Toledo ABC affiliate WTVG has made three new hires, according to the Toledo Blade: Ross Ellet (left), Nichole Langley (center) and Daryl Kirkland-Morgan (right).

Ellet is a meteorologist who joined WTVG from the Ohio News Network, which shuttered earlier this year. Before that, he was a weekend meteorologist for KHBS-KHOG, Hearst Television’s duopoly in Fayetteville, Ark.

Langley, also a meteorologist, will serve as WTVG’s weekday traffic anchor and reporter and will also be an occasional weather anchor. She comes from KFBB in Great Falls, Mont., where she has been the morning meteorologist since 2010. Read more

After 20 years at Toledo ABC-affiliate WTVG, Susan Ross Wells will anchor her final broadcast on July 30. She has taken a position as director of health care marketing at the University of Toledo.

“I feel like I’m ready for a new challenge. It feels like a new chapter for me, a new adventure,” Wells told the Toledo Blade. “I’m so proud of the work I’ve done here and that we’ve all done in this almost 20 years. I have met exciting people, told important stories, and am very proud.”

Wells joined WTVG in 1992 and has anchored several different newscasts during her tenure at the station. She currently anchors weekdays at 5:30 p.m. Read more

Kelly Heidbreder has joined Toledo ABC-affiliate WTVG on an interim basis.

Heidbreder, who was most recently a reporter and meteorologist for rival WNWO, will work as a weekend meteorologist, according to the Toledo Blade.

“She is a candidate for the job to replace [meteorologist] Kristen Emery on mornings Saturday and Sunday,” executive news director Brian Trauring told the Blade. “We’re going to see how that goes. So far she’s off to a great start.”

WTVG chief meteorologist Stan Stachak announced his retirement this week, and the Toledo ABC-affiliate has tapped morning meteorologist Jay Berschback as his successor.

“The goal is to continue to build on the proud tradition of coverage that Stan has built at the station,” WTVG executive news director Brian Trauring said.  “We are thrilled to have such an experienced and personable meteorologist already on staff that is able to succeed Stan.  These are big shoes to fill but Jay is the perfect person to lead our weather coverage.”

WTVG also announced that current weekend weathercaster “Blizzard” Bill Spencer would replace Berschback on the station’s weekday morning newscasts. Read more

SJL Broadcasting announced today that WTVG news director Brian Trauring has been tapped to oversee news operations for all of the company’s stations.

Trauring will continue serving as WTVG’s news director as he takes on the additional title of executive news director for SJL Broadcasting.

In the newly created position, Trauring will, according to the announcement, “oversee strategic planning and work with news directors and staffs at the local level.”

Trauring, who has been WTVG’s news director for the past ten years, will be working with WJRT in Flint, MI; WICU-WSEE in Erie, PA; and WENY in Elmira, NY.

Sports director Chad Sokol has left Toledo’s WTVG, the first talent change since the ABC affiliate was acquired by SJL Broadcasting from ABC last month.

Weekend morning co-anchor Dave Holmes takes over as sports director.

Sokol, whose last sportscast was Thursday night, had been with the station since 2009. Holmes has been with WTVG since 2007. Both are Ohio natives.

After the acquisition SJL cut about two dozen staffers. WTVG news director Brian Trauring tells the Toledo Blade of Sokol, “We wish him every success for the future and thank him for doing a good job.”