Florida News Center

Here are some of the stories that we missed during vacation:

(edited from TVNewsCheck.com) – Tribune-owned ABC affiliate WGNO New Oleans (DMA 51) has named Bill Wood reporter on WGNO’s News with a Twist.

“Wild” Bill Wood, an 11-time Emmy-winning features reporter, joins WGNO as a reporter for its “eccentric” News with a Twist at 5 and 6 p.m. He joins the station from WFTX Fort Myers, Fla.

Wood graduated with a master’s degree from Northwestern University and holds a Phi Beta Kappa key from the University of South Carolina….Cont….

(from TVNewsCheck.com) – Journal Broadcast Group has named Charles Henrich Jr. vice president and general manager of its Fox affiliate WFTX Fort Myers, Fla. (DMA 62). He succeeds Chris Protzman who Journal promoted to group SVP.

Henrich joins the company after serving as vice president operations for Newport Television, where he was responsible for six markets: Jacksonville, Fla.; Memphis; Mobile, Ala.; Rochester, N.Y.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Tulsa, Okla.

Prior to that he was VP-GM for Bluestone/Bonten Media Groups, responsible for station operations of three NBC affiliates in Montana. There he also served on the Montana Broadcasters Association Board of Directors….Cont….

(from TVSpy.com) – The Cape Coral Police Department arrested WFTX reporter John Rupolo Friday morning for violating a domestic violence order of protection.

“Mr. Rupolo is no longer employed by WFTX and we have no further comment regarding this issue,” the Southwest Florida Fox affiliate said in a statement.

47-year-old Rupolo, who joined WFTX in 2010, posted a $15,000 bail on the misdemeanor charge of contempt of court….Cont….

//hattip to NewsBlues.com

(edited from Fox4Now.com) – Kelli Stegeman will be joining Fort Myers’ WFTX Fox 4 as weekend anchor/reporter beginning this month.

Stegeman comes to Fox 4 after six years in Topeka, Kan., as an anchor, reporter and producer for KSNT-TV, KTMJ-TV and, most recently, the NBC, Fox and ABC Kansas First News tri-opoly. In 2010 and 2011, she was named Best TV Personality by the Capital Journal, and her work helped garner Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards for Station of the Year and Feature New Reporting in 2012 and Best Newscast and Best Website in 2010….Cont….

//hattip to NewsBlues.com

(from News-Press.com) – It was announced this week Miriam Zamorano will join “Fox 4 Rising” as news anchor in early October.

Zamorano most recently worked as a traffic reporter, anchor and lifestyle co-host for San Antonio’s FOX affiliate, KABB-TV, but prior to that she spent three years as a reporter, anchor and traffic reporter for Southwest Florida’s WINK-TV.

WFTX also announced that announced Amy Wegmann will substitute for Carley Wegner on “Fox 4 Morning Blend” while Wegner is on medical leave. Wegmann will team up with Bill Wood….Cont….

(from Fox4Now.com) - WFTX, Fox 4 and Amy Wegmann jointly announce Ms. Wegmann’s departure as the primaryco-anchor for its evening and night time newscasts.  Ms. Wegmann will now devote full-time focus in support her husband, Trey Radel’s, election campaign.

Mr. Radel is the Republican candidate for Congress in District 19.  Fox 4 and Ms.Wegmann have reached a mutual agreement to end her employment with the station.   The announcement was made today by Judy Kenney, Vice President and General Manager of Fox 4.

“Emily Dishnow is now the permanent full time co-anchor, Monday through Friday.  Emily has filled in for the past few months while Amy was on leave and our viewers have been incredibly supportive and complimentary….Cont….

(from News-Press.com) – WFTX Fox4 is bidding farewell to Mike Brooks, a short-timer who has worked at the station for six months or so. He was a jack-of-all-trades, filling in anchoring on different shows.

Brooks has headed to KOKH-TV, the Fox station in Oklahoma City, where he will be the new main anchor.

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – “New look. New hosts. Same attitude.”

That’s the promotional approach from “The Daily Buzz,” the nationally syndicated morning show that tapes in Orlando. The program will bring on a new team next month.

The additions are Charles Divins, an actor who spent five years on the soap “Passions”; Lisa Spooner (right), who has anchored mornings at WFTX in Fort Myers; Lance Smith, who hosted CMT’s “Top 20 Countdown”; and Jessica Reyes, who was a radio personality in Tampa and official spokesperson for Toyota of Orlando.

Their start date is Aug. 6, and “The Daily Buzz” begins its 11th season that day.

The new team replaces Andrea Jackson and Andy Campbell. Mitch English and Kia Malone left the show last month. But English will return periodically as an “on-air tech expert.”….Cont….

(from News-Press.com) – Fox4 morning anchor Lisa Spooner has announced she’s leaving the station for a new opportunity. However, what that opportunity is remains shrouded in mystery.

What we know: Spooner’s last day at Fox4 will be Wednesday, June 27. She’s moving to another city to take an on-air job at a television station. No other details so far.

It’s not the first time a job switch in the TV biz has been hush-hush. What this usually means is that someone at that other station is going to get booted and they haven’t been told yet. Trust me, TV news is a tough business….Cont….

(edited from News-Press.com) – One of Southwest Florida’s most popular news anchors has been doing some moonlighting by appearing on a variety of television dramas. But she says not to worry — Hollywood is not in her future.

WFTX Fox4 anchor Amy Wegmann is on an extended leave currently. She hasn’t been on the news since giving birth to son, Jude, six months ago. Her maternity leave segued directly into a secondary leave due to the fact her husband is running for public office. Trey Radel is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 19th congressional district.

But in her spare time — hard to believe she has any — Wegmann has taken acting roles in several popular television shows….Cont….