Traffic reporter Jennifer Reyna turned her back on a live traffic camera at just the wrong moment on a recent KPRC newscast (video above).

Reyna was discussing a highway accident that could be seen on the screen behind her. As she turned away to wrap up her report, a car swerved and crashed into an SUV, which in turn hit the fire truck that was on the scene for the first accident. “So, yeah, it looks like that one’s going to clear up,” Reyna said. Read more

Los Angeles is gearing up for another “Carmageddon,” a weekend closure of a 10-mile strech of the 405 Freeway. One of the major complaints during the last Carmageddon weekend was the helicopter noise from the media’s aerial coverage, so LA stations are pooling resources this time around to keep things quiet. Rick Terrell, executive director of the RTNA of Southern California, shares details on the “unprecedented” arrangement with the Los Angeles Times:

Rather than sending up a helicopter from each station for each news broadcast, Terrell said, pilots will fly in shifts. Only one helicopter from member stations — including KABC, KCBS/KCAL, KMEX, KNBC/KVEA, KTLA and KTTV –- will go up at a time. He said the pool plan calls for three flights per night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings prior to each major newscast at 6 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. respectively. He said one helicopter will also be sent out about 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Bob Kelly‘s traffic report for Philadelphia’s CBS O&O, KYW, got a little too real yesterday morning when the station’s traffic cameras caught an accident live on air.

Kelly was just about to move on from a traffic shot of Interstate 76 showing a car stalled and facing the wrong way in the left lane of the highway when the car was nearly hit head on by another vehicle prompting Kelly to exclaim, “He just got whacked!” Read more

Kacie McDonnell made her debut on WTXF in Philadelphia yesterday (video above).

McDonnell joins the Fox O&O as the morning traffic anchor. She dropped by in April after it was revealed that morning anchor Mike Jerrick was a fan of her commercials for Fiat. Video of her earlier appearance via Red Lasso inside… Read more

Traffic reporter Tammy Dombeck said goodbye to KXAS on Friday after 12 years at the Dallas NBC O&O.

Dallas media blogger Ed Bark reports Dombeck and KXAS could not come to an agreement on her new contract. She has a standard non-compete clause in her contract which will prevent her from working on-air in Dallas for the next six months, Bark says.

Beginning this week, Andi Parker will be handling the traffic reports for the morning newscast on an interim basis.

Tina Shaerban is signing off today from WTOL, the CBS-affiliate in Toledo, according to the Toledo Blade.

Shaerban, the morning traffic reporter at WTOL, has been with the station for two years. She has been anchoring the 9 a.m. newscast during Melissa Voetsch‘s medical leave. Shaerban is moving back to her hometown, Cleveland, with her family.

“She brings a natural joy with her to our newsroom every single day. It’s the kind of brightness and enthusiasm that’s not easy to find,” news director C.J. Hoyt said. Hoyt noted the station is searching for a replacement for an early August debut.

Yasmin Dar has been hired as the newest anchor at KVAL, the CBS-affiliate in Eugene, OR.

Dar is the traffic anchor at KITV, the ABC-affiliate in Honolulu. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, KVAL news director Sean Flanagan saw Dar on KITV while he was vacationing in Hawaii.

“We believe that Yasmin will bring a unique dynamic to our newscast that will resonate with our viewers,” he said in a memo to KVAL staff.

Dar’s last day at KITV will be August 17. She will anchor the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts at KVAL starting August 30.

Kye Martin is joining WMAQ as a traffic and transportation reporter, the Chicago NBC O&O announced today.

Martin will begin at the station on July 23. She will report on traffic conditions for the morning newscast and cover general transportation issues for the station.

“I’m pleased that Kye Martin is joining NBC 5 News as our traffic and transportation reporter,” vice president of news Frank Whittaker said in a statement.  “We are bringing traffic back to our news studio and Kye will be joining the rest of the morning team at Studio 5.” Read more

Elle Duncan has joined Atlanta NBC-affiliate WXIA as a morning traffic reporter, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Duncan has previously worked for several local radio stations in the area. She debuted today on the station’s 4:30 a.m. newscast, and will be full time beginning Monday, WXIA general manager John Deushane said.

She replaces Nick Vavas, who is returning to New York, the Journal-Constitution reports.

An industrious Connecticut state worker made a surprise cameo on WTIC‘s morning newscast Thursday.  As traffic reporter Rachel Lutzker was set to update viewers on commuting conditions, a worker started to meticulously clean a highway traffic camera (video above).

“In all of the years I have done this, I have never seen this in my entire life,” Lutzker said.