Three candidates are officially in the running for sheriff in Middlesex County following the resignation of longtime Sheriff David P. Bushey. 47 year old Christopher J. Easter of Saluda, 43 year old Bryan P. Longest of Locust Hill, and 46 year old Kristen L. Schomburg of Hartfield have all qualified for the November 3 special election. Easter currently serves as chief deputy after a 27 year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, while Longest brings more than 18 years in law enforcement and Schomburg has 25 years of experience. Acting Sheriff Major Michael E. Sampson the Second will continue in the role until voters choose a successor to complete the term through the end of 2027.
ED HISTED
Ed launched his radio career in 1975 and has spent more than five decades in the broadcasting industry. During that time, he has served in a wide range of roles including Air Personality, News Director, Sales Manager, Operations Manager, and General Manager at numerous radio stations in various markets across the country. Beyond on-air and management responsibilities, Ed has also worked extensively on the technical side of broadcasting. His background includes RF engineering and information technology, with particular experience configuring digital automation systems and remote voice-tracking platforms used by stations across the country. Ed was also among a select group of industry professionals invited by Google to its California headquarters following the company’s acquisition of Scott Studios. He was one of just 12 broadcasters nationwide chosen to participate in discussions and provide input during the design and rollout of Google’s digital broadcast automation platform. Although the majority of Ed’s career—spanning roughly four decades—was rooted in music radio, he transitioned into news and information programming in 2012. He says the move into spoken-word broadcasting was a natural evolution after decades of experience in multiple areas of the industry.