If an asteroid were hurtling toward Earth, imperiling humankind, we'd want to hear the news from Don Shelby. How would the planet's imminent demise affect us locally? We know Shelby would give it to us straight. The distinguished co-anchor of WCCO's 10 p.m. newscast since 1985, he has become the most trusted man in Twin Cities news, a throwback to the days when anchors were also reporters, not just pretty faces. Shelby began at the station in 1978, and before long was winning national Peabody and Emmy awards as an investigative reporter. As an anchor, he is the last of the old-school newscasters—erudite, dignified, a bit aloof, and somehow blessedly unsuited for today's happy-talk brand of news and chatter. Shelby has said he plans to retire from the anchor chair at the end of this year. He may or may not be taking a gold watch with him, but he certainly will be taking a golden era of TV news.