Amy Kawata
Video journalist
Amy Kawata joined the WMBF News team in January 2018. Amy joins us from the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas, where she worked in production at the NBC affiliate station, KSNV. Born in Los Angeles, California and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada helped Amy discover her true passion for news at a young age.
She was heavily involved in her high school broadcast journalism class where she hosted and produced the weekly news broadcast. Not afraid to take any risks and open to a change of scenery, Amy chose to continue her studies on the opposite coast where she received her Bachelors degree from Syracuse University in New York studying Communication and Rhetorical Studies and Marketing. (Go ‘Cuse!) During her junior year, Amy's sense of adventure took her across the pond to study abroad for a semester in London, England.
Some memorable moments of her career in Myrtle Beach include covering Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Dorian and the shooting of seven law enforcement officers in Florence County. She also worked alongside an award-winning news team in Las Vegas covering the October 1 shooting in Las Vegas, 2016 Rio Olympics, 2016 Presidential election, the O.J Simpson Parole Hearing, Comicon, and the 2017 Country Music Awards.
Although she is a city girl at heart, she loves Myrtle Beach and being a voice for the community.
When Amy is not immersed in the latest news, she enjoys seeing the world through traveling (mostly for the food), watching award shows, binge watching Netflix shows, and trying out the latest fashion trends.
As 2019 comes to a close, businesses in downtown Myrtle Beach have reported an increase in sales for the year, and they only expect numbers to grow next year.
Myrtle Beach realtors say it’s been a strong and steady year for the housing market, and they expect those numbers to climb into next year.
Pure Assests LLC, the property owners listed for a vacant building at 3835 Socastee Boulevard want to transform the space into a hemp processing facility.
Horry County is currently awaiting approval on how to move forward with a large tract of land purchased last year.
A new app is making it easier to contact help in an emergency situation.
A major construction project along U.S. 17 Business in Surfside Beach broke ground in February. Now, businesses in the area say they’re ready for work to be complete after noticing a drop in sales.
A new security threat is scaring families across the country, as a popular holiday gift has been a recent target for hackers.
While we continue to face a growing concern surrounding mental health illness nationwide, Horry County's first and only behavioral health unit affiliated with a hospital system is addressing the need for more services.
Parents of children with autism in Horry County Schools have been working for a year now, pushing for more Applied Behavioral Analysis therapists.
For many, the holiday season means traveling to visit family and friends. But for criminals, the holidays offer the opportunity to cash in on unattended homes.
Opioids are the common turn to after the procedure to help with pain management.
The 2019-2020 flu season is officially underway and it’s off to a strong start.
FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service all expect to deliver a record number of packages this holiday season, which is six days shorter than last year.
Representative Marvin Pendarvis believes there’s still a future for malls if they’re repurposed to serve the surrounding communities.
Two-day or even one-day delivery is in high demand right now, especially after Cyber Monday.
The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and this year’s Cyber Monday sales could be a record-breaking.
The night before Thanksgiving has become almost as big of a holiday as Thanksgiving Day and is known as “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drunksgiving”, which means there’s a higher chance of impaired drivers out on the roads at night on Thanksgiving Eve.
The Shepherd’s Table in Conway is continuing its mission to make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy a hot meal on Thanksgiving.
A highly anticipated multi-million dollar construction project in one Horry County neighborhood is set to open soon.
The holidays are a time when most people are in a generous spirit, but it could also be a dangerous time for everyone.
The threat of violence at hospitals is a major safety issue healthcare workers and health systems across South Carolina face on a daily basis.
Primary-care providers have been the backbone of the rural healthcare system, and there are fewer of them to go around as the United States is seeing a growing physician shortage.
Businesses and city leaders say they're on track to face a busy holiday season.
For months, health experts have been scrambling to find the cause of the mysterious vaping-related illness outbreak.
A new research institute is coming to the campus of Coastal Carolina University in response to the population boom in Horry County.
Hospitals across the country are constantly dealing with a shortage of life-saving drugs.
During the holidays, it’s common for people to open up their wallets and give a little extra to those who are less fortunate. When it comes to charitable giving, South Carolina ranks in the top 10 across the nation, according to the S.C. Secretary of State.
As of Sunday, Nov. 3, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety reports 813 people have died on South Carolina Highways so far this year, which is slightly lower compared to 2019.
Plans for a new park in Horry County are finally set to begin after an eight-year standstill.
The National Flood Insurance program provides flood insurance for nearly five million homeowners and business owners.
Many kids along the Grand Strand and Pee Dee are ready to put on their favorite costume and go trick-or-treating tonight, but police also want you to remember Halloween can come with some real dangers.
Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors say there are many driving factors for why people are moving to the Myrtle Beach area.
The city of Myrtle Beach is installing new traffic technology, and officials say it will improve response times and make it safer for you and first responders during emergencies.
Health professionals are still looking into the products and chemicals that could be causing the vaping-related illness outbreak across the nation. But doctors are concerned the next few months could be challenging as the flu season kicks into high gear.
In the midst of an ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic, the Myrtle Beach Fire Department is seeing an increase in the need for the overdose-reversing drug Narcan.
Conway city leaders have been working hard over the past few months to nail down plans for a new city hall to better serve their needs.
Suicides and homicides are on the rise among children, teens and young adults in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After the flood waters from Hurricane Florence receded, it left some neighborhoods under water for a third year in a row.
While we’re still in the middle of hurricane season, hospital officials are working to provide necessary services at all times during the event of an emergency.
Bumper stickers on cars have long been a popular way to personalize your ride and express yourself, but could they be putting you and your family at risk?
As the nation continues to battle the growing opioid crisis, Horry County still remains one of the top three deadliest counties when it comes to drug overdoses.
How does $300,000 sound to you to become a Victoria's Secret model?
Officials with the city of Myrtle Beach took a final vote on an ordinance to annex nearly seven acres of land.
Tracking registered sex offenders. It’s something the Horry County Sheriff’s Office works diligently on to keep you and your family safe.
Horry County officials are projecting close to 275,000 new residents will live in the area by 2040.
The latest numbers coming in from South Carolina Department of Public Safety shows Horry County tops the rest of the counties in traffic fatalities so far this year.
Myrtle Beach city officials are looking for a way to tackle nuisance issues, like abandoned cars and properties being left unkempt.
The U.S. Drought Monitor is reporting 2,580,000 South Carolinians are experiencing drought conditions.
A record number of nearly 2.3 million workers were employed in South Carolina in August.
Forest Marketplace will be located along Carolina Forest Boulevard in front of the Haven Pointe Apartment complex and Summerlyn neighborhood.
