Brenna Gibbons is leaving KTXS 12 in Abilene for a new opportunity with CBS Austin.
Gibbons announced she has joined KEYE as a multimedia journalist (MMJ), where she will cover stories across Austin and the Hill Country.
She joined KTXS in 2024 as an MMJ after graduating from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media.
A native of Prosper, Texas, Gibbons discovered her passion for storytelling while growing up in the North Texas community.
During her time at Texas State, Gibbons was part of the university’s student news program, Bobcat Update. She also worked on outside projects, including a Global News Relay and a mini-documentary series exploring the importance of Emotional Support Animals.
Mary Benton, a familiar name to longtime Houston television viewers, received the Legacy Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Houston Chapter. KHOU 11 morning traffic anchor Jennifer Reyna served as the event's emcee.
Benton was honored Thursday, June 25, 2026, during the 41st Annual Excalibur Awards at the Houston Botanic Garden. The event, themed “Night of Bold Voices,” celebrated communications professionals throughout the Houston area. The Legacy Award recognizes Benton’s lengthy career in Houston media and communications.
For many Houstonians, Benton is best remembered for her nearly 20 years as a reporter at KPRC 2. She joined the Houston NBC station in October 1994 and remained there until July 2014.
During her time at KPRC, Benton covered just about every type of story imaginable, from Houston City Hall and hurricanes to politics and major breaking news.
Benton's television career began in Texas before she arrived in Houston. She worked as a reporter and substitute anchor at KTBC 7 Austin from 1992 to 1994. She had previously worked at KCEN 6 Waco-Temple-Killeen.
After departing KPRC in 2014, Benton moved into government communications, where she put her decades of experience on the other side of the microphone to work.
She became Manager of Media Relations and Public Affairs for the Harris County Toll Road Authority, serving as its primary spokesperson and handling media relations, community outreach and public communications.
She later served as Director of Communications and Division Director for Harris County before joining Harris County Public Health, where she worked on communications, marketing, media outreach and stakeholder engagement.
In 2018, Benton returned to Houston's political communications scene by joining the Mayor's Office of Communications as Press Secretary. She was later appointed Director of Communications in 2020.
Today, Benton serves as Chief of Communications and Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Houston. In the role, she serves as the chief spokesperson and senior communications advisor, helping lead the communications strategy for the mayor and city government.
AAF-Houston also honored Benton in 2019 for her leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion, and she has been recognized as an influential woman and role model in the Houston community.
A native of Harlingen, Texas, Benton graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism degree.
August 2026 marks 10 years since KPRC 2 Houston’s lifestyle program, Houston Life, first premiered, launching a decade-long run of live television, local personalities, celebrity guests, food, fashion, entertainment, and stories celebrating life in the Bayou City.
Houston Life debuted Monday, August 22, 2016, at 1 p.m., replacing Days of Our Lives in the time slot.
The hour-long weekday program was designed to bring a new brand of live, local entertainment to Houston afternoons and showcase what made the city a great place to work, live, and play, the station said at the time.
From the beginning, Houston Life took an unconventional approach. Rather than broadcasting from a traditional television studio, the program originated live each weekday from The Galleria. The show's studio was located on Level 1, near Nordstrom and across from LensCrafters, allowing shoppers and fans to watch the production in person.
“The show will be a celebration of what is happening each day in our dynamic city,” KPRC 2 Vice President and General Manager Jerry Martin said when the program was announced. “It’s going to be jam-packed, high-energy and a lot of fun to watch.”
“We will tap into fashion, pop culture, food, music, lifestyle trends and hot topics,” added Don Graham, Executive Producer of Houston Life when it debuted. “And we will connect with viewers daily through social media so that they will have access to the show’s lively content anytime, anywhere.”
Graham brought considerable experience to the project. Before launching Houston Life, he spent years as the executive producer of Great Day Houston at KHOU 11. Earlier in his career, he also served as Executive in Charge of Production for The Gayle King Show in the 1990s.
The original Houston Life team featured co-hosts Derrick Shore and Jennifer Broome, along with reporters Stephanie (Gerry) Gilbert and Stephanie Gonzalez.
