Long-time television news anchor Chuck Henry and veteran reporters Vikki Vargas, Beverly White, Kim Baldonado and Angie Crouch are retiring from NBC4.
Together, they account for decades of experience covering stories for NBC4 that shaped Southern California.
Chuck Henry
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Long-time newsman Chuck Henry, co-anchor of the NBC4 News at 5p.m., 6p.m. and 11p.m., began his illustrious broadcasting career in 1966. He joined NBC4 in 1994 and went on to become one of the most recognized anchor-reporters in LA television news, known for both his hard news reports and for his feature storytelling.
In addition to his work in local news, Henry was the executive producer and host of the Emmy award-winning "Travel Café," a half-hour program that examines interesting places, cultures and cuisines. From 1984 to 1991, Henry was the host and producer of the popular travel magazine program, “Eye on L.A.” He has visited virtually every continent in the world as host of these programs.
Henry has won dozens of awards and honors for his work as an anchor, host, reporter, director and producer. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Television and Radio News Association and other awards include Los Angeles Area Emmys, Golden Mikes, Los Angeles Press Club Awards and a national Cable Ace Award for Best Host of a Series. His feature series “Rock ‘N Roll Treasure,” which highlighted an insider’s treasure trove of never before seen photos and memorabilia of rock icons landed Henry a Golden Mike, Los Angeles Press Club Award and Los Angeles Emmy nomination.
Henry’s 2009 body of work earned him the Los Angeles Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Reporting, which he received from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2010.
Vikki Vargas
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Vikki Vargas has been part of the NBC4 News team for more than 40 years. The Orange County Bureau Chief announced her retirement, official at the end of December, in a heartfelt video post that included a thank-you to those whose stories she covered.
"I look back on 40, 41 years and realize I have ridden the best wave of television news ever," Vargas said. "When I started, we used those big brick cellphones and we shot on three-quarter inch tape. Today, we edit on computers and we shoot on a card… smaller than a postage stamp. A lot of evolution technologically, but in many, many, many other ways our newsroom is so different and so diverse than when I started, and that is something that we should all be proud of.
"The biggest benefit to me has been the number of you who have allowed me to come into your homes, into your hearts, into your lives. When I knock on that door and the person on the other side says yes, it's phenomenal to me. It's the biggest perk of this job, to meet someone who has just lost their child, their business, their home, and that you allow me to tell that story knowing that it will become very, very public in the moments afterwards. But beyond that, I've remained friends with a lot you. Because of that, we've been able to talk about the human resilience, how over the years you've come away from, gotten better than, re-invented yourself from that moment of tragedy."
Vargas has won numerous honors and awards for her professional achievements and community involvement including the Sky Dunlap Award, the Orange County Press Club’s highest honor for career achievement and community service. Additional awards include a Golden Mike, a State Bar Association Award for ‘Outstanding Reporting,’ the Orange County Press Club Award for ‘Best News Reporting,’ and she was part of the team that won a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for ‘Best Newscast’ in 2008.
Vargas, in partnership with the station, established the ‘NBC4-Vikki Vargas Scholarship,’ which is granted to a Cal State Fullerton journalism student annually.
Beverly White
Beverly White joined NBC4 in 1992 as a general assignment reporter.
"The Peacock holds a special place in my heart. November 2022 marks my 30th year at KNBC/NBC4 and before that, 3 years at our network-owned station in Miami," White said. "I have to say how proud I am of NBC's diversity and inclusion agenda. As an African-American woman, I'm acutely aware of how representation matters."
She added: "I'm glad to close this chapter of my life pleased at an organization that takes seriously where we find our stories and how we frame our coverage. And I like to think I left journalism a bit better than I found it."
White covered a variety of local and national stories for NBC4, including the COVID-19 pandemic street protests after the killing of George Floyd, the deaths of music icons Prince in Minneapolis and Michael Jackson in Santa Barbara, floods and wildfires, the catastrophic mudslide in Montecito and the deadly earthquake in Northridge.
In 2018, White received the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement Award. That same year she was recognized by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her distinguished career. In 2017, the NABJ LA chapter celebrated White for her 25 years with NBC4. She has received numerous other awards and honors.
Throughout her career, White shared her time and talent with colleges and non-profit organizations in the community. She continues to mentor students and interns she has met during her career.
White is a longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists, and twice served as president of the then-local affiliate chapter, the Black Journalists Association of Southern California. She’s been a member of SAG/AFTRA since 1985 and served on the AFTRA national broadcast steering committee.
Kim Baldonado
Seven-time Emmy Award-winning reporter Kim Baldonado joined NBC4 in 1995. Known for tackling complex issues with significant impact on Southern Californians, Baldonado took on such topics such as the state of public education in Los Angeles and the changing face of homelessness in addition to her breaking news and feature reporting.
During her career at NBC4, Baldonado has been recognized with numerous professional awards, including a prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for her work on the half-hour special “LAUSD: Battle for Control." She won Los Angeles-area Emmy Awards for live news coverage, social issues and education. Her other honors include five Golden Mikes and an Associated Press Mark Twain Award.
A Southern California native, Baldonado grew up in San Gabriel and is known for her community work. She volunteers countless hours speaking to students about the importance of pursuing a college degree. Baldonado serves on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles, where she is also a volunteer mentor and was honored as Big Sister of the Year and recognized with the Excellence in Mentoring Award.
Angie Crouch
Six-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Angie Crouch joined NBC4 in 2004.
She has covered a variety of significant stories during her time with the station, including the Inauguration of Barack Obama, the Michael Jackson death investigation, California's massive Station Fire and mudslides, and the earthquake in Haiti. Additional highlights for Crouch included flying an F-16 with the U.S. Thunderbirds, reporting underwater in a shark cage, and following the story of Zac Sunderland, the youngest American to sail solo around the world.
Crouch has earned many awards for her work, including an Emmy for Best Documentary for "A Millionaire's Murder," an Associated Press Award for "Teens Doin' Time," a United Press International Award for "Living with AIDS," a Los Angeles Press Club Award for breaking news coverage of the Los Angeles Wildfires, and a Los Angeles Emmy, Golden Mike and Los Angeles Press Club Award for "Year of Living Dangerously," the story of the youngest sailor to circle the globe.
Crouch received a Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater Grand Valley State University in Michigan for her broadcasting career and charitable work.
