Zurcher was born on November 12 , 1935 in Henrietta , Ohio , near Oberlin . Zurcher joined the Marines and after being honorably discharged 1954 , began working as a reporter for the Oberlin News-Tribune . Seven years later Zurcher made the switch from print to broadcasting when he became a reporter for WEOL radio in Elyria , OH . During his time at the station he purchased a 16 mm motion picture camera and began filming many of the stories he reported and sold the footage to WJW-TV in Cleveland . Zurcher became a full-time television reporter for WJW in 1967 . He covered some of his biggest regional stories during the 1960s included the Palm Sunday tornado of 1965 , the Kent State Vietnam War protests , and the 1968 Ohio Pen Riot . WJW observed Zurcher 's retirement on November 22 , 2016 , which coincided with WJW meteorologist Dick Goddard 's retirement
Kent State Vietnam War protests
Kent State shootings
Neil Zurcher