Amanda Perez is joining Houston NBC affiliate KPRC as a reporter, according to Houston media blogger Mike McGuff.

Perez has been a reporter and weekend anchor at KFSN, the ABC O&O in Fresno, since 2006. “It has been an absolute honor to work with the members of the Action News team, who strive to produce the best newscast in the Valley every single day,” Perez wrote on Facebook. “You can’t ask for better coworkers.”

Perez has previously worked at KPRC as an editor. According to McGuff, she begins in her new role on April 8.

Six months and one wig after returning to the anchor desk since beating breast cancer, Liz Harrison, anchor for the Fresno ABC owned station KFSN, is showing off her new short haircut.

“The reaction to my hair has been overwhelmingly positive,” Harrison told the Fresno Bee. “Most people are aware that I have been through cancer treatment and are happy to see that I am healthy and have given up the wig. There are those that haven’t been following my journey and have written in to say they like my new ‘short haircut.’ So either way, it’s been great.”

Harrison, who had been wearing a wig while her grew back after treatment for her double mastectomy, debuted her short hair Friday, March 8 on the 11:00 p.m. news.

On her facebook page, she said goodbye to the wig she nicknamed “Sasha” saying “”Sasha,” you have been good to me, but it’s time we parted ways. Tomorrow I will leave you at home. Be good up there on the shelf ” You can see a picture of the wig after the jump.

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Don Osika has been named president and general manager of WISE, Granite Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate in Fort Wayne, Ind.

It is a return to Indiana for Osika, who began his career at WTWO in Terre Haute. He has been the general sales manager for KSEE, the NBC affiliate in Fresno, since 2010. Prior to that, he was director of sales at WCIA in Champaign, Ill.

“Don Osika will provide our outstanding team in Ft. Wayne with tremendous leadership, tireless dedication, and an unmatched commitment to community involvement,” Granite COO Duane Lammers said in a statement.

WISE also provides various services for WPTA, the ABC affiliate in Fort Wayne.

Jeff Jordan, the director of safety and broadcast compliance for the ABC owned television stations, was arrested last week, according to KFSN, the ABC O&O in Fresno. He is accused of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Jordan, who is based in Fresno and also serves as chief engineer of ABC’s Living Well Network, was arrested at KFSN on March 7. He was the subject of an investigation from the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to Fresno Fox affiliate KMPH:

Investigators from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, agents from the Department of Homeland Security and investigators from the Clovis Police Department found numerous computers and other media storage devices inside of Jordan’s home.

Jordan, 56, was booked into the Fresno County Jail.

According to jail records, he made bond at 1:30 a.m. on March 8.

A spokesperson for the ABC Station Group declined to comment on the arrest.

Nexstar Broadcasting has completed its acquisition of three California stations from Newport Television: NBC affiliate KGET and Telemundo affiliate KKEY in Bakersfield and CBS affiliate KGPE in Fresno.

The $34.5 million transaction will create duopolies for Nexstar in both Fresno and Bakersfield, Calif. Nexstar announced plans to acquire NBC affiliate KSEE in Fresno last month.

“This transaction is consistent with our acquisition criteria as it further diversifies our operations, creates new duopoly markets and is financially accretive,” Nexstar president and CEO Perry A. Sook said in a statement.

Earlier this week, we told you about KMPH‘s viral interview with Kai, a homeless, hatchet-wielding hitchhiker who saved a woman’s life in Fresno. Well, KMPH reporter Jessob Reisbeck‘s interview with Kai has now been turned into a music video, complete with subtitles and a “smash, smash, smash” chorus (video, which includes NSFW language, above).

Watch Reisbeck’s original interview here.

A bizarre story out of Fresno, Calif., is putting KMPH reporter Jessob Reisbeck — and a homeless hitchhiker who travels with a hatchet named Kai — in the spotlight.

Kai was hitching a ride with Jett Simmons McBride when McBride intentionally ran his car into a black PG&E worker. He got out of the car and grabbed another woman, reportedly claiming he was Jesus Christ and shouting racist epithets. Kai got out of the passenger seat and hit McBride in the head with the blunt end of his hatchet, saving the woman’s life.

“I f—ing ran up behind him with a hatchet — smash, smash, smash!” Kai told Reisbeck (video above).

Reisbeck’s interview with Kai has gone viral, with the unedited version (which is more than five minutes long and features some very creative NSFW language) notching more than 360,000 YouTube views since it was posted yesterday. Watch it after the jump. Read more

KFSN, the ABC O&O in Fresno, has announced plans to produce a 10 p.m. newscast for MyNetworkTV-affiliate KAIL.

The newscast, which debuts Monday, will be anchored by KFSN evening anchors Liz Harrison and Warren Armstrong. They will be joined by meteorologist Kevin Musso and sports director Tommy Tran.

“We … see it as a great opportunity for us to further our commitment to the community, the Central Valley — to continue to provide news and information to them, in the ABC30 brand, whenever and where ever they want it,” KFSN general manager Dan Adams said in a statement.

“You’re going to bring people, viewers, to our station that we haven’t had before,” KAIL program director Bob Jenkins said. “People who are looking for news at a convenient time, and not just any news, but probably the best produced news in the Valley.”

Darrell Jennings will be the new general manager at KNSO, ZGS Communications’ Telemundo station in Fresno.

“Darrell brings a wealth of business and management experience, as well as a proven track record in both English and Spanish-language media to Telemundo Fresno and our company.  His energy and extensive knowledge of the market will take the station to the next level,” ZGS Station Group president Julissa Marenco said in a statement. “We are pleased to add him to our leadership team.”

Jennings was most recently the local sales manager for Fox affiliate KMPH, CW affiliate KFRE and the This Network and Estrella TV stations in Fresno. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Univision, where he held a variety of different positions including local sales manager.  Read more

Anna Laurel is leaving KMPH in Fresno for WTVD in Raleigh-Durham, according to the Fresno Bee.

Laurel, the weeknight anchor at KMPH, has worked at the Fresno Fox affiliate since 2009. She joins WTVD, the ABC O&O in Raleigh-Durham, after the November sweeps period.

KMPH general manager Jack Peck told the Fresno Bee that he is looking nationwide for Laurel’s replacement.