Anthony Yanez returns to KPRC 2

 

HOUSTON – July 19, 2021 – KPRC 2 is pleased to announce the return of Emmy Award-winning Meteorologist Anthony Yanez to its morning newscast KPRC 2 News Today, following more than six years at KNBC, part of the NBC Universal network in Los Angeles.

RELATED
- PHOTOS: KPRC staff's big Anthony Yanez KNBC send off party
- Britta Merwin to leave KPRC 2
- Britta Merwin signs off KPRC 2 video
- Britta Merwin and Stephen Morgan join FOX Weather

“I have always loved KPRC 2 and Houston,” says Yanez, a married father of five. “The people in this community are one of a kind, and I can’t wait to get home.”

Prior to his departure in 2015, Anthony Yanez served as part of the KPRC 2 Weather team for more than 11 years and was a popular member of the KPRC 2 News morning team, alongside morning anchor Owen Conflenti.

“The ‘bromance’ of Anthony Yanez & Owen Conflenti has become something of a legend in Houston morning TV,” said KPRC 2 Vice President/General Manager Jerry Martin. “We are excited to have Anthony back on KPRC 2 News Today, where he belongs!”

Houston viewers got their first taste of Yanez in the Summer of 2003, during KPRC 2’s team coverage of Hurricane Claudette; it was his first day on the air!

    With over 25 years of broadcast news experience, Yanez found his passion in weather, and holds seals of approval with prominent weather organizations including the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association (NWA).

He was awarded the 2020 best weathercast by the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.

  Anthony came to KPRC 2 in 2003 from KRQE in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He returns to Texas with his wife Rebecca and their four Houston-born children. Their eldest child graduated from Lamar High School and Texas Tech and now lives in Washington, D.C. The Yanez family will be making the move with their two Houston-area adopted dogs named Harvey and Hurricane as well as their 4 cats.

Anthony’s first day at KPRC 2 will be September 1, 2021. 

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(This post was taken from a release sent to me by KPRC 2)

I'll be back

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I am slowing the blog down for a bit.  There could be no posts, or if I have time, I might get a few in.  

Have patience with me.

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Tom Abrahams releases "Buffalo Bayou"

Tom Abrahams is releasing his 30th novel. "Buffalo Bayou" is a noir suspense thriller set in Houston!

This Amazon exclusive is a full-length novel told in serial form.  It actually expands on Abraham's short short story in the Houston Noir anthology.

The entire story is in 15 parts.  

Parts one through five are available now.

And here is the good deal...parts one through three are free.

Parts six through 15 will launch once a week.

So support a local Houston journalist by upvoting episodes 1 through 3!  

FOX 26's new promo takes on other Houston TV stations

FOX 26 KRIV is taking off the gloves and pulling no punches in a new on-air promo. 

Here is part of the script:

"You may have lost your favorite local news personality on another station...time to make the switch to FOX 26 News."

Weeks ago, I posted the video on my social media channels, and the overall consensus was KRIV made this promo as a reaction to abc13 KTRK's recent departures, specifically relating to longtime anchor Tom Koch retiring. 

One commenter related Koch leaving to Johnny Carson retiring. I'll say, as Ed McMahon made famous, "Hey Oh!" to that opinion!

So which other H-Town TV station is FOX 26 making fun of in your opinion? JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON FACEBOOK

Now others pointed out that FOX 26 shouldn't throw stones at glass houses after Ivory Hecker basically quit on air and Stephen Morgan is leaving for FOX Weather, but those events evidently happened after the promo made its debut.

Hannah Mackenzie joins WLOS ABC 13 Asheville, NC

Hannah Mackenzie is joining WLOS ABC 13 Asheville, NC as a nightside reporter.

"Yep, I’m moving from the sandy beaches of NWFL to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, NC — home of the renowned Vanderbilt Estate," Mackenzie posted on Facebook. "I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce I’ve accepted the role of nightside reporter at WLOS — A station with a stellar reputation for strong journalism and storytelling skills. It’s a perfect fit, and I can’t wait to get back in the saddle (& on the small screen)!"

KPRC 2 viewers will know Mackenzie from her stint with KPRC 2 as a reporter in 2020.

The Houston-raised reporter previously worked for WEAR Pensacola, FL as an anchor/reporter. 

Prior to Florida, Mackenzie worked for:

FOX 2 News KFXV
News Anchor/Reporter/Producer
McAllen, Texas

The University of Texas at Austin grad interned with YNN Austin (now Spectrum News Austin)

Mackenzie's first day with WLOS is July 26.

Shelby Montgomery joins KOCO 5 Oklahoma City

Shelby Montgomery joins KOCO 5 Oklahoma City as a news reporter from KVIA 7 El Paso weekend morning anchor where she has worked for the last four years.

"From Las Cruces, to El Paso, to Oklahoma City," Montgomery posted this week.  "Friday, I packed up my things and headed to OKC! It was a long 10 hour drive, but I’m excited for this new journey in my life. Today was my first day at the station and I already learned so much."

The Las Cruces, New Mexico native is a graduate of New Mexico State University.

