Lauren Melendez has spent the majority of her career at NBC affiliate stations serving the Midwest, starting as a weekend anchor and investigative reporter in Peoria, Illinois, followed by anchoring at WOWT NBC Omaha.
A Philadelphia native and Syracuse University graduate, she is an Associated Press Award-winning journalist who has moderated political panels, hosted primetime specials on race relations, emceed fundraisers and volunteers regularly in the community.
The Latest
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Election Day arrives: What Harris, Trump had to say in their final pitch to voters
The race for the White House has finally reached the finish line. Voters across the nation will head to the polls Tuesday to pick our new president. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are off the campaign trail and preparing to settle in the locations where they will spend election night. For Harris, it will be Howard…
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Battleground blitz: Harris, Trump make final push ahead of Election Day
It is the final day of campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. With a race this close, neither candidate can afford to lose steam, which is why we saw each of them rallying support in battleground states over the weekend. Harris spent Sunday in Michigan, traveling to three major areas. One of them was East…
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Salem launches guaranteed income pilot project
The City of Salem, Massachusetts, is preparing to launch a new guaranteed income program that will grant qualifying residents $6,000 over the course of a year. The program is called Uplift Salem, and 100 eligible residents will be given $500 a month over a year. Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said that he wants to show people that guaranteed income initiatives…
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Biden delivers eulogy at Ethel Kennedy memorial service in DC
As the Bay State continues to honor the life of Ethel Kennedy, our nation’s leaders paid their respects on Wednesday. A memorial service for the late Kennedy matriarch was held in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden delivered the final eulogy, while former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also spoke. Other speakers included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Martin...
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Some surgeries at Mass General Brigham remain on hold amid IV fluid shortage
Some surgeries at Mass General Brigham remain on hold as an IV fluid shortage continues. This is happening nationwide and there are growing concerns about how long this will continue. It’s only certain non-emergency elective surgeries that are being put on hold. Massachusetts General Hospital leaders said they had to take this drastic step in order to prioritize patient...
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Stop & Shop prices vary store to store, and Mass. lawmakers want to know why
A study found that some Stop & Shop locations in Massachusetts charged higher prices in areas with a lower median income and now state lawmakers are demanding answers about the company’s practices. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Reps. Jim McGovern and Ayanna Pressley sent a four-page letter to Stop and Shop leaders after a group of...
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Man held anew on murder charge in Lawrence mother's death
The man accused of murdering a Lawrence, Massachusetts, woman, after being previously arrested on a lesser charge in the case, appeared in court Wednesday for a brief hearing. No new details were revealed on Carol Flaz-Burgos’ death — in fact, the Lawrence District Court judge allowed an Essex County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Fleet’s request that a police report containing…
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Growing concerns over mosquito-borne illnesses: Town-by-town risk maps for Mass., NH
Residents in Massachusetts are on high alert as West Nile virus cases rise. However, that’s not the only concern. A New Hampshire man is dead after contracting eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE. It’s the first death from the mosquito-borne illness in a decade. Steven Perry, 41, was the first human to contract EEE in New Hampshire in 10 years. The…
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Man faces judge after crash of stolen SUV in Plainville kills 10-year-old
A man accused of stealing an SUV from a Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium and causing a crash that killed a 10-year-old boy over the weekend in Plainville, Massachusetts, appeared in court Monday. The incident occurred Saturday at the intersection of Route 1 and Interstate 495, according to Massachusetts State Police, who said 42-year-old Michael Escolas of Oxford was…
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Watch: Great white shark smiles at researchers off the coast of Mass.
Researchers recently spotted a great white shark off the shores of Scituate, Massachusetts, and this fishy friend was not shy at all. Great whites have about 300 teeth, and this one probably showed off more than we needed to see. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the region’s leading white shark research nonprofit organization, was able to get up close and…
