New to our local TV news staffs-

 

Here are some new faces that have debuted on local TV recently:

WMDT ...

Andrea Durán

Julia Green

Paige Parsons

Meteorologists

WBOC ...

WRDE ...

             

           

             

                  Victoria Rivera

     

            

Best career wishes to all.

Outdated weather story on WBOC web page-

 At 9PM Sunday, 7/19, the WBOC website continued to post this weather headline and story from the previous night "updated 23 hrs ago" as it states.  Unfortunately, it may have resulted in undue concern for readers who may not have realized it was an outdated item.  Maybe the "News leader" will be more cognizant to not misleading the public in the future.  To their credit their live on-air tornado warning coverage Saturday evening was excellent as was the coverage on WMDT and WRDE. 

(WBOC webpage 9pm Sunday)

Alexis joins DelmarvaLife-

 

Alexis Greiss of WBOC News is now a member of the station's DelmarvaLife team succeeding James McDonald as Field Correspondent, a role encompassing many of the lighter goings-on around the area. Readers may recall Katie Zarilli in this role for several years.  James left the show earlier this month to relocate closer to his home and family.

Local media folks going and arriving-

 

After 3 years at WMDT, meteorologist Erich Ahlf has left for greener pastures (and whiter winters) in Albany, N.Y. where he'll be presenting the weather at the CBS TV affiliate there.  Meteorologist Jake Grant, formerly with WMDT, is now doing weather for Fox Carolina in the Greenville-Spartanburg area. Meteorologists Sam Leppo and Drew Wolf joined WMDT recently.

Other local media news:

Kristina DeRobertis, formerly with WBOC and WRDE is now working as an executive news producer with an Allentown, Pa. television station.

Ever notice?

WMDT's weekend newscasts (apparently recorded on Friday) are a repeat of news from the previous week.  Why? Probably to avoid the expense of a news and studio crew on the weekend when news ratings are mostly lower anyway and news is sometimes pre-empted by sports.  WBOC pinches pennies on the weekend by having the news reader present the weather most times rather than one of the station's meteorologists being there.

News scoop?

 Just saying...

Some people actually pay to get "news" like this?

(7/3/26 Delmarva Now top story)

♪♪Singing The News♪♪

                            

 Just saying-

Have you ever noticed the sing-song delivery in the news presentations of anchors Heidi Kristine of WMDT and David Scott of WBOC, i.e. frequent upward inflections of words especially at the end of sentences?  Contrast this to the conversational delivery of WBOC's veteran anchor Steve Hammond and the pros on networks and in larger TV markets.

Well, I never felt more like singin' the news

'Cause I never thought I'd ever lose

Your viewin' just for singin' the news.

Thumbs down to DelmarvaNow.com

It's just our judgement but we feel that some discretion would be appropriate in whether to accept an ad for exotic dating on the DelmarvaNow.com obituary page. 

    

Just wondering...

 

So just wondering what the circumstances were when WBOC's popular Jimmy Hoppa suddenly vanished from the TV screen many months ago with no on-air mention or farewell from the station.

Jimmy Hoppa (legal name Preston Lay) retired from WBOC-TV in early 2026 to spend more time with his family. His departure was confirmed via social media tributes from colleagues rather than a major on-air farewell.

Career Overview at WBOC

Hoppa was a prominent Delmarva broadcaster for over 20 years, joining WBOC in 2005 after a long radio career.

• Roles: He was known as a morning news anchor and co-host of DelmarvaLife.
• Background: He was also recognized for his work as a lay minister and fire chaplain.

Jimmy Hoppa-

For many months viewers have been asking about the on-screen absence of WBOC's DelmarvaLife popular co-host Jimmy Hoppa.  According to social media Jimmy has retired. We cannot confirm.  Our latest AI (Artificial Intelligence) inquiry is posted below. We cannot verify its accuracy.  A statement from WBOC would be deserving.

(AI)

Longtime WBOC-TV morning news anchor and DelmarvaLife co-host Jimmy Hoppa (legal name Preston Lay) reportedly retired in early 2026. 

While there was no high-profile televised farewell, his departure was confirmed through social media tributes from colleagues and community members in late February and early March 2026. Hoppa indicated his primary reason for retiring was to spend more time with his family, specifically for "PB&J lunches and naps" with his grandsons. 

Career & Community Impact

Prior to his retirement, Hoppa was a staple of Delmarva broadcasting for over two decades: 

Broadcasting: He joined WBOC-TV in the early 2000s after a career in radio. He was best known for his "sparkling personality" as the morning news anchor and co-host of the afternoon talk show DelmarvaLife.

Public Service: Outside the studio, he served as a lay minister with the Church of God, a fire chaplain for Laurel’s Station 81, and a chaplain at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital.

Health: His later years on air were marked by intermittent absences for medical procedures, including a significant open-heart surgery in 2015 and another procedure in mid-2023. 

