During her final newscast on June 13, KUSI-TV news anchor Sandra Maas told viewers, “Although I won’t be delivering the news anymore from this anchor chair, I do hope to be making news, and making a difference for women in the workplace.” She didn’t wait long “to be making news.” Less than two weeks later, Maas filed a lawsuit seeking $10 million in damages. Maas is suing under the California Equal Pay Act, which requires equal pay for employees who perform substantially similar work. She is claiming McKinnon Broadcasting, the parent company of KUSI-TV, failed to provide equal pay to women and discriminated against her due to age and gender. “Women should get equal pay for equal work and performance,” Maas said. “The generation of women before me had to endure wage disparity in the workplace. The generations behind me should not have to. I hope my action will empower other women to do the same, to stand up to this injustice.” Maas, who has worked in TV news in San Diego since 1990, joined KUSI-TV in 2004 and was promoted to evening co-anchor in 2010. In May 2018, the station extended her contract for one year. When the extension ended, Maas was told her contract would not be renewed.

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Radio station KWFN 97.3-FM The Fan, operated by Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM), has announced that “Coach” John Kentera will be the new midday (12 noon to 3 p.m.) talk show host effective Monday, July 1. Kentera is replacing a nationally syndicated Fox Sports Radio show featuring Doug Gottlieb. The station said Kentera’s duties also will include hosting pre-game and post-game shows for San Diego Padres baseball games. KWFN-FM is the English-speaking flagship home of the Padres. He also will host “The Fan’s High School Football Show” on Thursday nights in the fall and serve as the color commentator on “The Fan’s Friday Night High School Football Game of the Week” broadcasts. Kentera, nicknamed “Coach” because he has coached high school sports in the past, has been heard on San Diego radio stations since 1987. Over the years, Kentera has worked at several radio stations, including a 12-year stretch from 2003 to 2015 at XPRS 1090-AM, The Mighty 1090. In October 2015, Kentera took a break from radio to focus on working as general manager of the San Diego Sockers, which he did for six years (2010 to 2016). Then, Kentera returned to the airwaves last year with the 2018 baseball season, hosting pre-game and post-game shows. When morning host Dan Sileo left KWFN-FM in April, Kentera filled-in as host for 5-to-9 a.m. timeslot until Ben Higgins and Steven Woods began their “Ben & Woods” show on June 10.

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Branding agency Oster and Associates has hired Jacqueline Helms as an account coordinator. Helms, a San Diego native, will support client accounts, including Armstrong Garden Centers and Organics Unlimited. The Point Loma resident previously worked as an event manager for Teal ATMs, a local mobile ATM company. She also was an intern with The Cravory and The Worldview Project. She has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from San Diego State University. Founded in 1986, Oster and Associates has clients in retail gardening, produce, agriculture, nonprofit, sports and travel industries.