Florida News Center

(edited from WPTV.com) – Thousands of commuters are losing the friendly voice they depended on to get them to work or school on time.

After nearly a decade piloting Chopper 5, Captain Julie Stevens is leaving her fulltime job as the eye in the sky for WPTVviewers.

Stevens wants to spend more time with her family and beloved animals.

Julie was born and raised in London, England. She was inspired to become a pilot when she would watch the Concorde fly over her house that stood under the flight path of Heathrow Airport.….Cont….

//hattip to our friends at SFLTV.com for the link

(from WPTV.com) – Popular WPTV/WFLX morning co-anchor Roxanne Stein has not been on the air since she left on a holiday vacation in December. On December 22nd she was riding her horse Bamboo and had an accident.

Roxanne wants her faithful viewers to know she will be returning, although it might not be for a couple of more weeks at the earliest….Cont….

//hattip to SFLTV.com

(from GossipExtra.com)  – Former WPTV-Channel 5 weatherman Rob Lopicola had a date with Judge Stephen Rappthis morning in West Palm Beach.

The 42-year-old muscle-bound Lopicola, who’s been held in the Palm Beach County lockup since his July arrest, learned he’ll be in the slammer much longer while he awaits trial on charges that he had sex with at least two underage boys.

Lopicola pleaded not guilty to four felony charges of computer porn, child exploitation and lewd conduct and lascivious battery. But so far, he’s not been able to pay for his $130,000-bond. He tried to have his bond reduced twice over the summer but Rapp refused.

Lopicola worked as a stripper and bartender in a gay club in Wilton Manors when he was arrested. He dabbled in personal training after he was fired from the station in 2006 in hush-hush circumstances that officials at the NBC affiliate have yet to explain….Cont….

Viewers in the Tampa market may have noticed several changes on WFTS. The station debuted a new graphics and news music package on Friday this week. The new graphics/music are the same that ones that were introduced at WFTS’ sister station, WPTV late last month. Sources tell us to keep an eye out for minor (potential) set changes to correspond to the new graphics package. Will this new graphics package filter down to other Scripps owned stations around the country? Only time will tell.

Check out the new graphics/music below and the new newscast intro c/o of FNC on YouTube…

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(from TVSpy.com) – Lloyd Bucher has been appointed station manager at WPTV, Scripps’ NBC-affiliate in West Palm Beach.

Bucher has been the director of sales at WPTV for more than five years. He steps into his new role after Steve Wasserman, WPTV’s general manager, was named as one of Scripps’ three divisional general managers. Wasserman will continue as the WPTV GM….Cont….

Viewers in West Palm Beach may have noticed some new changes at WPTV. The station unveiled its much anticipated new set and graphics package last week. Check out the images below.

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(from PalmBeachPost.com) – A judge this morning refused a request to lower bail for a former TV weatherman accused of having sex with two teenage boys he met online.

Rob Lopicola, 42, has been held on $130,000 bail since authorities arrested him last month. His public defender, Aaron Ritchey, asked Circuit Judge Stephen Rapp to reduce Lopicola’s bail to $35,000, but Rapp denied the request.

The former WPTV-Channel 5 weekend meteorologist stood silently throughout the hearing and choked back tears as his mother, Roberta Glass, told Rapp she and Lopicola’s father could not afford to pay his bail but desperately wanted him released.

(from PalmBeachPost.com) – Former TV weatherman Robert Lopicola remains in jail this morning after he was arrested Monday on charges of having sexual activities with minors he met through Craigslist.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Krista Marx set Lopicola’s bail at $130,000 and ordered he have no contact with the alleged victims in the case or anyone under the age of 18 on Wednesday. She also ordered he have no access to the Internet or possess any device that allows him access to the Internet….Cont….

(from WPTV.com) – Former WPTV NewsChannel 5 weatherman Robert J. Lopicola’s first appearance in court has been delayed until Wednesday morning after being arrested Monday on charges related to unlawful sexual activity with minors he met through Craigslist.

Lopicola’s first appearance was delayed so he could obtain a laywer.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Lopicola faces the following charges: one count of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, one count of lewd and lascivious battery, one count of computer pornography and child exploitation….Cont….

6/15/12 – UPDATE: The demolition of Florida station sets continues! Viewers in the Tallahassee market may notice changes at WCTV. That station now joins WTVJ, WMBB and WPTV in stations that will be introducing a new set in the coming weeks. The station started teasing the demolition of their old set  last week on Facebook. Stay tuned!

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6/09/12 – UPDATE: Viewers in Miami may notice changes at WTVJ. That station is joining the growing list of Florida stations that are in the process of getting a new set. So far no word on when the new set will be unveiled. Stay tuned!

//hattip to SFLTV.com

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6/04/12 – Viewers in Panama City and West Palm Beach might notice a big difference when watching their local newscasts. WMBB ABC 13 and WPTV NBC 5 are both currently in the process of renovating their sets. Both stations, which have not had a new set in more than a decade, are temporarily broadcasting from make-shift sets in their news rooms. WMBB and WPTV both have posted pictures of their set demolitions on Facebook. (WMBB on the left….WPTV on the right). So far no dates are set for the new sets to be complete. Stay tuned!