ABC 7 Chicago celebrates 30 years of morning news

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WLS, the ABC O&O in Chicago, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its morning newscast.

• The debut newscast team on April 3, 1989, featured Roz Varon, Alan Krashesky and Jerry Taft. Kathy Brock would join the newscast in 1990.
• Taft, Krashesky and Brock would eventually be moved to the station’s evening newscasts, and Tracy Butler and Hosea Sanders were brought in in 1994.
• Judy Hsu joined the morning team in 2001.
• Of the original team, only Varon is still on the air — so April 3 also marked her 30th anniversary on the broadcast.
• In honor of Varon’s time, the Chicago theatre, which is located across the street from the station’s streetside studio, honored her and the station’s morning newscast on its marquee.
• Outgoing Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel proclaimed Wednesday, April 3, 2019 as “Roz Varon Day.”

What an exciting day for the @ABC7Chicago morning team! Congrats on 30 years of success @rozvaronABC7 ! Proud to be part of this great team! pic.twitter.com/bYaaPfNwbP

— Alexis McAdams ABC-7 (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) April 3, 2019

• Taft and Brock have since retired from the station.
• Sanders is still with the station, but anchors the 7 p.m. newscast WLS produces for independent station WCIU.
• He was replaced on the morning anchor desk by Terrell Brown, who remains in that role.
• Hsu left the morning team to become anchor of the station’s 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts after the retirement of Linda Yu and Brock triggered multiple anchor shuffles at the station.
• Hsu was replaced by Tanja Babich, who still serves as co-anchor. Butler is also still the broadcast’s meteorologist.