KOMO weekend anchor Joel Connable died Monday from complications of diabetes. He was 39.

Connable joined the Seattle ABC affiliate last week. The station announced his death on Wednesday evening’s 6 p.m. newscast.

“He suffered from diabetes and we’re told likely died from a seizure,” anchor Dan Lewis said. “Joel had an impressive career in broadcasting at stations all over the country. We regret that our KOMO viewers will not get the chance to get to know Joel Connable.”

Connable was just getting back to the television business after a three-year break. He was fired from WTVJ in Miami in 2009 for allegedly violating the NBC O&O’s policy on accepting free gifts. At the time of his death, Connable had a lawsuit pending against the station. Read more

Family, friends and colleagues of Kathi Goertzen gathered in Seattle on Saturday to celebrate the life of the KOMO anchor, who died last week of brain tumors.

Dan Lewis, Goertzen’s co-anchor for 25 years, was among those to speak at the memorial. “Kathi and I put our trust in each other early on and never looked back,” he said. (Watch KOMO’s report on the memorial service above). Read more

Seattle ABC-affiliate KOMO is remembering Kathi Goertzen, a longtime anchor who died yesterday after a long fight with brain tumors. Goertzen’s longtime co-anchor, Dan Lewis, looked back at more than 25 years with the veteran anchor, calling her “the heart and soul of our news team” (video above).

KOMO presented an hourlong special, hosted by Lewis and sports director Eric Johnson, on Goertzen’s life and career last night. The pair were joined by meteorologist Steve Pool and anchor Mary Nam, who shared candid and emotional memories of Goertzen. Read more

Longtime KOMO anchor Dan Lewis shared the anchor desk for the first time with his son Tim Lewis Tuesday night.

Tim joined the Seattle ABC-affiliate earlier this month as a weekend sports anchor. On Tuesday, he filled in for sports director Mike Ferreri during the station’s 11 p.m. newscast.

“For us, believe me, this is a dream come true,” said Dan. Read more

“Love ABC Primetime? We do too.”

That’s the message behind #liveonkomo, the ambitious new Twitter initiative from Seattle ABC-affiliate KOMO aimed at boosting primetime ratings by promoting social media interaction among viewers, as well as the station’s on-air talent.

KOMO launched #liveonkomo with the season premiere of “The Bachelorette” earlier this month and Kristi Waite, KOMO’s digital strategist, says that the station plans to promote top ABC shows through the upcoming 2012-13 season, using the model established by the “Bachelorette” debut. Read more

Bob Throndsen is retiring after more than three decades at KOMO, the ABC-affiliate in Seattle.

Throndsen has been a reporter, anchor and managing editor of KOMO. Most recently, he served as news director for KOMO Newsradio

“He’s taught me a lot and I know he’s taught everybody else in this newsroom a lot,” KOMO anchor Dan Lewis said in a statement. “I really feel like it’s chipping a little brick out of the foundation of KOMO when he leaves — a piece of that foundation that will never be replaced.” Watch KOMO’s tribute to Throndsen inside… Read more

Kathi Goertzen and Dan Lewis, the longtime KOMO anchor team, were back together on Tuesday at a charity luncheon in Seattle. It was Goertzen’s first public appearance since undergoing her latest surgery to combat brain tumors.

“Her voice is very weak–it’s only been 6 weeks since the surgery, and she has to walk with a cane because she is still having some balance problems,” KOMO news director Holly Gauntt said. “In typical Kathi fashion though, with a quiet voice, she made everyone laugh with a couple jokes.”

Goertzen has been speaking at the annual YWCA luncheon every year since it began 24 years ago. Read more

“Look who’s coming to KOMO 4 News!” longtime KOMO anchor Dan Lewis wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. “My son, Tim, is going to be our new weekend sports anchor and sports reporter.”

Tim Lewis is currently the sports director at KREM in Spokane, where he’s worked since 2006. He is set to leave the station on May 25th to join his dad at KOMO.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in Spokane, and I can’t thank everyone enough for making this a great place to call home,” Lewis tweeted recently. Read more

Kathi Goertzen, who has been battling a benign brain tumor for the past 11 years, underwent over 10 hours of surgery on Wednesday as doctors worked to remove parts of the tumor that had been growing, causing the veteran anchor to lose control of much of her face.

“We accomplished everything we hoped to accomplish,” doctors told her family afterward, according to KOMO.

Anchor Dan Lewis, who has worked alongside Goertzen since 1987, taped a special video message (above) on Wednesday evening, updating the thousands of concerned fans that have flocked to Goertzen’s newly launched Facebook page.

As Goertzen recovers from surgery–she is expected to be in intensive care for the next couple of days–her family is finding strength in the over 40,000 people that have connected with her on Facebook. Read more