Elaine Houston signed off for the final time after more than 33 years at NewsChannel 13.

Houston wanted to thank the viewers for all of their support.

“Thank you so much for your kindness to me – for writing me, telling me that the stories I was doing made a difference. Thank you for telling me that,” she said. “I really appreciate you allowing me to come into your living room for 34 years. Thank you so much. I wish you all the best.”

Her colleagues wished her well with tributes to her career, which began in January 1990 as the station’s education reporter. She later was weekend anchor and then the first Black woman to anchor a weeknight news broadcast in the Capital Region.  

Houston has won numerous community and journalism awards including an Emmy in 2022 for her story on a coal plant being part of cancer-causing environmental racism

This past August, Houston earned her doctorate in executive leadership and social justice from St. John Fisher College.

Watch the videos about her career and well-wishes from colleagues.