Weather guy vs. station: the messy fight over side gigs and broken rules

When a local TV weatherman got let go in January, he called it a total surprise. The station says nope—not even close. Their court papers tell a different story, packing warnings, suspensions, and a long list of conduct issues that built up over months before the final pink slip. Between late arrivals, sneaking off early, and using company gear for personal weather branding, the station claims they had every right to cut ties. Now the fight is in court, with the station demanding over $100, 000 and a judge’s order to shut down the weatherman’s competing business completely. The weatherman didn’t go quietly. He filed papers saying he got the giant lawsuit and now has 40 days to reply. His side insists this is just the start of a fight, not an admission of guilt. Meanwhile, his company WeatherView Inc. is up and running, with a Florida business license and a trademark filed for “WeatherView” covering everything from forecasts to social media posts. The big question: was this side hustle alive while he was still on the station’s payroll? The lawsuit says yes and calls it a clear contract break, but no proof of actual sales during his time at WINK has been shown in court filings yet.It’s not just about the business. The station also accuses him of gambling during work hours, even citing a witness who spotted him at a casino on his break. The filing even throws in unapproved expert-witness work and social media spats with advertisers. One example: a Facebook comment about Publix stores dropping the station’s hurricane guides turned into an online tiff, complete with a Grinch meme from Devitt. The station says such posts hurt their deals with big local brands. The legal request goes beyond money. WINK wants a permanent order to force Devitt to stop all independent weather work and take down his social channels. They also say his public statements after the firing sparked angry calls and even death threats toward station reps, adding another layer of drama. The station frames this as protecting their brand, their advertisers, and their team from a pattern of behavior they say crossed many lines.