Shore joined KPRC 2 from Los Angeles, where he hosted SoCal Connected on KCET. An award-winning journalist, he had previously appeared on CBS News, NBC's Today, ABC's World News Now, Channel One News and Current TV. He also had credits in scripted television dramas and feature films.
Broome came to Houston Life from Denver, where she worked as a meteorologist at KDVR-TV and KWGN-TV. She already had a strong connection to Texas, having spent a decade as chief meteorologist at WOAI-TV in San Antonio from 2000 to 2010.
The early days of Houston Life were not without their challenges.
Producing a live television show inside a shopping mall proved to be something of an experiment, with the crew having to deal with the unpredictable realities of broadcasting outside a conventional studio.
“Doing a LIVE show in that setting really was like a giant experiment,” Shore recalled.
One memorable mishap involved a local chef preparing chocolate mousse for a cooking segment. The chef arrived early to prepare the dish, but just before the segment was scheduled to go live, the entire dessert ended up on the floor.
The demonstration table was being moved onto the elevator floor of the set when it apparently became unbalanced.
“Somebody picked up that table, it wasn't balanced, and that whole dish went upside down on the floor of the set,” recalled Courtney Zavala, who would later become one of Houston Life's most recognizable co-hosts.
Broome's time on the program was relatively brief. In 2017, the original co-host announced she was leaving Houston Life. KPRC 2 turned to Zavala, a longtime member of the station's news team and former weekend morning anchor, to take over as Shore's co-host.
Zavala joined Shore and became a central part of Houston Life for the next several years.
In 2018, KPRC 2 added another memorable member to the Houston Life family: Tex, a 10-week-old male Maltipoo adopted from the Houston SPCA. The dog quickly became part of the show's personality and a familiar face to viewers.
That same year, Houston Life underwent another major change when the program moved from its Galleria location to the KPRC 2 studios on the Southwest Freeway.
In 2019, Lauren Kelly joined the show as a reporter from MIX 96.5 KHMX mornings. Kelly started contributing to the show in 2016 as a guest on its "Trending Topics" segment.
By 2020, Houston Life was ready for another significant change.
KPRC 2 announced that the program, which had become Houston's No. 1-rated daytime lifestyle program, would move from its 1 p.m. home to 3 p.m. beginning August 17, 2020. The new time slot positioned Houston Life as the lead-in to KPRC 2 News at 4 p.m. The 3 p.m. experiment, however, would not last permanently. In September 2022, KPRC 2 announced that Houston Life would move back to its original 1 p.m. time slot.
Then, in January 2023, another major chapter came to an end. After more than 20 years at KPRC 2 and more than five years with Houston Life, Zavala left the station. January 17, 2023, was her final day on the program. Her departure marked the end of a significant era for Houston Life, but the show continued to evolve.
Later in 2023, Tessa Barrera joined Shore as the new co-host. Barrera was already a familiar voice to Houston radio listeners as co-host of The Rod Ryan Show on 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ. Barrera brought her radio background and energetic personality to the afternoon lifestyle program, joining Shore as Houston Life entered its eighth year on KPRC 2.
And after nearly a decade, another hosting change arrived in 2026. Barrera announced she would leave her Houston Life co-host position after three years on the program, with March 31, 2026, marking her final day on the show. She later joined Hello Houston in August 2026.
As Houston Life celebrates its 10th anniversary in August 2026, the program's history is ultimately a story about adaptation. What began as an ambitious experiment broadcasting live from a shopping mall has grown into a longtime fixture of KPRC 2's daytime lineup.
Allison Gargaro has announced that she is expecting her second child, while other Houston TV journalists will be returning from or leaving for maternity leave
The FOX 26 Houston KRIV meteorologist shared the news on social media in August 2026, revealing that she and her family are expecting another baby girl in March 2027.
"Baby girl #2 is joining the family in March (2027)! She is growing great and is healthy so we are happy! Chloe is going to be such a good sister! It’s crazy that they will be so close in age but I can’t wait for them to be the best of friends."
