Mike Lopez is the new news director at WEAU in Eau Claire, Wisc., the station confirmed to TVSpy.

Lopez joins the NBC affiliate from WVEC in Norfolk, where he was the assistant news director for seven years. He has also worked as an executive producer at WAVY in Norfolk and WISH in Indianapolis and as a producer at KRON in San Franscisco.

Lopez, who started earlier this month, replaces Eric Shepard.

WAVY, the NBC affiliate for Hampton Roads, VA, has announced changes to its weekday evening anchor lineup.

Nicole Livas (pictured left) joins Tom Schaad for the 6:00 p.m. and and 11:00 p.m. news, filling the co-anchor chair left vacant by the retirement of Alveta Ewell in February.  Livas and Schaad will continue to anchor the 5:00 p.m. news on WAVY and the 10:00 p.m. news on FOX affiliate WVBT.

“Our new anchor lineup continues our commitment to bringing high quality journalism to our audience every day,” said WAVY news director Jim Gilchriest in a statement. “Nicole, Tom, Stephanie, and Anita, as well as Chief Meteorologist Don Slater and Sports Director Bruce Rader anchor an experienced team of journalists in the WAVY newsroom who are dedicated to finding and presenting important, relevant, and compelling news and information that Hampton Roads viewers have come to expect from 10 On Your Side.” Read more

WVEC, the ABC affiliate for Hampton Roads, VA, will air a one-hour special devoted to explaining the impact of Sequestration on the area.

“This is a complicated and important issue,” Doug Wieder, WVEC executive news director told TVNewsCheck. “Our award-winning military reporter Mike Gooding has been at the forefront of this story for weeks, and we see this as a natural extension of our commitment to our viewers.”

The “sequester” is the name of the mandatory federal budget cuts scheduled to go into effect March 1.  The cuts will be triggered if Congress and President Obama cannot agree on a plan to reduce the nation’s deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next ten years. The economy in the Hampton Roads market relies heavily on the defense industry, one of the targets of the mandated cuts. Read more

After 25 years at WAVY, Alveta Ewell is retiring from the Hampton Roads NBC affiliate on February 26.

Ewell, who joined the station in 1989, announced the news of her retirement on Wednesday’s 6 p.m. newscast. “It’s opening up a whole new chapter in my life, which is a really awesome thing,” she said (video above).

Doug Wieder has been promoted to executive news director at WVEC, the ABC affiliate in Norfolk, Va.

Wieder has been interim news director since Rich Lebenson left WVEC in October. Prior to that, Wieder spent five years as executive producer.

“Doug had the ultimate ‘on-the-job’ interview, and passed with flying colors,” WVEC president and general manager Brad Ramsey said in a statement. “We have seen tremendous momentum under Doug’s leadership, thanks to his deep commitment to growing our people and improving our content every single day.  Together we are incredibly excited about the future of 13News.”

Wieder, formally an investigative reporter, has also worked at WRIC in Richmond, WDEF in Chattanooga and WGXA in Macon, Ga. His promotion is effective immediately.

David Culver said goodbye to WAVY, the NBC affiliate in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, on Sunday (video above). As we told you last month, Culver is joining the Northern Virginia bureau at WRC, the NBC O&O in Washington, DC.

“I’m smart enough to say this is not goodbye,” Culver said. “Right now it’s just a moment for me to say thanks.”

WTKR anchor Barbara Ciara answered the ringing phone at the anchor desk during the 4 p.m. newscast Friday (video above).

“Whoever you’re looking for, you got the wrong number,” Ciara said as laughter can be heard in the studio around her. “Okay, bye.”

A lighthearted moment amidst a long weekend of serious Hurricane Sandy coverage on Norfolk’s WAVY: during a live shot from the beach on Sunday, two people ran into the station’s shot and started doing the “Gangnam Style” dance (video above).

To the station’s credit, the control room went to video immediately. [h/t The 24/7 Newsroom]

Brad Ramsey has been named president and general manager of Belo’s Hampton Roads ABC affiliate, WVEC.

He comes from WCAV-WVAW-WAHU in Charlottsville, VA where was was vice president and general manager.  He succeeds Tod Smith who was tapped by Belo to run its New Orleans duopoly, WWL-WUPL.

“Brad is an up-and-coming leader in the television industry who has delivered consistent revenue and ratings growth in his previous positions,” said Kathy Clements, Belo’s senior vice president of media operations in a statement posted to the company’s website. “His experience in the Virginia marketplace will be a significant asset to WVEC.”

Ramsey began his career as an anchor/reporter for WHSV before working his way up to vice president and general manager of the Winchester, VA ABC affiliate.

His first day will be November 5.

Kerri Furey morning anchor for WAVY announced today she’s leaving the Hampton Roads NBC affiliate at the end of the week.

“I just want to say I’m very grateful for the 15 years that I’ve had here at WAVY-TV,” Furey said on air this morning.  “I don’t want to be all alone on an MCU,” she then told the director.  “Get my friends back in the shot!” she said while motioning to her fellow anchors, Don Roberts, Cheryl Tan and meteorologist Jeremy Wheeler.

The station also posted a goodbye to Furey on the twitter account of its “The Hampton Roads Show”,

“Kerri announced this morning that this is her last week at WAVY! She is slowing down to spend more time with her family. We will miss her!!”

Furey started in broadcasting as an enlisted sailor in the Navy.

[hamptonroads.com]