
James Torrez
James joined KTVU in January 2021. Since his time, he's reported on the COVID-19 pandemic, mass shootings in San Jose and Sacramento, as well as playoff runs for the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors.
James began his career as a reporter/fill-in anchor at WTVC in Chattanooga Tennessee, where he was named Best TV News Reporter by Tennessee Associated Press in 2017. After 2.5 years, he moved back home to West Palm Beach where he became a multimedia journalist at WPEC. There, he earned an EMMY nomination for his work covering the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian striking the Bahamas.
James was born and raised in West Palm Beach, FL. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications with a specialization in News and Producing at the University of Florida. In college, James won a professional Florida Associated Press award for a feature piece produced with a study abroad group in Florence, Italy.
Coming from South Florida, James was excited to escape the humidity and learn about the microclimates of the Bay Area. He also loves to explore the different cuisines in each district of San Francisco; you can easily find him looking for the next DIm Sum spot in Chinatown. James also enjoys all kinds of sports. He plays and coaches soccer and volleyball in the Bay Area. On Saturdays in the Fall, you can find James rooting on his beloved Gators on the college football field.
The latest from James Torrez
Half Moon Bay shooting suspect charged with 7 counts of murder
Chunli Zhao, 66, is accused of killing seven of his co-workers in back-to-back shootings at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms was charged Wednesday with seven counts of murder and one of attempted murder.
Half Moon Bay shooting: 'All evidence points to workplace violence'
The 66-year-old man arrested for killing seven farmworkers and injuring an eighth was an employee at the mushroom farm where he once worked – and then fired off a hail of bullets – in a case where "all evidence points to workplace violence," according to the San Mateo County Sheriff.
Highway 13 in Oakland closed due to landslide
Highway 13 at Broadway Terrace was shut down early Monday morning after a landslide blocked the road. Crews are working to remove the mud and debris from the southbound lanes.
Highway 37 in Marin County closed, continues to be flooded
The major highway connecting Marin and Sonoma has been underwater all weekend. Highway 37 closed Saturday due to flooding, and officials say they are working to reopen the highway Monday morning.
Thousands without power in Bay Area; San Jose hard hit
Downed trees and downed power lines took out power for nearly 100,000 PG&E customers in the Bay Area at its peak Tuesday morning, with residents in the South Bay comprising nearly half of those outages.
Capitola in state of emergency after storm knocks out power, historic pier
Residents of Capitola were still without power on Friday afternoon, but a mandatory evacuation order was lifted as of 5:31 p.m., after the atmospheric river slammed their coastal city in Santa Cruz County, where their historic pier was torn apart in the heavy rains and wind. An estimated 50 businesses and about 350 residents in a two square block area are impacted.
SUV nosedives into Daly City sinkhole
Crews in Daly City on Tuesday morning were working to get an SUV out of a sinkhole in the middle of a neighborhood after the vehicle nosedived into the parting roadway in the pounding rains.
Flood watch and wind advisories issued around Bay Area
The wet weather is causing major problems around the Bay Area.
Christmas travel plans dashed for many trying to fly to family and friends
Thousands of flights were canceled amid one of the most treacherous holiday travel seasons the United States has seen in decades, with temperatures plummeting 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas and forecasters warning of an impending "bomb cyclone" that could make conditions even worse before Christmas.
Northern California earthquake leaves 2 dead, buckles road, causes damage and injury
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked the Northern California coast early Tuesday morning, left two people dead, caused gas leaks, shattered glass, left thousands without power, one buckled highway and jittery residents living through dozens of aftershocks.