It is unusual for main local news anchors to take days off during the May sweeps, especially when one of the biggest news stories in decades is being covered.
But WIVB-TV (Channel 4) co-anchor Don Postles and WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) co-anchor Scott Levin have good reasons for missing the last few days while their stations have been covering the racist mass shooting Saturday at Tops on Jefferson Avenue.
Postles is dealing with his second bout of Covid-19 and his return is dependent on how quickly he recovers. In his absence, Dave Greber has been at the anchor desk alongside co-anchor Jacquie Walker.
A station representative said Levin is dealing with a family matter and added he is expected back at the anchor desk Friday. In Levin’s absence, Michael Wooten has been co-anchoring with Maryalice Demler.
WGRZ anchor Scott Levin.
Reached by phone, Postles said he is vaccinated and boosted and is doing much better than he did the first time he had Covid before vaccinations were available. He said he believes he contacted Covid this time from his grandchildren and added his symptoms are mild.
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“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” said Postles. “I want to continue covering one of the biggest stories in Buffalo history since the 22-Caliber Killer and the crash of Flight 3407.”
The 22-Caliber Killer was Joseph G. Christopher, a former Army private who terrorized Western New York in the early 1980s. In a 1983 prison interview with The Buffalo News, Christopher claimed that he killed 13 Black men. He died 29 years ago. Considered such a risk because of his racial hate crimes, Christopher was confined by himself in protective custody during nearly 13 years in prison.
Flight 3407, which originated from Newark, N.J., crashed in Clarence Center on Feb. 12 in 2009, killing 49 passengers and crew members on the plane and one person on the ground.
