Sara Welch, who for 10 years was a reporter and weekend anchor for New Haven’s WTNH, has left the station to move to California with her fiance.

Welch became engaged in June to Bob Vanech, a college acquaintance who she reconnected with three years ago after he spotted her anchoring on the New Haven NBC affiliate while visiting his family in Connecticut. Vanech is a Los Angeles resident.

“I really want to have a family,” Welch told the New Haven Register. “So I’ll be taking the plunge and driving across the country. But I’ll be back at some point.”

Welch began her career in television at WBKB in Alpena, MI. She has spent time in local television in a variety of different markets, including WGBA in Green Bay and WTEN in Albany. Her final broadcast in New Haven was last week.

In the same week that longtime WTNH meteorologist Geoff Fox joined rival station WTIC, the ABC-affiliate added Erica Grow to its weather team.

WTNH announced on Friday that Grow would be working the 6, 10, and 11 p.m. weekend evening newscasts alongside anchors Sara Welch and Don Lark.

“Erica is an experienced, respected and dynamic meteorologist and we’re excited to have her join Storm Team 8,” said John Bell, WTNH’s managing editor. In a possible allusion to Fox’s joining WTIC, Bell emphasized that, with the addition of Grow, the station has “the most talented collection of weather professionals in Connecticut broadcasting.”

Grow previously worked as a weekend meteorologist for Philadelphia’s WPVI. She left the ABC-affiliate at end of 2009 as her contract expired. Read more

Don Lark, who was a marquee anchor for WFSB in the 80s and 90s , is returning to the Hartford-New Haven market to become a weekend anchor for WTNH.

Lark is set to make his on-air debut with WTNH this weekend.  He will anchor the station’s 6, 10, and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts alongside Sara Welch.

Lark left WFSB in 1995 to become an anchor at WSTM in Syracuse.  Most recently, he did communications work for Linda McMahon’s U.S. Senate campaign, according to The Laurel.

“Don knows and loves Connecticut,” read a memo sent out to WTNH staff this week. Read more