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| image_name =[[Image:solarski_fishing.jpg|thumb|right|7kb|Captain Justin (left) with Bob Solarski]]

'''Bob Solarski''' is a news anchor for [[WEAR-TV 3]] located in [[Pensacola, FL ]] and hosts the station's 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 10pm evening news broadcasts.

Channel 3, which first aired in 1954, is an ABC Network regional broadcasting system owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Sinclair is one of the largest TV broadcasting companies in the United States and owns 65 stations in 39 markets. Channel 3's 1000 kW transmitter power allows for a massive viewing area which include sister-cities [[Mobile, AL ]] and [[Ft. Walton Beach, FL]]. Coverage and programming reaches into the southern parts of Alabama and Mississippi as well as the Florida Panhandle. Pensacola TV station WFGX-35 is a sister station.

Solarski was born in Long Island, New York and was raised in upstate New York (near Montreal), Lake Placid and Burlington, Vermont. An avid ice hockey fan, he became an honor society member in at Mount Assumption Institute high school, and a member of the school 's wrestling team and a frequent golfergolf teams. His love for hockey enabled him to see numerous [[Wikipedia:Montreal Canadiens|Montreal Canadiens]]games near his hometown, although his favorite NHL team continues to be the [[Wikipedia:New York Rangers|New York Rangers]].

He enrolled at the State University of New York (SUNY) and worked at a local restaurant while taking courses which would get him into law school. His interests in communications happened when he became a member of the school's Forensics Union, which is competitive debating. The debate team brought out his ability to argue, to which he excelled. His team would capture the New York Championships while at SUNY. He then switched his major to Mass Communications and worked part-time at the college radio station and then the campus television studio.  He married that summer and was offered an intership at the local NBC affliate [[Wikipedia:WPTZ|WPTZ]] in [[Wikipedia:Plattsburgh, New York|Plattsburgh, New York]]. He later graduated and received a degree in Mass Communications.

from At some point during the intership, he was offered a position at WPTZ when a reporter left the station. Hired as a general assignment reporter for the station, his area included St. Lawrence and in 1987 began reporting Franklin Counties; although on occasion he was sent to [[Wikipedia:Montreal|Montreal]] for several special-event stories.  While at WPTZ, Solarski was assigned events and news stories which generated out of the [[Wikipedia:WPTZSt. Regis Mohawk Reservation|WPTZSt. Regis Mohawk Reservation]]in Franklin County, New York. The reservation is also known by its Mohawk name Akwesasne. He focused his reporting on the reservation's internal and external struggles with casino gambling. The reservation is situated on over 30,000 acres extending from New York State and into the Canadian providences of Quebec and Ontario. The problems and controversy at the time of Solarski's tenure centered around the tribe's Warrior Society and various contemporary elected chiefs which supported gambling and bingo houses, while the longtime traditional chiefs opposed the actions. There was frequent violent clashes between various factions. He also reported on numerous raids which involved the New York State Troopers or the Canadian Mounties.  Gambling was adopted in the late 1980s. Currently there is the [http://www.mohawkcasino.com/ Akwesasne Mohawk Casino] and the [http://www.mohawkpalace.com/ Mohawk Bingo Palace]. These two enterprises along with other tribal businesses are currently one of the largest employers in Northern New York. With the NBC affiliate for Plattsburgh afflication, before long Solarski began doing morning cut-ins during the [http://today.msnbc.msn.com/ Today Show] with [[Wikipedia:Bryant Gumbel|Bryant Gumbel]] and the surrounding area[[Wikipedia:Williard Scott|Williard Scott]]. He became also performed promos with national anchor [[Wikipedia:John Chancellor|John Chancellor]].  This led to a news position as fill-in anchor and managing later was elevated to assignment editor and anchor in 1989 and received a number of . During his tenure with WPTZ, he won several [[Wikipedia:Associated Press|Associated Press ]] Awardsfor Spot News, Documentary, Special Programming, Continuing Coverage and Breaking News.  At the same time period, WPTZ and WEAR were both owned by [http://www.heritagemediallc.com/ Heritage Media].

Joining Through the [[corporate grapevine, Solarski learned of the male anchor position in Pensacola and faxed WEAR]] team in March [[1994]]TV-3 news director Peter Neumann an inquiry note. At the time, Solarski hosted "This Week with Bob Solarski" until 1995the anchor was Lance Sandstead. The GM at the station was Carl Leahy, as well as a live call-in show called "Extra" who was also from 2003 to 2006Plattsburgh and had known Solarski for years. He has Ironically, Solarski had interviewed politicians including President [[Wikipedia:Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]]Leahy's wife Ros on occasion, [[Wikipedia:Ross Perot|Ross Perot]], [[Wikipedia:Mario Cuomo|Mario Cuomo]] and other state and national figureswho had been the head of a local Chamber of Commerce, and has received several Florida Associated Press Awards for his work, including Best Editorial Feature and News Magazinefeature articles.

[[Image:BobSolarskiMugshotAn interview was set-up and Solarski fell in love with the Gulf Coast.jpg|100px|thumb|right|Booking photo of After a successful interview process, he flew back to New York. He was then offered the anchor position at WEAR, and subsequently turned it down. Neumann and Leahy asked him to think about the offer for a few days and after a family conference, it was decided that Pensacola would become a great relocation adventure. The Solarski on drunk driving charges]]'s sold their house and moved to the Gulf Coast in March 1994.

'''Pro Career:The Face of Local News'''

On He also enjoys sports and include as his favorite teams the [[October 1Wikipedia:Dallas Cowboys|Dallas Cowboys]], [[2008Wikipedia:New Orleans Saints|New Orleans Saints]] and [[Wikipedia:New York Giants|New York Giants]](NFL), Solarski was arrested for driving under the influence, in addition to several other charges. According to witnesses [[Wikipedia:New York Mets|New York Mets]] and police, Solarski caused damage to several vehicles in the parking lot of the [[Sears Auto CenterWikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Yankees]] at (MLB), [[University MallWikipedia:New York Rangers|New York Rangers]]. On open bottle of vodka was discovered in the vehicle(NHL), and he later registered a 0[http://www.296 and 0.30 percent blood alcohol level on two separate breath testspensacolaiceflyers. com/ Pensacola Ice Flyers] (The legal limit in Florida is 0.08 percent.SPHL) Solarski was also charged with driving with an open container, leaving the scene of an accident with damage[[Wikipedia:New York Knicks|New York Knicks]] (NBA), criminal mischief and resisting a law enforcement officer[http://www.<ref>"Bob Solarski arrestedpensacolabaseball." ''com/ Pensacola News Journal'', October 2, 2008Blue Wahoos] (SL).</ref>

On [[October 21]]Other interests include golf, [[2008]], Solarski pleaded guilty to the charges of DUI, driving with an open container, and resisting arrest. The other charges were dropped by the State Attorney prior to the hearing. Escambia County Judge [[Joyce Williams]] sentenced Solarski to one year of probation, a one-year license revocation, $2,300 in fines, 50 hours of community service sailing and first-offender DUI school. Solarski must also attend two drunken-driving impact panels and have an interlock ignition device installed for one year. According to a WEAR statement, Solarski will remain off the air as he “progresses through treatment"computing.