Harris

Longtime KCBS Radio reporter George Harris died on Monday night of kidney failure, according to this Facebook post by KCBS colleague Bob Butler. Harris was 61.

“He was unflappable on the air and was known as the best breaking news reporter in the Bay Area,” Butler writes.

Harris began his broadcasting career in 1975 at stations in Portland and later Seattle. His KCBS bio says he started at that station in 1987 as an anchor and reporter. He became the station’s San Jose bureau chief in 1996. He retired in March 2011.

Highlights of Harris’ career include coverage of the Mt. St. Helens explosion, the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the East Bay Hills fire and the riots in South Central Los Angeles.

Harris also worked in TV, first at KING-TV in Seattle and was a part-time anchor for KRON.

Harris lived in Hayward.

(Harris’ death was first reported by San Francisco media blogger Rich Lieberman.)