Bisi Onile-Ere, co-anchor of "Fox 9 News" at 6:30 p.m., has left the station.
"The past six and a half years have been such a learning experience," Onile-Ere wrote in a statement she posted Friday on social media. "At this point in my career, I've decided to move on to new opportunities. All the best."
Onile-Ere, who grew up in south Minneapolis, did not specify what she would be doing next. Her last day at Fox was Wednesday.
Onile-Ere, who also co-anchored the "Fox 9+ News" at 7 p.m. with Tim Blotz, previously worked in the Detroit bureau for Al Jazeera Network and spent time reporting in Flint, Mich. She started her professional career co-anchoring the morning news at KDLH in Duluth after graduating from the University of Minnesota.
In her note on social media, Onile-Ere looked back on her time at the local Fox affiliate.
"Having grown up in the Twin Cities, I never imagined that my career in journalism would lead me back home to Minnesota. But it did," she wrote. "And unbeknownst to me, at the time, six and a half years ago, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. To be in a position to share the stories of those throughout the Twin Cities at such a critical time in history has been a privilege. It's not something that I took lightly. I am sincerely thankful to those I met and to those who tuned in every night. Your encouragement and enthusiasm have been inspiring. I also want to express my appreciation to the organizations that invited me to emcee their events. It was an honor to be part of such meaningful celebrations."
In her final broadcast last week, co-anchor Blotz sang her praises.
"One of the best of the best," he said on air. "I really mean that."
An internal and external search is underway for a permanent replacement. In the meantime, the spot will be filled by rotating anchors.
"We wish Bisi well in all her future endeavors," said Fox 9 vice president and news director Kelly Bishop-Huffman.
