Detroit native and former news anchor Allison Payne dies at 57

DETROIT – Allison Payne, a Detroit native and longtime former news anchor, died Sept. 1 in Detroit, according to WGN-TV. She was 57 years old.

Payne worked at WGN-TV for 21 years. She was hired there in 1990 at the age of 25 from Saginaw, Michigan.

“She went on to cover many important stories around the world, including tracing former President Barack Obama’s roots in Kenya and traveling to Ivory Coast alongside Reverend Jesse Jackson,” the station said in a statement.

According to WGN-TV, she left the Chicago-based station in September 2011 following unfortunate health events and returned to Detroit.

“Payne was a native of Detroit who eventually made his home in Chicago for many years, playing an active role in the community mentoring students and eventually creating a foundation for students seeking to enter the field of journalism,” said the station continued, adding that Payne was a monumental contributor. to the story of WGN-TV.