A familiar face announces a campaign to represent Virginia’s sixth district... Mary Baldwin University cuts programs... U-V-A’s former president breaks his silence after being ousted this past summer... and Democrats will outnumber Republicans in Virginia’s House of Delegates committees...
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Open enrollment is underway for Virginia’s health insurance marketplace. However, with federal tax subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, per the federal spending bill that was signed this week, Virginians could see much higher monthly premiums. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn spoke with Keven Patchett, the director of Virginia’s Health Benefit Exchange, about what to expect. -
As more extreme weather events, such as heatwaves are occurring more frequently during the summer, physicians are paying close attention to their impact on the human body. Dr. Abigail Hankin-Wei is an emergency medicine doctor in the Shenandoah Valley and a board member on the committee Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action. WMRA's Calvin Pynn asked her about the health impacts of climate change that she’s seen in her patients. -
Jena Crisler is the Democratic candidate running for the House of Delegates to represent Virginia’s 35th District, which includes parts of Augusta, Rockingham, Bath and Highland Counties. Her opponent is Republican incumbent Chris Runion. Crisler, a semi-retired physician, is a first-time candidate. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked Crisler what inspired her to run for public office.