Former WMDT reporter Leila Weah-

 

(We  asked:)

Leila Weah no longer appears on WMDT-TV and is no longer listed on the WMDT news team roster. Where is she?

(AI says)

As of March 2026, Leila Weah is no longer with WMDT-TV (47 ABC) in Salisbury, Maryland. While she has not yet officially announced her next specific newsroom role, she has recently expressed a strong interest in transitioning into nonprofit work. 

Current Status and Recent Activities

Career Transition: In December 2025, Weah shared that her long-term goals include continuing to host community events and eventually moving into the nonprofit sector.

Advocacy Work: She recently organized and hosted a high-profile memorial and fundraising walk in Minnesota to honor journalists and raise awareness for underrepresented voices.

Online Presence: Her professional bio has been removed from the WMDT News Team roster, and her LinkedIn profile currently lists her location as the United States without an updated employer. 

Stirring an unnecessary snow panic at the grocery stores?

THE FACTS: Forecasts predicted a less than 50% chance of snow Monday afternoon until just after midnight followed by rainy and mild days. No significant snow amount was indicated. A later forecast included rain as well on Monday.

But you'll probably being hearing a lot of "it's supposed to..." around town. 

We say it was not a responsible headline for delmarvanow.com (Salisbury Daily Times) to use, especially as the leading story.

Did you know... Charlie's back on TV!

 

WMDT news anchor moving on-

 

WMDT news anchor Han Cechini is leaving for a new job as a media specialist for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.  Han has been with the local station since 2020.

Rachel Pierce- formerly with WBOC.

 
Rachel Pierce, who departed WBOC recently, is working in news at WPXI television.. NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh.  As reported in previous posts, WBOC's Kirstyn Clark and Lauren Miller have also moved on to other stations.  Kirstyn is back in her hometown Raleigh, NC and Lauren is in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.  

We found Kirstyn Clark! (formerly with WBOC)

 

"Honey, I’m home! I’m thrilled to finally share that I will be joining the talented and renowned team at WRAL TV in Raleigh, NC.  It’s surreal being back in my hometown to work alongside journalists I watched and admired growing up and to tell impactful stories in the communities that shaped who I am today. I’m grateful for this special opportunity to continue growing in my passion!"

Pocomoke Public Eye note: We're still trying to locate Rachel Pierce who recently left WBOC.  Lauren Miller, formerly of WBOC, is working at WSPA-TV in Greenville/Spartanburg, SC as we reported recently. 

They've said goodbyes to WBOC-

 

Kirstyn Clark

Rachel Pierce

Lauren Miller

No word on Kirstyn's and Rachel's new work locations.  Lauren's new job is with CBS affiliate WSPA-TV, Greenville/Spartanburg, SC. 

Did you know? The Karli's have left after nine years at WBOC.

 

(Jacqueline Karli WBOC FACEBOOK post excerpts)

It is with mixed feelings that Todd and I announce we are retiring from WBOC.  After 40 years in broadcasting, it is time to turn the page.

We will be moving back to California where our daughter will be attending college and our son will be working. As for what we will be doing, that is part of the great unknown but we are open to whatever our next chapter brings.

Thank you Delmarva for sharing your beautiful peninsula with us. We will never forget you.

(View the full post:)

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=jacqueline%20karli

  (Scroll to the post starting "It is with mixed feelings..")

(View WBOC video interview:)

We're Sending Farewells to WBOC News Anchors Jacqueline and Todd Karli | Delmarvalife | wboc.com

: 

Turning a page in her career-

 

Paige Marley (on-air name) left WRDE Coast TV earlier this spring after spending five years at the local NBC affiliate, where she worked in news and later as co-host of the station's lifestyle program "Coast Life."  Here's an update on her career. 

Paige Acevedo works with the public relations, media relations and corporate communications team as the communications specialist for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Paige began her career in news broadcasting. Before coming to Johns Hopkins, she worked as a news anchor and reporter for an NBC affiliate in Delaware.

Paige is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor's degree in communications/journalism and a minor in social work. During her time at Shippensburg, she also studied abroad in Gros Mangles, Haiti. While there, she filmed and produced an Emmy-nominated documentary about healthcare in developing countries.

Lineup change-

 

After nearly eight years as WMDT Sports Director, Brandon Bossert is moving on.  He didn't immediately disclose the next stop for him and his family. 

Sussex County native Anthony Joseph, with a background in area radio sports, is the new WMDT Sports Director.

New WBOC meteorologist-

 

Mike Grewe now handles the meteorologist chores on the WBOC weekend morning news.

Chief Meteorologist Mike Lichniak Facebook post:

He’s a local now that lives out near the beach, but grew up in Harford County, Maryland. He has a degree from the University of Maryland in Geography with a concentration in meteorology, but has never utilized it.

He went into sales for 25 years and never got the chance to really fulfill his dream. That is until he moved here and with his kids in college he decided to get that dream job.

He will be with us on the mornings on Saturday and Sunday!