Gargaro's pregnancy comes as several other Houston television personalities have experienced major family milestones and maternity-leave changes in 2026.
ABC13 Houston KTRK anchor Mayra Moreno is preparing to return to the Channel 13 airwaves following maternity leave. Moreno announced in April 2026 that she had welcomed a baby boy.
Meanwhile, KPRC 2 Houston reporter Re'Chelle Turner announced that she is taking maternity leave. Turner revealed she was pregnant in March 2026.
Katie Pratt announced her departure from FOX 7 Austin KTBC after two years, during which she worked as a nightside reporter.
As for what comes next, Pratt said she plans to move back to Dallas to spend more time with family and friends and ride her horse. She has not yet announced her next career move, saying, "As far as what's next in my career? It's all in God's hands. Stay tuned!"
Pratt joined FOX 7 Austin in August 2024 after working as an evening anchor and reporter at KETK News and FOX 51 KFXK in Tyler, Texas.
Her television career began in her hometown of Tyler. Pratt joined KETK-NBC and FOX 51 in July 2021 as a weekend anchor/reporter. She was promoted to evening anchor after about a year and later anchored the 5:30 and 9 p.m. newscasts on FOX 51, as well as the 4 p.m. newscast on KETK.
Pratt is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she studied journalism. While at SMU, she served as managing editor and reporter for the university's student-produced newscast, The Daily Update.
Max Dutton has joined KSAT 12 in San Antonio as a weekend morning anchor and reporter.
Dutton began his new role in August 2026, succeeding Sarah Acosta, who left the weekend morning anchor position earlier this month.
Dutton comes to KSAT 12 from KWCH 12 in Wichita, Kansas, where he spent more than three years as a morning anchor and reporter. He joined KWCH in January 2023 and remained there through August 2026.
Before moving into the anchor role at KWCH, Dutton worked as a multimedia journalist at KSNT TV in Topeka from March 2022 to January 2023.
His television career began with an internship at KAKE in Wichita during the summer of 2021.
Dutton is a 2023 graduate of Baker University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism.
The Waco–Temple–Killeen television market has experienced turnover over the past several months, with changes involving anchors, reporters, meteorologists, and station management.
I wasn't blogging when some of these happened, so let's go.
One of the biggest departures is Jasmin Caldwell, a longtime face of KCEN 6 and its Texas Today morning newscast. Caldwell announced that August 11, 2026, would be her final day at the TEGNA-owned station after nine years.
Caldwell joined KCEN in 2017 and worked her way into the station's anchor lineup after previously serving as a weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter. She became part of a historic moment in 2022 when she, Taheshah Moise and Ashley Carter formed what NBC News described as the first Black female anchor team of its kind in the country.
During her career at KCEN, Caldwell covered some of Central Texas' biggest stories. She was among the first to report that skeletal remains discovered in a Killeen neighborhood were those of missing Fort Hood soldier Gregory Morales, who had been classified as AWOL before his death was discovered nearly a year later.
Caldwell also provided extensive coverage of the funeral of former President George H.W. Bush as Texas A&M University prepared to bury him at his presidential library and museum. Her investigative reporting included a look at Bull Hill Cemetery, a historic burial ground used for enslaved people in Texas dating to 1849.
Her reporting has also earned appearances on programs including Dateline, Nancy Grace, Investigation Discovery and Daily Blast Live.
In announcing her departure, Caldwell emphasized her connection to Central Texas, telling viewers that journalism was about more than being on television and that some of her most meaningful experiences came from connecting with people throughout Waco, Temple, Belton, Killeen and surrounding communities.
Caldwell also made clear on Facebook that she is not leaving Central Texas: "Just to be clear, I will still be living here in Central Texas. I'm not moving. So you will still see me around."
Caldwell is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
KCEN has seen additional changes to its morning lineup. Lindsay Liepman moved from the station's evening newscasts to Texas Today in February 2026. Liepman previously appeared on KCEN's 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts alongside Baylee Bates and Adrian Carbajal. She moved to mornings, where she joined the Texas Today team.
