Fired ray of sunshine meteorologist says bosses monitored her conversations with weatherman mentor

A young Indiana meteorologist who said she was abruptly fired by her television station has accused management of monitoring her conversations with her mentor, restricting her social media activity and escorting her out of the building after trying to pressure her into resigning.Alex Kerkhove, the former WTWO meteorologist whose emotional farewell post earlier this month drew an outpouring of support from viewers, returned to Facebook on Wednesday with a lengthy account detailing what she described as a hostile work environment during her year at the Nexstar-owned station.“It’s been over two weeks since I was let go by station management at WTWO and I believe now since the dust has settled, I would like to share my story and what happened,” Kerkhove wrote.Among her most striking allegations, Kerkhove claimed station managers tried to limit her interactions with veteran chief meteorologist Jesse Walker — whom she previously described as her mentor.“I was told I could only talk to Jesse Walker when we were working for 15-20mins (and they said they watch the security cameras),” she wrote.Kerkhove said she joined the Terre Haute station because she wanted to immerse herself in a small Midwestern community and learn from Walker, but alleged management quickly worked to undermine those goals.“I came to this specific station for two things; to be apart of a community that takes pride in its small town Midwest charms and traditions AND to learn from Jesse Walker about all things weather,” she wrote.“Then station management very quickly wanted to squash and limit the two very things I came here to do.”She also alleged that she was barred from posting on WTWO’s Facebook page while attending community events on her days off, reassigned away from on-air weather duties shortly after being hired and prevented from working more than four hours during a severe weather outbreak despite volunteering to help.According to Kerkhove, months of frustration eventually...