Rowlands has been a familiar voice and trusted presence for generations of viewers
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Related video above: NewsChopper 9 captures tornado touching down near Kingston, Missouri
After decades of helping Kansas City viewers navigate their mornings and understand the stories unfolding across their community, Johnny Rowlands will retire from KMBC 9 at the end of November. His final day on air will be Wednesday, November 25.
A veteran pilot and reporter, Rowlands has been a familiar voice and trusted presence for generations of viewers. A member of the original KMBC 9 FirstNews team in the late 1980s, Rowlands became Kansas City’s first television airborne traffic reporter, helping viewers navigate the morning rush hour. He took controls of NewsChopper 9 in 2003 and has since helped viewers navigate traffic and understand major stories unfolding across the region.
“Johnny Rowlands is a Kansas City legend,” said Justin Antoniotti, KMBC 9 president and general manager. “For decades, he has brought an extraordinary combination of piloting skill and journalistic instinct to KMBC 9. As Kansas City’s premier airborne traffic reporter, he helped commuters navigate their mornings and helped keep people informed and safer during severe weather and breaking news. For so many viewers, Johnny has also been a familiar, reassuring voice throughout the day. We’re grateful for his many years of service to KMBC 9 and to Kansas City, and we wish him all the best as he retires from KMBC 9.”
His severe weather reporting has included coverage of the May 4, 2003, tornadoes that struck Wyandotte County, Gladstone and Liberty. In 2004, he captured the full life cycle of a tornado near Dearborn, Missouri, as part of KMBC’s storm coverage.
Rowlands has also helped first responders during emergencies, including guiding firefighters to two teenagers trapped on the roof of a burning apartment building in Merriam, Kansas. Beyond his on-air work, he has visited area schools to share tornado safety information with students.