Joe Donlon is the co-anchor of the WGN Evening News at Five and Six, WGN News at Nine and WGN News at Ten. Joe is a veteran newscaster with more than 30 years of experience as a main anchor.
Prior to WGN-TV, Donlon was the main anchor for KGW in Portland for over two decades. He spent nine years as an anchor and reporter at KVOA-TV (NBC) in Tucson, Arizona and began his career in Corpus Christi, Texas at KZTV-TV (CBS).
Donlon’s newscasts have been honored with numerous Emmy and AP awards. Career highlights include reporting from Kuwait following the Gulf War in 1991, covering several national political stories over the past several decades, and anchoring coverage of a number of major sporting events, including the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, and the Oregon Ducks football team in both the 2010 Rose Bowl and 2011 National Championship game in Phoenix, AZ.
Donlon hails from the Midwest, from St. Louis, Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where he also played left wing for the Marquette hockey team. He and his wife Kathy have three children.
CHICAGO — True to his nickname, Doctor Chaos (Dr. Ch@s as he’s known online) caused mayhem after he stashed cyanide in a tunnel of the CTA just months after 9/11. He went away for long time, but now he’s out of prison and back on the streets of Chicago. This week, WGN Investigates presents a four-part podcast and television series called “Chasing Chaos.” You can find the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Tune into WGN News at 9 p.m. […]
CHICAGO — It’s a tiny part that turns a Glock pistol into a mini-machine gun, capable of firing dozens of rounds within seconds. It’s not only dangerous, it’s illegal, and as WGN Investigates has learned, people in Chicago are buying them online. “I’m a little concerned that if it gets into the wrong hands there could be problems,” said Don Haworth, a retired U.S. Marine and local firearm expert. But that may have already happened. WGN Investigates has learned the […]
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — It’s been over three months since University Park residents were warned not to drink the water because of elevated levels of brain-damaging lead. Aqua Illinois, the town’s supplier, claims water quality has improved, thanks to ongoing treatment. But residents like Ruth Redmon remain skeptical. She asked WGN Investigates to have her water tested independently, a request WGN heard from many in the suburb. “We don’t want to hear what Aqua says,” Mayor Joseph Roudez said. “We’ve […]
CHICAGO — The actions of two Chicago police officers helped save the life of a 35-year-old woman struck by a stray bullet in West Englewood. On Tuesday afternoon, police responded to a call of shots fired in the 7300 block of S. Wolcott, where a 21-year-old male sustained multiple gunshot wounds. As Sgt. Rodolfo Vargas, along with Officers Rodolfo Farias and Michael Kocanda, continued to canvass the area, police said they noticed a bullet hole in the front window of […]
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — Two south suburban schools shut off their drinking fountains in response to lead concerns Thursday, WGN Investigates has learned. Students are getting ready to return to school in University Park, which has been facing a water crisis for months after high levels of lead were found in the village’s water. Some residents have been under an advisory since June. Test results from Crete-Monee Middle School and Coretta Scott King Elementary School shared with WGN Thursday show […]
CAROL STREAM, Ill. — A deadly kennel fire in a western suburb rocked the dog rescue community. The cause of that fire is undetermined, but WGN Investigates found the fire is just part of the story. There were two camps when it came to Bully Life Animal Services’ operator Garrett Mercado. Some saw him as a talented and caring trainer and a dog whisperer. But others had raised concerns about his facility for months. A number of people with inside […]
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — University Park residents received a scary warning last month: Don’t drink the water because of high lead levels. Now, WGN Investigates has learned tests last year at five homes showed high levels of lead — and two of those homeowners said the private supplier, Aqua Illinois, never told them. Aqua first notified customers in University Park, Green Garden and Monee Township on June 14 of this year about high lead levels in the drinking water. An estimated 1,500 […]
GILROY, Calif. — A shooter cut through a fence and opened fire on a crowd eating and listening to music at a popular food festival in California, killing three people, including a 6-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, and injuring 12 others before police quickly shot him dead, authorities said. Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee said Santino William Legan, 19, appeared to randomly target people when he fired with a rifle Sunday afternoon, the end of the three-day Gilroy Garlic […]
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has hit a private water provider with notice of several violations after high lead levels were detected in several south suburbs. Aqua Illinois first notified its customers in University Park, Green Garden and Monee Township about high lead levels on June 14. Nearly six weeks later, 1,500 households remain under a “do not consume” advisory. Aqua Illinois officials have blamed the spike in lead levels to a change in the chemicals […]
CHICAGO — When it comes to hiring people online, the advice is always the same: do your homework. Still, a number of people contacted WGN Investigates admitting they should have done more to check out the background of a handyman they all hired. An iconic obstacle from the mini golf course in Maggie Daley Park — the Wells Street Bridge at the 16th hole — is missing. The tale of why the bridge is missing bridge led WGN Investigates to […]
