After a two-year absence to raise her infant daughter, Alison Montoya will return to WLWT-TV to replace Jonathan Hawgood as Saturday morning anchor.
Hawgood, the "News 5 Today Weekend" anchor for nearly 10 years, is "retiring" from TV news to "focus full-time on his business interests," the station announcement says.
Hawgood, a Cincinnati native, joined Channel 5 as a general assignment reporter 13 years ago. From his two stints on the weekend morning show, I'll remember him for his enthusiastic, colorful descriptions of sunrises caught by the tower camera, and his banter with weekend meteorologist Jennifer Schack.
Montoya and Hawgood will co-anchor this weekend and May 22, the last two Saturdays in the May ratings sweeps period. Montoya starts working solo on May 28.
The daughter of former Bengals lineman Max Montoya, Alison graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2005 and then worked three years in Jackson, Tenn., as a reporter, anchor, photographer, editor and producer.
She came home to Channel 5 in 2008, and was a traffic producer, reporter and anchor until leaving in 2014 before the birth of her child, Addison. Montoya describes herself on her Facebook page as: "UK grad who loves pro football, golf and riding horses. TV journalist taking some time off until baby girl arrives. Until then, I'm just kickin it."
“We are very happy to welcome back Alison," says Richard Dyer, Channel 5 president and general manager. "Alison is a familiar face in Cincinnati, and we expect a smooth transition.”
Dyer praised Hawgood, noting that "News 5 Today Weekend" was No. 1 in weekend morning newscasts during his tenure on the anchor desk.
"We will miss his easy-going anchoring style that featured his truly unique hometown insights and impromptu descriptions of unfolding news and Cincinnati landmarks. We truly appreciate Jonathan’s contributions, and wish him the best on the road ahead," Dyer said in the announcement.
