Bolaris Leaves CBS 2 News

Meteorologist John Bolaris has apparently left CBS 2 News as his online biography was removed from wcbstv.com sometime yesterday.

Bolaris was CBS 2's chief meteorologist from December 9, 2002 until weathercaster Lonnie Quinn replaced him on June 28, 2007. After being replaced by Quinn, Bolaris remained with CBS 2 News as the weekend evening meteorologist.

Speculation about the future of Bolaris at CBS 2 News grew over the summer when he was spotted in Philadelphia, where he was previously a chief meteorologist at WCAU-TV. In October, Dan Gross of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that Bolaris would be signing on with WTXF Fox 29 in Philadelphia as their chief meteorologist, beginning in January 2008.

Bolaris to Join WTXF

This won't come as a surprise to anyone but John Bolaris is expected to join WTXF Fox 29 in Philadelphia as chief meteorologist. That's according to the Philadelphia Daily News's Dan Gross, who says that the station could make the announcement as early as Monday. Gross also reports that Bolaris is undergoing surgery today for a sports hernia at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

Bolaris Hints He's Returning To Philadelphia

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, John Bolaris says he misses that city "in a big way." He told a radio show that his CBS 2 contract ends at the end of the year and that "I should be hanging with you guys soon." Bolaris told the Philadelphia Daily News, "It's destiny."

There is speculation that he could go to either WTXF or WCAU. Bolaris joined CBS 2 from WCAU in 2002.

Bolaris' Long Island House On The Market

John Bolaris is selling his Wainscott home, according to Newsday. $2.695 million is the asking price for the five-bedroom, 4 ½-bath in Suffolk County. The paper has this description of it: "cedar-shingled, post-modern dwelling, located at the end of a cul-de-sac, has cathedral ceilings, formal living and dining rooms, media a room and a heated Gunite pool."

"It's my dream home," Bolaris told Newsday. "Growing up as a kid, I always wanted a home on the East End. We didn't have much when I was a kid. It was a goal to have a house like this. I worked really hard to get it."

"The weatherman said he will eventually buy another house south of Montauk Highway," says the paper, which mentioned that Bolaris would not comment on speculation that he will soon leave New York for Philadelphia.

Bolaris is currently CBS 2's weekend evening weatherman and also does forecasts for WCBSTV.com's "@ Your Desk" webcasts during the week.

Bolaris to Return to Philadelphia?

This morning's Philadelphia Daily News reports that John Bolaris is looking into returning to Philadelphia this fall. " Friends of Bolaris, a Long Island native, say he misses Philadelphia and is very much hoping to return," the paper says. He has supposedly spoken to KYW/CBS 3, WCAU/NBC10 and WTXF/Fox 29. Bolaris spent 12 years at WCAU before returning to WCBS in 2002.

CBS 2 Presents "Eye On The Storm"

CBS 2 News will air a 30-minute special tomorrow night at 7:00 on the hurricane threat to the tri-state area. The weather team of John Bolaris, John Elliott, Lonnie Quinn and Elise Finch will host.

Bolaris to Weekend Evenings

In a piece headlined "Ch. 2's Quinn not so mighty at weather," the Daily News' Richard Huff reports that John Bolaris is assigned to weekend nights. This is until his contract expires at the end of the year. John Elliott again adds the noon broadcast to his morning duties. Huff goes on to criticize the making of Quinn the lead weatherman.

The article also points out that "[Jim] Rosenfield is considering his options." The anchor has been on vacation since last week and has not been on the air since the shakeup was announced last Friday. "Whether he returns, or in what capacity, is the big question," Huff writes. During Rosenfield's previous tenure ending in April 2000, then-News Director Joel Cheatwood tried to demote him, but the anchor chose to leave the station instead.

Quinn to 5:00, 6:00, and 11:00

WCBSTV.com updated Lonnie Quinn's bio this evening. It states that he "serves as the weathercaster for CBS 2’s 5PM, 6PM, and 11PM weekday newscasts." Since April, his bio listed no specific time slots. We reported earlier that TVSPY.com's ShopTalk reported today that Quinn was promoted to the 11PM newscast while remaining on the 5PM newscast, but it did not mention anything about Quinn joining the 6PM newscast. The biography of former 6PM and 11PM meteorologist John Bolaris was also updated today, and it now does not state a specific time slot.

Additionally, the bios of sports anchors Ducis Rodgers and Sam Ryan have been updated today. Rodgers is now referred to as "Sports Director / Anchor" and his bio states that he is CBS 2's sports anchor Sundays-Thursdays. Ryan's bio now says that she is the sports anchor for Fridays and Saturdays, as well as a sports reporter during the week.

Previously, Rodgers was referred to as "alternating sports anchor for the 6 and 11PM weekday newscasts" while Ryan's bio said that she was "alternating sports anchor for CBS 2’s weekday newscasts, as well as the weekend sports anchor/reporter."

