Rundgren, Brown leaving Toledo TV

Rundgren, left, and Brown.

Karl Rundgren, who has served as news anchor for WUPW-TV, Channel 36, for nearly five years, is leaving the Fox affiliate Aug. 29.

Rundgren, 31, is moving to Midland, Texas, where he will anchor KMID newscasts.

He said he made the move for family considerations.

My wife s family lives in Midland and she grew up in the area, and my family lives in the Dallas area, he said. While it is a smaller station, to get close to family is huge. Plus, it s a really exciting opportunity [at the ABC affi liate]. They ve got some very

aggressive goals and I hope I can help them reach those goals.

The anchor of WUPW s 4 and 10 p.m. newscasts, Rundgren originally served as the station s fill-in anchor for Ryan Serber, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in early 2003. Rundgren was young to be an anchor and had no experience in the job

either.

It was a great call, said Steve France, WUPW news director.

He looks young, but there s a great level of maturity. He was really able to take on the task.

France praised Rundgren as a team leader, who s very respected by the staff. He also said the pairing of Rundren and co - anchor Laura Emerson worked well.

Until a permanent replacement is found, Emerson occasionally will be paired

with a rotating group of fill-in anchors.

Obviously, the sooner [someone is hired] the better, but I want the right fit, France said. It has to be a person who works well with Laura, and works well with our team.

After three years as a news anchor/reporter at WTOL-TV, Channel 11, Shelley Brown is returning home to Louisiana.

She has accepted a position at WVUE-TV, a Fox affi liate in New Orleans. She shared the news with viewers during the 5:30 p.m. newscast last night.

She is just such a great person, we will miss her greatly, said news director Mitch Jacob. But this is a terrific opportunity for her. The search is under way for her replacement.

Two days after she left home, headed for her new job in Toledo, Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans area in August, 2005, including the suburb of Chalmette, where her home of 15 years was destroyed.

WTOL sent her to Louisiana in October, 2005, to report on the clean-up efforts in the

hurricane s aftermath and again in 2006 for the one-year anniversary of the natural disaster.

I never thought I d go home to work again, said Brown. But this is such a crucial time in the city s history. There is a sense of rebirth, pride, and a desire to do better.

And in this business you have to move in order to move your career forward.

I made some good contacts and good friends here. In addition to missing my Toledo family, I will really miss the seasons. When you step off the plane in New Orleans, the heat just hits you.

Her final day at WTOL will be Thursday.