Videos by WKMG and photos for Headline Surfer® / ORLANDO, Fla. -- It was an unexpected shocker as reported April 24, by Orlando Sentinel TV columnist Hal Boedecker, with the headline: "Lauren Rowe leaves WKMG effective immediately."
A decade ago, she was known as Lauren Perkins, but has long since married and with two children, she had an intense on-air schedule as the featured anchor on the WKMG channel 6 newscasts.
Boedecker's lead read almost like a death had occurred and to most of Rowe's followers, it kind of felt that way: Anchor Lauren Rowe has departed WKMG-Channel 6 after 13 years, the station announced Thursday.
Rowe's abrupt departure from WKMG comes in at No. 96 in the HeadlineSurfer.com countdown of the Top 100 Local Stories of 2014.
Rowe told Boedecker in his column, "I love journalism and I love the work I do, but my family and I need a fresh start. This is such an amazing community that continues to show me love and support. I have no immediate plans right now, but I'm excited to see what opportunities pop up."
Rowe told Orlando Sentinel TV reporter Hal Boedecker in his column, "I love journalism and I love the work I do, but my family and I need a fresh start. This is such an amazing community that continues to show me love and support. I have no immediate plans right now, but I'm excited to see what opportunities pop up."
Photos for Headline Surfer® /With her Diane-Sawyer-like facial expressions and tone, Rowe was the mainstay on the 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m. newscasts either as co-anchor or solo. She also hosted WKMG's Sunday news talk show, "Flashpoint."
She's remained out of the spotlight since then, except for occasional Facebook postings about her husband of nearly 10 years or her two daughters, but her fans continue in droves to let her know there that she's missed.
Back in June Christy M Robinson of Mount Dora, wrote: "Lauren, I so miss you on the news, and Flashpoint. I hope you are OK. You and your Husband look so good. The news is not the same without you. I don't enjoy it anymore."
Three days earlier, Shirley Burke White of Lady Lake, wrote: "Love and miss you. Hope you are enjoying this precious time with your family. Think about you every news hour Lauren Rowe!"
And Lewis Cottrill of Winter Springs, demonstrating Rowe has her fair share of male fans, too, succinctly posted the following on his Facebook page: "Rock On!"
Headline Surfer® profiled Rowe and her departure in a story in June, kicking off its ranking of the Top 500 newsmakers of Central Florida with her as part of the internet newspaper's 5th anniversary. The newsmaker countdown will resume when this countdown of the top stories of the year has concluded.
RECAP
The HeadlineSurfer.com Countdown of the Top 100 Local Stories of 2014...
Top 100 Countdown Advertisers:
The Headline Surfer® Countdown of the Top 100 Stories of 2014, is sponsored by Edgewater Towing & Myron's Auto Service of Edgewater, FL. 