click to enlarge 
Courtesy Chris Tanaka (@Chris_Tanaka)
Cleveland 19 news anchor and reporter Chris Tanaka has announced that Friday will be his last day at the local CBS affiliate after six years on the job.
In a social media post Friday morning, Tanaka said he had accepted a position at the CBS affiliate in Boston, WBZ, where he will continue anchoring and reporting, but "with an even stronger focus on solution-oriented community journalism," he wrote.
"Personally and professionally, I'm a better person for having moved to Cleveland,"
his farewell post read. "This place is so underrated, wonderfully quirky, and entirely original. At its heart are all of you. I'm so thankful for the friendships that I've made and will continue to hold dear."
Tanaka has been an evening staple on the local nightly news since 2016, anchoring the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts for Channel 19 and the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts for Channel 43. Tanaka returned to Cleveland, where he has family roots, after professional stints in Montana, Colorado and Hawaii. He now travels to Boston, where he attended undergrad at Boston University.
Tanaka's move comes as Cleveland 19 News considers a move of its own, from its downtown headquarters to the suburbs.
Crain's Cleveland reported last week that if a multimillion dollar project comes together, the 19 News operation could relocate to Independence at the former site of a proposed Saucy Brew Works.
***
Sign up for Scene's weekly newsletters to get the latest on Cleveland news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.
