Lolita Lopez is an investigative reporter and anchor at NBC4 and has been part of the team since 2011. She can be seen daily reporting for NBC4 news at 11 a.m. and 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m.
Lopez is part of the award-winning I-Team, digging deep into stories and cases that impact viewers throughout the Southland – her investigative stories can be seen here. She has also covered a wide range of significant stories, including national stories from the Christopher Dorner manhunt to the Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup win in 2012. Earlier in her career, she was stationed at Ground Zero for nearly two weeks while covering the World Trade Center tragedy and spent many years reporting the effects of that tragedy.
Lopez believes her job is complete when her news stories about the community make a difference, as in the case of a piece she did on a sixth grade class that created a Facebook page to sell their homemade art to raise money for a classmate whose family couldn’t afford a proper funeral for his father. Just one day after Lopez’s story aired, the site raised more than $3000.
A journalist for more than 20 years, Lopez feels privileged to tell peoples’ stories and honored to meet many inspiring people along the way. As a breast cancer survivor, she has shared her own challenges during treatment and recovery with a series of stories on her courageous fight against the disease as a working mother and wife.
Prior to joining NBC4, Lopez had a successful, decade-long career at WPIX-TV in New York, where she served as a general assignment reporter and, later, a sports anchor. She became the main sports anchor and a field reporter for the NY Mets, working alongside the late great Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver. Earlier in her career, she was one of only two reporters on Court TV’s issue-oriented legal program “Pros and Cons” with Nancy Grace. While working on the show, Lopez covered many controversial cases, including the parole hearing of John Lennon’s murderer.
Over the course of her career, Lopez has been recognized with several industry awards, including several Los Angeles area Emmy Awards for her live anchoring and investigative reports. She won two New York area Emmy Awards for ‘Best Sports Feature’ and ‘Best Live Sports Coverage.’ She also was praised by New York’s largest Spanish language daily newspaper, El Diario La Prensa, as one of the most outstanding women in the community.
When not working, Lopez cherishes spending quality time with family and friends sharing stories with lots of good food, laughter and playing volleyball on any grass or beach court. She also enjoys participating in charitable events that support important causes impacting Southern Californians, including the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and promoting the importance of youth sports in our communities, knowing how much sports impacted her life.
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Lopez moved to Houston at age four when her father became the women’s track coach at Rice University. A lifelong sports fan, Lopez graduated from Harvard University in 1998, where she was on the women’s volleyball and track teams for four years; she was also co-captain of the volleyball team her junior and senior years.
The Latest
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This weekend, another billionaire could be made. Draws for the $1.23 billion Powerball prize will take place Saturday night, with the estimated cash prize standing at $595.1 million. If you’re thinking about trying your luck for Powerball’s 4th largest jackpot, here is data that may up your chances. Good news for lottery players in Southern California — Los Angeles County…
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New proposed California law aims to help victims of wire fraud
Proposed California legislation looks at the role of financial institutions in transactions that involve older folks and fraudulent activity.
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Court documents reveal new details in death of Lancaster 3-year-old boy
Chilling, new details in documents obtained by the NBC4 I-Team are shedding more light surrounding the death of 3-year-old David Jacques Hernandez, who was found dead at his Lancaster home last month.
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State board finds two LA County juvenile facilities unsuitable
Dozens of people testified in front of a state board about two Los Angeles County juvenile facilities, including Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey. As the NBC4 I-Team has been reporting, the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) cleared the way last summer for the hall to re-open when it closed down two other locations. That...
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Grandmother loses life savings and sues bank
Plaintiff Alice Lin, 80, says she is suing her bank, alleging it didn’t do enough to stop fraudulent transactions.
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How to verify if a cannabis shop is licensed
The NBC4 I-Team looks at how legal shops are making sure their products are safe, and the risk you could be taking if you don’t check for a license first.
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How to check if your building needs retrofitting for earthquakes
Many cities across Southern California now have earthquake retrofit laws for commercial or apartment buildings, and it’s possible you may live in one of them.
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Trash, noise and misbehaving neighbors: Short-term rental woes in unincorporated LA County
Piles of trash and loud noise at all hours of the night — these are some of the things neighbors tell the NBC4 I-Team they have experienced because tourists are taking over their communities.
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New California law targets colorful packaging to curb illegal marijuana sales
Starting January 2024, state officials in California say they will be able to seize and destroy packaging that is attractive to children and being used unlawfully for illegal cannabis and other products.