While in school, she interned with KVIA and then was hired by the station.  She started as an associate producer, worked her way up to producer and then to anchor/reporter.

RELATED
Iris Lopez leaves KVIA 7 El Paso

Jonathan Martin holds brunch for new Houston TV hires

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FOX 26 KRIV evening anchor Jonathan Martin held a brunch to welcome the new Houston TV anchors and reporters who have been recently hired.

"Organized a brunch to welcome Houston’s newest TV journalists," Martin posted to Instagram. "The market has never been more diverse. Every network is hiring more minorities in front of and behind the camera."

New Houston TV hires in attendance included Kimberly Davis, Brittany Ford, Briana Conner and Cory McGinnis.

The event was held at the Turkey Leg Hut before the restaurant was in the headlines last the weekend.

"Cowboy Dave" Bayless exits 100.3 Morning Bull

"Cowboy Dave" Bayless has left 100.3 The Bull KILT's "The Morning Bull" (5am-10am) after 12 years with the station.

"I'd like to take a second and thank all of y'all who have reached out to check on me and the family...It means the world to me," Cowboy Dave posted on Facebook.  "Thank you! We are all good, still blowin' up artillery shells and shootin' bottle rockets at MooMoo!"

His departure was first mentioned from what I can tell on All Access on June 29, 2021.  I started getting message about him from readers, so I found his exit mentions in the radio industry trades in other places too.

Bayless, who has said he grew up listening to KILT in Magnolia, first started with the station as a morning show producer with Rowdy Yates and Erin Austin after the decades-running Hudson and Harrigan show was cancelled.  

He later moved to nights, and then back to mornings with the debut of the Morning Bull in 2015 after Corey Foley and Greg Thunder left the station.

On The Morning Bull, he co-hosted with Assistant Program Director (APD) Monica "Mo" Lunsford and George Lindsey who are still with the show after Cowboy Dave's departure.

According to Country Aircheck, "Cowboy Dave" also worked for:

KLBL Tyler, TX

KYKX Longview, TX

KNTY Sacramento, CA

KPFT puts building up for sale

I've lived in Montrose for over 20 years, and read stories about the Death of Montrose in every single one of those years. This, though, seems like a nail in the coffin. #kpft @KpftHouston pic.twitter.com/nwemSS31AS

— Dan (@DannyJoe) July 3, 2021

KPFT 90.1 has put its studios up for sale at 419 Lovett Blvd, Houston, TX 77006 in Montrose.

A "Land for Sale" sign from Coldwell Banker Commercial agent Lloyd Lee now sits in the Houston community radio station's parking lot.  By the way, I always loved how the staircase rails spell out "KPFT."

The Pacifica station's studios have been in the house since 1975 according to a 2015 Houston Chronicle article by Craig Hlavaty.  That site was formerly called Radio Row because 100.3 KILT and 101 KLOL were right down Lovett Boulevard.

KPFT's first program director Sam Hudson said the original KPFT studios were in downtown Houston.  UPDATE: Chris Huff from DFW Radio Archives tells me according to the FCC, the two locations before Lovett Boulevard were 102 San Jacinto St. (Oct '69-Feb '70) and 618 Prairie St. (Feb '70-Jan '75).

New KPFT general manager David Baes recently told OutSmart magazine's Kim Hogstrom about the studio's condition:

"Unfortunately, the stately old home in Montrose that has housed KPFT all these years has fallen into deep disrepair, forcing the crew to largely vacate the building and work remotely. The building also suffers from regular break-ins, and the walls harbor extensive black mold. Baes is working to secure the structure and solicit bids for mold remediation to make the building functional again.

It would be so nice to have a space that is not a risk to human life,” Baes states with a laugh. “The old house on Lovett Boulevard is paid for, but my dream would be to move the entire operation to a place that is newer, healthier, and better suited for our needs."

According to a message from the Pacifica network that was recently posted on Facebook:

"Pacifica is in the process of relocating KPFT, our Houston station, to another site in Houston which can best suit our needs.  KPFT's existing building holds a very special and sentimental meaning for the Pacifica community.  Projected costs for the major repair and restoration of the building proved to be prohibitive and the property is no on the market.  As a result of a favorable real estate market in the Houston area we expect to use part of the proceeds from the sale of the building to pay down the principal on our outstanding loan with FJC and still have sufficient funds left over to finance the relocation of the building."

According to the Harris County Appraisal District, the house was built in 1940. The building area is listed as 3,640 square feet while the property is 13,013 SF. HCAD lists the physical condition as "poor."

Embedded below is an interview with Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely where you can see what the 90.1 KPFT radio studio looks like.

*post updated with change of date when KPFT moved to 419 Lovett in 1975.

Courtney Carpenter joins abc13 KTRK

Courtney Carpenter joins abc13 KTRK as a reporter after leaving CW39 KIAH's morning show in 2020.

She came to Houston from KBTX 3 Bryan-College Station when the Houston version of "Morning Dose" started on channel 39. 

Carpenter started her career at KRBC Abilene as an MMJ (multi-media journalist).

The Dallas Baptist University grad was born in Monroe, Louisiana, but grew up in Springdale, Arkansas.