Meteorologist David Heckard (pictured left) and anchor Whitney Ray (picture right) are leaving the Evansville, IN, ABC and CW affiliates WEHT-WVTW.
In an email sent to staffers obtained by TVSpy, news director Bob Freeman said in part, “We’re saying goodbye to Whitney Ray and David Heckard. Tough announcement to make but we all know the only certainties in the TriState are changes in the weather and the faces on local television.” You can read the entire email after the jump.
Heckard is going to Fort Myers, FL, NBC affiliate WBBH. Ray, who came back to WEHT-WTVW last year, will devote her time to her family.
Darrel Lieze Adams, WBBH news director, said in a statement, “I am very pleased to announce David Heckard will be joining Southwest Florida’s most accurate team of meteorologists! His main duties will be to forecast our ABC7 weekend night side newscasts and back up our weekday team. Please join me in welcoming him to our team!”
Before coming to WEHT, Heckard worked at WXVT in Greenville, MS. He starts at WBBH Monday, July 29. Ray started her career at WBKO in Bowling Green, KY, in 2004.
Below is an email sent to staffers:
[Jake’s DTV Blog]For those of you who may not have heard this morning .. we’re saying goodbye to Whitney Ray and David Heckard. Tough announcement to make but we all know the only certainties in the TriState are changes in the weather and the faces on local television.
Whitney is leaving us to devote more time to her immediate family. For more than a year now, Whitney has tried to balance time between her Eyewitness News family and her 2-year old son here. All while her husband remained in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It’s been a juggling act and Whitney has decided all her time should be devoted to her immediate family. We wish Whitney and her family the very best and don’t be surprised if you don’t see Whitney on our air again during coverage of events like the Komen Race for the Cure, the CMA Awards and the Easter Seals telethon. Whitney’s last day will be Friday, August 9th.
After 6-years here, David is going to the beach literally! He’s accepted a position on the weather team at WBBH-TV in Fort Myers, Florida. David has been an integral part of our weather team and no doubt will have an immediate impact on the team there. As most of you, if not all, know David is engaged to be married soon and his fiancé will be going to work with him at WBBH where she’s been hired as a web producer. The wedding will still take place here. So, I’m sure some of you will get to see David again. Although we’ve not finalized his last day here, it will either be July 21st or 24th. All our best to the Heckard’s in sunny Florida!
On a personal note, both David and Whitney are not only top notch professionals, they are, in my opinion, top notch people. I have the utmost respect for both and wish them the very best in the future.
Bob Freeman
Eyewitness News
News Director