He's A TV news veteran who has traveled the world as an anchor and correspondent for CBS. But St. Louis native Russ Mitchell has felt the pull of local television for years. He recently returned to the Midwest with his wife and four kids to take the evening anchor job at Channel 3.
Why leave network television? Why Cleveland?
It was a personal and professional decision. I was looking to do something else, but I didn't want to go just anywhere. When I talked to the people here at [Channel 3], we were very much in sync.
What are you looking forward to in your free time?
Being part of a community again. I'm looking forward to playing in the backyard with my 4-year-old daughter ... [and] hopping in the car and taking long drives without traffic. I was at the Walmart Super Center at Steelyard Commons the other day. The produce department could [fill] the entire grocery store in New York City.
What will you miss about New York?
There are things you'd never get to do anywhere else. I was doing this piece on Samuel L. Jackson, who was in a play called The Mountaintop. So one Tuesday afternoon, I'm on Broadway, by myself, watching a dress rehearsal with Sam Jackson and Angela Bassett. It was amazing.
What won't you miss?
The expense. The hassle. Anything you want, you pick up the phone, and it's there. ... But if you want to go from the east side to the west side in 15 minutes, it isn't happening.
