BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Esteemed News 4 anchor Melanie Orlins announced on air Friday that she will be leaving the station next week after five years on Wake Up! and News 4 at Noon. Her last day will be Friday, June 3.

“I quickly learned why it’s called The City of Good Neighbors,” Mel told the audience.

“The people here have really good souls. You are some of the kindest, most genuine and caring humans I have ever met in my life. So thank you for letting me — someone who says a few too many ‘y’alls’ and talks a little too much about dogs — into your homes the past five years.”

Mel joined News 4 in 2017 after stops in Harrisburg, Pa., Grand Forks, N.D. and Tallahassee, Fla. She quickly became known for coverage of both hard news and community stories. She championed the Positively Buffalo and Mel’s Mutts franchises, anchored live shows from Kansas City during the Bills’ playoff runs, and provided distinguished coverage of news events such as the global pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, and most recently, the Buffalo supermarket mass shooting.

Mel’s 2020 story on a WWII veteran who received his high school diploma was nominated for an Emmy Award. She also loved the 2018 tax day story on an accountant who is blind. Mel was also part of the WIVB team that won a state Emmy in 2019 in the morning newscast category.

“I learned from Kelsey [Anderson],” Mel said, “you don’t say ‘goodbye,’ you just say, ‘Go Bills.'”