CBS 2 welcomes reporter Sandra Torres ‘back home’

Sandra Torres (Photo: Ronald Zachara)

Sandra Torres (Photo: Ronald Zachara)

Sandra Torres, a bilingual journalist who was born in Colombia and grew up in northwest suburban Buffalo Grove, has been hired as a general assignment reporter at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.

Torres, who previously worked as a producer at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and a reporter and fill-in weather anchor at Telemundo WSNS-Channel 44, joins CBS 2 Monday.

“I am thrilled to welcome Sandra back home to Chicago and to the CBS 2 Chicago news team,” Jeff Kiernan, CBS 2 vice president and news director, said in a statement. “She is adept at all aspects of news production and has proven herself to be a terrific reporter.”

Since 2012 Torres has worked in Milwaukee as a reporter for CBS affiliate WDJT-TV and an anchor for Telemundo WYTU-LD. Both are owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting.

“I have a bittersweet announcement: my time in Milwaukee is coming to an end,” Torres wrote on Facebook Thursday. “I'm extremely thankful for my three-and-a-half years at CBS 58 and Telemundo Wisconsin. I've met so many incredible people and have truly connected with this community.

“However, it's time to move back home. On November 30th, I'll be joining the CBS 2 Chicago team. It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of such a distinguished team. I'm excited to do what I love in a city I love!”

A graduate of Harper College and Illinois State University, Torres joined Telemundo Chicago in 2007 as a reporter and shifted to NBC 5 in 2010 as a morning news content producer. She also worked as an instructor at Illinois Center for Broadcasting.

Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, she moved with her family to the United States in 1997. She describes herself as “100 percent Colombiana — Chicagoan at heart.”

Torres is the fourth hire at CBS 2 since August. She follows anchor Irika Sargent from CBS-owned WFOR-TV in Miami, anchor Lionel Moise from WLTX-TV, the CBS affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina, and reporter Audrina Bigos from WCCB-TV, the CW affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina.