Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Channel 2 Action News celebrated Karen Minton today for her 30 years of service at the station.
Minton, 63, arrived at WSB-TV September 30, 1986 after two years at The Weather Channel.
The morning show surprised her today with a video tribute, which included some photos from her modeling days as well as highlights of her career covering every major storm and weather event that has passed through metro Atlanta. They then held a luncheon for her at Chops Lobster Bar.
"I got a bit emotional," she admitted afterwards when they showed the video. "My throat caught. It's such a special place. I love it so much and it just touched my heart they would do that."
She said she has no immediate plans to retire either, enjoying workdays that typically go from 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Chief meteorologist Glenn Burns, who came to WSB-TV five years before Minton in 1981, loves that she takes her job so seriously. "She makes the forecast easy to understand," he said in an email. "People can see she is genuinely concerned for their welfare and they appreciate that." He also loves the chemistry she has with anchors Linda Stouffer and Fred Blankenship.
He also loves her humility, "a rare thing in this business." He encouraged WSB-TV bosses to hire her in 1986 after seeing her on The Weather Channel. "She continues to shine as the First Lady of Atlanta weather," he wrote.
Here's the tribute video:
Minton said when she first arrived at WSB, she took a learning posture, with hopes to eventually go to ABC's "Good Morning America." But after a divorce in 1992, she felt as a single mom, she needed to stay in Atlanta.
"I couldn't imagine packing up my two children and going to a strange city," Minton said. "At this point, I had friends and relationships. WSB was very very good to me. I chose to stay. My parents ended up moving out here to help out with the kids until they were old enough and I got to do so many things with WSB. It was a family, not just a workplace."
In fact, she said it feels like even more of a family operation than ever before. "We are there for each other," she said. "I can't imagine going anywhere else."
Fox 5's Ken Cook lasted 35 years at that station until her retired in 2014. Chris Holcomb over the summer marked his 25th year at 11 Alive, the NBC affiliate (WXIA-TV.)
WSB-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.
By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Friday, September 30, 2016
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