ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In today’s Extra on the Web, we’re not looking at a website or an app.
We’re looking at a person.
You’ve known him for more than 22 years in the Bay area and we’re saying goodbye, as we search through the more than half a century career of Spectrum News’ Al Ruechel.
Searching through press clippings and the web you’ll find a lot about Al.
He got his early TV start as the weatherman for WOI-TV’s News 5 in Iowa.
While also following a higher call, he was the co-founder and front-man of 70s Christian Rock band Shekina Glory.
When he wasn’t rocking the news, he was on a Christian mission in East Africa.
Al was on the air from Day One at Bay News 9 in September 1997. (Spectrum Bay News 9)
The higher calling would return him to TV news as the anchorman of WAST in Albany, New York.
He moved on to the Sunshine State, honing his skills and anchoring for WBBH in Fort Myers.
He reported on location in Haiti and won an Associated Press Best Documentary Award.
He also received a Best Medical Communicator Award for the station’s Medical Magazine program.
His stint in St. Louis for KTVI would earn him his first Emmy.
Al and his family at the Spectrum Bay News 9 desk.
With four Emmy’s and numerous other awards, those are not what define him.
When he finally arrived to Tampa Bay, Al became a standard in our breaking news coverage.
From the first day of Spectrum Bay News 9 on… he was here, his first day as well.
He was a trusted messenger reporting on the field.
During his career, Al has won four Emmy awards for breaking news and investigative reporting and more than 20 other state and national reporting and anchoring awards. Here he is working with Bay News 9 Reporter Roy DeJesus. (Rod Gipson/Spectrum News Staff)
He was a steady hand for the wildest of interviews and trickiest of topics.
And was always in command of the information you needed to know in live coverage of major events.
He reported atop the U.S.S. Teddy Roosevelt before it went into active duty.
He covered just about every space shuttle launch going back to the first one, Columbia in 1981, and the last one, Atlantis in 2011.
Al with Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. A fixture in the Bay area, Al has lent his time and energy to many causes throughout the community. (Spectrum News image)
He got us through several hurricanes and severe storms.
You’ve gotten to know him on Extra on the Web and he’s highlighted Tampa Bay’s A+ Teachers among the many assignments, stories, and moments for the last 20 plus years.
In a day’s work, besides his professionalism you can rely on, you can bet on his friendly approach to everything in life.
He’s our friend, your trusted friend and now we say goodbye.
Al Ruechel, you will be missed.