Bye Bye Buttitta

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The News Channel 3-12 team is saying goodbye to our iconic morning anchor and "The Morning News" executive producer Joey Buttitta.

Joey is moving on from the glamorous life of 2 a.m. alarms and three consecutive hours of newscasts to become the Public Information Office for the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

He came to the station in 2012 and quickly climbed the TV Hill ladder, covering everything from the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslide to Fiesta celebrations and baseball world series runs – and he even had time to win "The Amazing Race" with his wife and News Channel 3-12 Chief Meteorologist, Kelsey Gerckens, in between.

Joey has played a role in every inch of the News Channel 3-12 newsroom, from answering phones to writing scripts, shooting and editing videos to producing, reporting in the field, and posting on social media.

He brought a kind, welcoming, and – at times – sarcastic energy like no other to the newsroom that will be incredibly hard to replace. His wit, wisdom, and humor make him a one-of-a-kind, jack-of-all-trades journalist.

Joey was part of News Channel 3's Emmy-winning Thomas Fire coverage in 2017 and won three Golden Mike Awards.

Joey and Kelsey met, married, and welcomed their first child, Everett Gerckens Buttitta, and second child, Joseph Trey Buttitta, while on the News Channel team.

The News Channel team wishes him the best of luck in his next chapter, and can't wait to watch him succeed. Bye bye Buttitta!