Meanwhile, Micah Wilson, who joined Texas Today as a co-anchor in 2023 and became known for the "JustAKidFromTheCreek" branding, departed KCEN. Wilson subsequently joined the News 9 team in Oklahoma in April 2026 as a weeknight reporter, where he is covering stories across the state.
Julieanna Jackson leaves KCEN
KCEN 6 also said goodbye to Julieanna Jackson, who announced her departure in August 2026 after two years at the station.
Jackson joined the 6 News team in August 2024 as a multimedia journalist. During her time in Central Texas, she covered a wide variety of stories, including the military, transmission lines, data centers, crime, fires, investigations, ranching, economics and education.
In announcing her departure, Jackson reflected on beginning her professional television career at KCEN immediately after college.
Jackson graduated cum laude from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a minor in Law. While at Ole Miss, she worked as a reporter and anchor for the student-run NewsWatch Ole Miss.
Leh joined KXXV in August 2023 and served as the Neighborhood Reporter for Waco and Baylor University. Before coming to Central Texas, she spent two years at KBMT in Beaumont as a reporter, editor and producer.
A native Texan, Leh moved to Kingsville when she was six, then later settled in Kirbyville, where she graduated from high school in 2017. She attended Lamar University, where she played four years of women's tennis and earned a degree in broadcasting in 2021.
KXXV added Thomas Patrick earlier in 2026. Patrick joined 25 News and 15 ABC as a weekend meteorologist and Neighborhood Reporter in March 2026. He arrived in Central Texas after forecasting in Spokane, Washington, at KREM.
Before his time in the Pacific Northwest, Patrick worked at WICS in Springfield, Illinois. His television broadcast meteorology career began at KNBN in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Patrick brings approximately 13 years of weather experience and has worked in television markets across the country before landing in Central Texas.
Mike Lee, a longtime Texas television executive and former KXXV general manager, retired from his role with Nexstar's FOX 44 KWKT Waco-Temple-Killeen after a career spanning more than five decades in broadcasting.
A retirement party honoring Lee was held at the Greater Waco Chamber in June 2025.
Lee had been promoted by Nexstar in 2020 to vice president and general manager overseeing the company's broadcast and digital operations serving the Waco, Temple and Bryan markets, including KWKT-TV and KYLE-TV.
His career in Waco television dates back years before that. Lee served as vice president and general manager of KXXV for 11 years before leaving the station in 2016.
He previously spent decades with KFDA-TV in Amarillo, beginning his broadcasting career there in 1971 while still in high school. He eventually rose through the ranks to become KFDA's vice president and general manager in 1987.
By the time of his retirement, Lee had accumulated more than 50 years of experience in broadcast management, sales, marketing and television operations.
Maddie Kirker has announced she is leaving Spectrum News 1 Texas in August 2026.
Kirker joined Spectrum News 1 Texas in August 2024 as a morning meteorologist. Based in Austin, she later moved from the morning weather shift to the station’s 5 p.m. newscast in January 2026.
Before joining Spectrum News, Kirker was the morning and noon meteorologist for “Wake Up CBUS” at 10TV WBNS in Columbus, Ohio, where she joined the Doppler 10 Weather Team in November 2022.
Kirker previously spent three years as the weekday noon and 4 p.m. meteorologist at News 3 WTKR in Norfolk, Virginia. She also worked as the weekend morning meteorologist at FOX 21 KXRM/KXTU in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the morning meteorologist at WPDE ABC15 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and a meteorologist at WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi.
A 2011 graduate of Mississippi State University, Kirker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Meteorology. While attending Mississippi State, she earned first place among 1,500 undergraduate competitors in the National Collegiate Weather Challenge and finished fourth overall in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Former KPRC 2 Houston reporter Jake Reiner gave his first sit-down interview to ABC 7 KABC Los Angeles's Marc Cota-Robles eight months after his parents were killed.
Watch the interview above.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years, I came up on crime scenes all the time,” Reiner said. “But when it's your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I've ever seen."
His brother, Nick, was later arrested and charged with two counts of murder in the killings of their father, Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner, and their mother, Michele Reiner.
