KCBD morning anchor and executive producer Sharon Maines has retired from the Lubbock, Texas NBC affiliate after 27 years.
“I didn’t come to this decision lightly,” said Maines. “It’s hard to step away from something that is so important to me—and to leave my early morning work family. But it seems like now is the right time.”
Maines started her TV career as Lubbock’s first female news anchor at KLBK in Lubbock in 1974. She was later named news director. After seven years there, she moved to KAMC, where she worked as an anchor and producer for another seven years. She left local TV to work as consumer affairs specialist and commercial spokesperson for Furr’s Supermarkets—and came back to local TV in 1995 to work for KCBD.
“Sharon has been a true pro throughout her career,” KCBD vice president and general manager Greg McAlister said. “She is dedicated to her craft, takes pride in her writing and presentation and has been a leader. She’s been a part of mornings for so many, for decades. We’re sad to see her leave the anchor desk, but respect her decision to spend more time with her family.”
For the last 23 of Maines’ 27 years of anchoring from 5 to 7 a.m., she has shared anchoring duties with weather forecaster Steve Divine.
“Other people will step up and try to fill that,” said Divine. “It’s not going to be possible to really fill Sharon’s shoes but things don’t stay the same forever—things change and we have to move on.”