Iconic Weathercaster Pool Will Retire

KOMO 4 TV Seattle meteorologist Steve Pool, a veteran in the market and a regional icon is retiring.
His last weather forecast will Tuesday, November 26th. 
With a smooth delivery and an uncanny ability to connect with his audience, Pool, one of the nation's first African-American weathercasters, has won 8 Emmy Awards and has filled in more than 70 times on ABC's Good Morning America.

Seatlte Sportscaster Bruce King

Longtime KOMO-4 TV evening sportscaster Bruce King has died.  He had been with the station for over 30 years when he retired in 1999, except for a year in New York at WABC.  He was named Washington Sportscaster Of The Year 4 times and won 2 local Emmys. 
He worked at one time for KABC in Los Angeles and covered the first Super Bowl in the LA Coliseum for the station. 
King was 83.

Tracy Vedder Sues KOMO/Sinclair

In what could be a landmark case, former KOMO TV investigative reporter Tracy Vedder is suing her ex-employer for breach of contract and gender and age discrimination.  Vedder was one of 10 employees of the station to receive pink slips.  Vedder had had her contract extended through October of 2018. 
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, Vedder had won 11 Regional TV Emmys and 7 Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in reporting.  Vedder had been with the station for 21 years.  The suit was filed in King County Superior court and names KOMO TV (incorportated as Sinclair Media of Seattle) and the news director.

Goertzen Hall On WSU Campus

One of  Seattle's most beloved media figures, Kathi Goertzen is remembered at the Murrow College of Communications.  Kathi Goertzen Hall stands on the Pullman campus to honor the KOMO TV anchor who won the hearts of viewers with her brave fight against a brain tumor.  My sister-in-law snapped these pictures while taking my nephew to a WSU school visitation.
Goertzen was a 1980 graduate of WSU.

Ken Schram Dies

Ken Schram, who worked in KOMO TV, then KOMO radio, but always with KOMO, at least as far as I can remember, has passed away after battling internal infection.  This report by KOMO's Eric Johnson, sums up the career from one of Seattle best known media personalities.

Ken Schram Ailing

Reports have surfaced that veteran local TV personality Ken Schram has gone into hospice care.  Schramm worked many decades for KOMO 4 in Seattle, presenting editorials, hosting a community talk show, and doing commentary on KOMO radio.  Toward the end of 2012, it was announced that the company was buying out his contract.

Broadcast Journalist Eric Slocum Dead

The Blatherwatch blog reports the death of former KOMO News Anchor Eric Slocum.  The Seattle PI reports that Slocum had been battling depression, his death was ruled a suicide. He was also a published poet and had been working on a memoir.

Former Seattle Anchor Stays In Touch

While attending WSU I shared a class with Margo Myers. Myers would go on to have an excellent broadcasting career, working first for KOMO-TV in Seattle and later for KIRO-7. During her time at WSU, Myers was a sports reporter at the college newspaper.

She now has a blog where she can keep up with friends and former viewers. By the way, Myers had a role in the 2002 Angelina Jolie movie "Life Or Something Like It"

Kathi Goertzen Returns To Anchor KOMO News

TV viewers of the Seattle area are happy to see longtime news anchor Kathi Goertzen return to the anchor desk after her fourth surgery for a brain tumor.

Wishing A Quick Recovery For Kathi

The Seattle area wishes long time Channel 4 Anchor Kathi Goertzen a quick recovery. Goertzen has gone in for the third time for a brain tumor.
Kathi's unassuming manner always makes her a welcome presence in people's living rooms. Her 30 years in the Seattle television market, make her a dynasty. Kathi and I both went through the Com department at WSU during the late 1970 and early 80s.
This picture is courtesy of the Seattle Times.