Vara said he was told this week that his contract, which was to expire in July, had been terminated because of financial considerations. CBS Radio also cut two longtime employees, Robert B. McEntire and T.J. Callaghan, on its KILT-FM signal a few weeks ago for similar reasons.

“Bill Van Rystdam (KILT-AM’s program director) told me it was not performance-based but just part of the tough economy that has affected all of the stations,” Vara said in an e-mail.

Fortunately, Vara has a day job as a paralegal, which will more than occupy his time while he seeks out another spot in local radio.

“I’ve been in Houston all my life and feel very confident I will be on the Houston airwaves again in due time,” he said.

As for his former co-workers, he said, “I enjoyed working with all the on-air guys especially Matt (Jackson), Rob (Costa) and Wexler. I can’t imagine having a better on-air partner than Wex. He made things easy for me by being the level-headed, analytical and still funny one while all I had to do was interject a smart-ass comment every now and again. I can’t thank him enough for carrying me this last year and a half.”