I'm Linda Hurtado and thanks for visiting the ABC Action news website. I am one of the original members of the Action News team. I started here in 1995 as the weekend anchor.
I was born in the other city by the bay, San Francisco, and studied journalism at the University of Georgia before working in Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa.
I now anchor the 5 o’clock news here and cover health news, as well. A lot of people ask me why I work 9 to 6, if I only anchor the 5PM news. Well, my day starts at 9 in a morning meeting
I’m assigned a health story. I get many of those ideas from you by way of email. Then I go out into the community, interviewing experts on various subjects and my photographer shoots the video - from the latest surgical technique to what you need to look for in a pair of sunglasses. Later, I come back to the station and write the story. Then I get ready for the 5 o’clock news. It’s always a busy day.
I’ve won 8 Emmy awards since I started here at Action News. Each one of them represents a journey I took with a local family, like the Bowman’s who tried for years to have a child, lost twins, and then finally delivered a baby. I was with them when their child was born.
Or, John Turner who kept in touch with me and our viewers as he attempted to summit Mount Everest. I remember the night his wife Belinda called me telling me John was sick, 1000 feet from the top, and feared he wasn’t going to make it down.I’m honored when people let me share in their most intimate moments or trust me enough with a crisis. Often the medical news I put out there helps others who are watching. That’s taking action for you, which is the greatest part of my job.
I’ve also done some pretty cool things as a news reporter: flown an F-16, gone on a medical mission into the mountains of Haiti, and covered the Pope’s historic trip to Cuba in 1998. Because of that trip, I met my husband Jorge, whose family went back to Cuba for the first time in 30 years.
When I’m not working, you will probably find me in the stands at a girl’s softball game. Both my teen step daughters Jessica and Jenna play softball…and they are good! Or, you might see me at the gym or dance studio with my little ones, Jackie and Jillian. Yes, we are a family of 5 women and one man. Jorge has a lot of patience!
Thanks again for visiting our website and be sure to email me any story ideas at lhurtado@wfts.com
