KCCI chief meteorologist Chris Gloninger is departing the station next month, citing in part PTSD from what he said was a death threat related to his reporting on climate change.
Gloninger first joined KCCI in July 2021 but announced his departure in a Twitter statement posted on Wednesday morning. His last day is July 7.
“18 years. 7 stations. 5 states. I am bidding farewell to TV to embark on a new journey dedicated to helping solve the climate crisis,” Gloninger said in the statement. “After a death threat stemming from my climate coverage last year and resulting PTSD, in addition to family health issues, I’ve decided to begin this journey now.”
Here is what to know about the incident and more about Gloninger.
More:KCCI chief meteorologist Chris Gloninger departing station citing PTSD, past death threat
What were in the harassing emails sent to Chris Gloninger?
According to a criminal complaint last year, a man from Lenox was charged with harassment for sending a series of threatening messages to Gloninger. He also was fined $105.
The emails began June 21, 2022.
“Getting sick and tired of your liberal conspiracy theory on the weather, climate changes every day, always has, always will, your pushing nothing but a Biden hoax, go back to where you came from,” he said that day.
“You are worthless Biden puppet, a liar, a conspiracy theorist, and an idiot!!! You give Iowa a bad name, GO HOME B***,” the man said on June 24.
Later that day, he sent Gloninger an email that said, “What’s your address, we conservative Iowans would like to give you an Iowan welcome you will never forget, kinda like the libtards gave JUDGE KAVANAUGH!!!!!!!” The email is an apparent reference to a California man who was charged with attempted murder for showing up with a gun and other weapons near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh earlier that month.
On June 29, the man sent an email in apparent reference to the departure of meteorologist Metinka Slater: “Evidently Metinka could see through your lies and conspiracy theory on climate change, evidently she knew you are full of did s*** cause it didn’t take her long to leave when your lieing a** got there, pack your liberal conspiracy and go home!!!!!”
“I don’t watch your worthless weather forecast because your an idiot but someone else texted me and said you are still an idiot, go the hell back where you came from DOUCHEBAG!!!” he said on July 12.
The harassment charge was filed Aug. 10, 2022 and the man pleaded guilty a few weeks later.
Who is Chris Gloninger?
Chris Gloninger is a chief meteorologist who first joined the region’s CBS affiliate in 2021. He hails from Sag Harbor, New York, and has worked at news stations in Rochester, New York, Albany, Saginaw, Michigan, Milwaukee and Boston.
He married his wife, Cathy, while working at KCCI’s sister station WISN in Milwaukee. Gloninger has covered severe weather, including tornadoes and hurricanes. In Boston, he created the city’s first climate change series, and “produced two half hour specials on how Climate Change affects all aspects of life,” according to his KCCI bio.
He has won multiple regional Emmy Awards for his meteorology work.
Other incidents of harassment towards Iowa journalists
Gloninger’s incident, which featured threatening overtones from a viewer, is not the first instance of detailed harassment against a reporter in the state or at the station.
In June 2016, former KCCI reporter Emmy Victor, who is Black, was involved in an incident that drew national attention. The mother of a suspect at a crime scene shouted racial epithets at Victor and put her hands on the then-KCCI reporter during coverage of an officer-involved fatality in Boone.
More:Iowa reporter praised for conduct amid racial slurs, yelling at crime scene
The incident was caught on camera and went viral. Later that summer, Victor departed KCCI and said, “racism in the state did not help my decision to stay.”
“What happened to (Victor) is upsetting to all of us,” former KCCI news director Dave Busiek said at the time.
Victor is now a national weather reporter and multimedia journalist for AccuWeather in Chicago.
Has Chris Gloninger said more about his departure?
Gloninger addressed his upcoming departure on the 6 p.m. newscast Wednesday. He said on top of the threat, family members also are facing health issues.
“We moved to Iowa, we bought our forever home in West Des Moines, and my wife and I quickly realized and learned that life throws obstacles your way when you’re least expecting it,” he said.
“I did receive a threat last summer that left us a little bit shaken and I’ve been working through the healing process. But during that time, both of our families had unexpected serious health issues,” he said. “Family is important.”
Where is Chris Gloninger going?
Gloninger has not announced what his next steps are, other to say he’ll be working in the climate change realm.
“Stepping away from TV … will also allow me to make a difference full time in something that I’m very passionate about in the realm of climate change and finding solutions, being able to adapt and mitigate to this issue that we have globally,” he said in his on-air message Wednesday.
Who will replace Chris Gloninger?
KCCI has not announced who will be the new chief meteorologist after Gloninger leaves. But the station recently went all-in on weather, hiring five full-time meteorologist to deliver forecasts and cover severe weather.
Jay Stahl is an entertainment reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow him on Instagram or reach out at [email protected].