David Reese has been named news director at KMIR-KPSE, Journal Broadcast’s NBC and MyNetworkTV affiliates in Palm Springs, Calif.

Reese joins KMIR after 15 years at KNBC in Los Angeles, where he began as the nightside desk manager. Most recently, he was the assignment manager. Before joining KNBC, Reese worked as a freelance assignment editor and field producer for KCBS in Los Angeles and the CBS News Los Angeles bureau.

“David’s many years of experience as a southern California news executive will help take the news on KMIR / KPSE to the next level. We are extremely pleased he has agreed to join our team as we work together to make the Coachella Valley a better place to live,” KMIR General Manager Craig Marrs said in a statement.

Jenifer Daniels, a former KPSP meteorologist and reporter who was laid off when the station merged with KESQ earlier this year, is returning to the Palm Springs CBS-affiliate.

Daniels said she was contacted after two KPSP anchors, Todd Piro and Stella Inger, accepted jobs at other stations. Piro joined WVIT in Hartford and Inger joined KTVK in Phoenix.

“It confirms to me what they’ve been saying all along — that they really do believe in the CBS 2 and the KPSP branding,” Daniels, who has been collecting unemployment for six weeks, told the Desert Sun. “When they could’ve hired outside, they went back to the people who, unfortunately, like me, who didn’t make the cut.”

Daniels will anchor the station’s morning newscast beginning Monday.

KPSP morning anchor Stella Inger has been hired at KTVK, the independent station in Phoenix.

Inger was the morning anchor at Palm Springs CBS-affiliate KPSP, and she will serve in the same role at KTVK.

“I love the mornings because I’m able to show my personality more and have a great time while still bringing the viewers the news,” Inger told the Desert Sun. “Waking up with people — I love it.”

Inger has worked at KPSP since 2008. Her last day at the station will be February 29, and she will begin at KTVK in mid-March.

Craig Marrs has been named vice president and general manager at KMIR-KPSE, Journal Broadcast Group’s Palm Springs duopoly.

Marss joins KMIR-KPSE from KTEN, the NBC-affiliate in Sherman, TX, where he has been general manager since 2009.

“He’s passionate about the media business, arrives with a wealth of experience in our business and is focused on great content and customer service,” Journal Broadcast Group’s EVP of television and radio operations Jim Prather said in a statement.

Marrs replaces Jim Thomas, who has been interim vice president and general manager since Raul Rodriguez left for Univision San Francisco in December.

CBS-affiliate KPSP is merging news operations with ABC-affiliate KESQ in Palm Springs, the two stations announced today. The merger is effective immediately.

In announcing the merger, KPSP owner James Houston said the station was a “labor of love” for his wife, Jackie Lee Houston, who died in September.

“With her passing, we have now made the difficult decision to find a new owner for our television operation,” he said. “While a number of options were carefully considered, a merger with the Bradley family, owners of Gulf-California (KESQ-TV) was ultimately chosen as the best opportunity.”

Gulf-California Broadcast company also owns three more stations in the market: Fox-affiliate KDFX, CW-affiliate KCWQ and Telemundo-affiliate KUNA. All four stations are headquartered in the same facilities in Palm Desert. Read more

Celina Avila is joining KESQ, the ABC-affiliate in Palm Springs, as morning and evening anchor. Her first day will be January 3.

“I’m excited about getting home early to spend time with my boys and continuing to enjoy Southern California,” Avila wrote on Facebook.

Avila joins KESQ from KVIA, the ABC-affiliate in El Paso. Prior to joining KIVA, Avila worked at KTSM, the NBC-affiliate in El Paso, for three years. [h/t NewsBlues]

File this one under “honesty is the best policy.”

Transitioning from a story on high winds in the Palm Springs area, KPSP evening anchor Kris Long introduced “our favorite blowhard,” chief meteorologist Patrick Evans (watch above).

“That’s very generous of you to say, especially here in the Christmas holiday season,” Evans responded.

Journal Broadcasting Group has named George Severson news director at KMIR, the NBC-affiliate serving the Coachella Valley in California.

Severson joins KMIR from KOIN, the CBS-affiliate in Portland, where he was an executive producer. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as an executive producer at KTVX, the ABC-affiliate in Salt Lake City.

“I look forward to leading our dedicated news team in producing engaging and relevant newscasts and quality local programming,” Severson said in a statement.

Severson replaces Kate Glover, who left for KNSD in August. She is an executive producer on the morning show there.

Jackie Lee Houston, a philanthropist and socialite in Palm Springs who was the owner of CBS affiliate KPSP, died this morning from pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

Houston suffered a stroke yesterday afternoon and passed away at 6 a.m. this morning, with her family members, including husband Jim, by her side at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, CA. “I know you will join me in sending your prayers and good thoughts to Jim Houston and the entire family at this difficult time,” KPSP vice president and general manager Don Perry said in a statement.

The Houstons purchased KPSP through their company, Desert Television, in 2005. They also owned KYAV, a Spanish-language station which folded in 2009.

Kate Glover, who recently left KMIR after a little more than a year as news director there, is set to join KNSD.

KNSD vice president of news Greg Dawson confirmed the move to TVSpy today, saying that Glover will join the NBC O&O in a couple of weeks and serve as morning executive producer.

“She has a great background as a content person,” Dawson told TVSpy via email. “And her experience as a manager is a real asset. We’re excited to have her join our team. ”

Glover’s past experience includes a decade in D.C., working the assignment desks at WTTG and WRC. Before moving to Palm Springs, she was on the desk at Fox News Channel’s L.A. bureau. As for KMIR, the Palm Springs NBC-affiliate has had trouble holding on to a news director long-term. Glover’s predecessor Jon Fischer also only stayed with the station for a little over a year.