Quinn to CBS 2 News at 11PM

According to the TVSPY.com ShopTalk website, CBS 2 weathercaster Lonnie Quinn will be adding CBS 2 News at 11PM to his duties, while remaining on CBS 2 News at 5PM. Quinn will no longer be seen on CBS 2 News at Noon because of this change. Presumably, CBS 2 Meteorologist John Bolaris will now be seen on CBS 2 News at Noon and CBS 2 News at 6PM.

Quinn joined CBS 2 News on April 11, 2007 as the weathercaster for the 6PM and 11PM newscasts, replacing John Bolaris, who retained the 5PM newscast and added the Noon newscast. This lasted less than 2 weeks as Bolaris was moved back to the 6PM and 11PM newscasts with anchors Dana Tyler and Jim Rosenfield, and Quinn joined the Noon and 5PM newscasts with anchors Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson.

Bolaris and Quinn Trade Positions

Not even two weeks after Lonnie Quinn joined CBS 2 News as the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weatherman, it looks as if his assignment has changed to noon and 5 p.m.

Quinn did the weather for yesterday's CBS 2 News at Noon from the studio and was out in the field at 5 p.m. Then John Bolaris, whose assignment had been reduced to just the 5 p.m. newscast (and possibly also the noon newscast), was in the studio for the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts yesterday.

WCBSTV.com updated Quinn's bio recently to remove the word "evening" from his duties, according to the sharp eye of Brian, a frequent contributor to NewsByte2.

It is unclear why the change was made in such a short amount of time.

CBS 2 News Covers the Nor'easter

CBS 2 News brought in some big names to cover the big storm tonight.

Regular weekend evening anchor Mary Calvi was joined by weekend evening anchor Jim Rosenfield at the desk in Studio 46. Meteorologist John Bolaris had the forecast in the weather center and reported that, as of 6:30, 5.51 inches of rain had fallen in Central Park, making it the wettest day in 30 years and the sixth wettest day of all-time. He tossed to weatherman Lonnie Quinn in Lindenhurst on Long Island. Brendan Keefe reported from Grand Central Terminal, with the news that Metro North service was suspended and added that, had this been snow, it could have been more than 40 inches. Christine Sloan reported from Secaucus, Westchester reporter Tony Aiello was in Larchmont, Dave Carlin was in Freeport and Lou Young was in Greenwich, CT. Elizabeth Hur (whose name was shortened to Liz on the graphic and by Mary Calvi's script) reported in the second block from LaGuardia Airport and CBS Newspath's Bianco Solorzano was live in Sea Bright, NJ.

Storm coverage continued until 6:55, interrupted only by two commercial breaks. CBS 2 then reported a non-weather story: an update on the health of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. Ducis Rodgers then did sports before the 6:30 p.m. newscast closed.

The coverage felt similar to that of snowstorms, except that the live shots looked more like TV news coverage of hurricanes with the wet and blurry camera lenses. A ticker ran across the bottom of the screen with additional information.

CBS 2 News This Morning will begin an hour early at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow with storm coverage.

Kristine Johnson Gives Birth

Kristine Johnson gave birth to Burke at around 10:00 this morning. The news was announced just minutes ago on CBS 2 News. The baby boy weighed in at 8 pounds, 14 ounces. Chris Wragge reported that they are both doing "very well." Wragge, Deborah Garcia and John Bolaris all sent their congratulations over the air to her.

CBS 2 Storm Watch

It's the first big snow storm of the season and CBS 2 is planning additional coverage. Meteorologist John Bolaris is calling for about two to four inches of snow across much of the area but up to a foot in the northern suburbs. The morning commute promises to be messy and CBS 2 News This Morning will begin an hour early at 4 a.m. to cover it, as well as the all-important school closings. During such snow events, CBS 2 often provides brief weather updates at the top and bottom of the hour during the day. The evening commute also looks to be troublesome and CBS 2 News will likely continue its team coverage.

Stay tuned, stay warm and stay safe.

Weather Computers Freeze For Bolaris

Tonight while giving the weather forecast, John Bolaris had to apologize for the computer freezing up, making him unable to show the rest of the maps and the graphics.

It happened as he was standing in front of the VIPIR radar map of the midwest on CBS 2 News at 11:00. Bolaris mentioned the "computer snafu," and luckily he didn't freeze along with the computer as he was able to recite in detail the forecast without the aid of the graphics. He then walked back over to the desk and noted that the three backup systems were all frozen. "This is an outrage," Jim Rosenfield joked.

Bolaris returned at 11:30 with the now-working weather graphics after Rosenfield introduced "the forecast you've been waiting for." The graphics included a new "Out The Door Forecast" for 7 a.m. with a virtual door opening up to reveal "Weather Dog 2 Finnigan." Bolaris apologized again for the earlier problems, saying that it happens every once in a while.

CBS 2 News at 5:00 Delayed Due To Ford Interment

CBS 2 News at 5:00 did not start until 5:22 today because CBS News was providing live coverage of the Gerald R. Ford interment ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The top story: "Is It A Meteorite?" - Tanya Rivero had a package on a strange object that fell through a house in Freehold Township, NJ. That was followed up by a chat with John Bolaris, who gave his best guess as to what the object is (a meteorite from the Quadrantids meteor shower).