More Local

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
• Former Marine to serve two years in jail for killing Albuquerque robber
• Wilson-Pearce battle for U.S. Senate exemplifies party's disparity

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Four women will fill the vacancy left by senior anchor Erika Ruiz at KRQE News 13.

Ruiz parted ways with the station in early December after announcing she would not renew her contract - on the letterhead of high-profile attorney Sam Bregman.

KRQE News Director Michelle Donaldson said the shuffle begins at 5 a.m. Monday.

Donaldson promoted Dianne Anderson, Deanna Sauceda, Kim Vallez and Jessica Garate from within the news staff to fill Ruiz's position.

"I'm really lucky because we have great bench strength," she said. "As you can see, I've picked four women to take over new roles here, and that's a real advantage for me. I did not have to do a nationwide search to replace Erika, because we have great talent within our own job market."

The Monday-Friday 10 p.m. news will be anchored by Dick Knipfing and Anderson, who used to work together at KOAT-Channel 7. Anderson will also co-anchor the 9:30 p.m. segment of the Fox newscast with Greg Gurule.

The Monday-Friday 5:30 p.m. news will be anchored by Knipfing and Garate. Sauceda will fill Anderson's morning anchor spot with Mike Powers, and Kim Vallez will anchor the 4 p.m. slot.

Donaldson said she was eager to give Anderson the new assignment.

Anderson had been an anchor for KOAT about eight years ago but left her job so she could spend more time with her kids.

"She has made her family and her children her priority, and we're going to allow her to continue to do that by making her our prime-time anchor," Donaldson said. "She'll be able to have dinner with her family every night, and that's very important to her."

Donaldson said she was happy with her promotion decisions. Most stations usually search for outside talent or will promote one person to fill the shoes of a prior anchor, she said.

"To have four different women moving into new roles shows some really deep strength, which I'm really proud of," she said. "Because it didn't use to be that way."