Kimberly Easton

Kimberly Easton, a former television news anchor and reporter in Pittsburgh and Grand Rapids, is the newest voice on WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9.

In joining the CBS Radio all-news station as a part-time news anchor and reporter, she replaces Brandis Friedman, who left in October to become a full-time correspondent for “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW-Channel 11.

“Just couldn't say no to this awesome opportunity,” Easton wrote on Facebook. “WBBM Newsradio Chicago knows how to do news! Working with some of the best veteran journalists in the country. Grateful and so humbled to be a part of their team.”

A native of Columbus, Indiana, and graduate of Liberty University, Easton interned at CNN in Washington, D.C., before working in radio news. Her shift to television took her to WSET-TV in Lynchburg, Virginia, WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh. Earlier this year, she earned a master’s degree in communications from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Two other part-timers at WBBM Newsradio — Catherine Catalane and Veronica Carter — have taken turns filling in as afternoon drive anchor since Steve Grzanich abruptly left the station Tuesday. It appears that no decision has been made about filling his position.

Steve Grzanich

“After 20 years, I am signing off at WBBM Newsradio to explore other opportunities,” Grzanich wrote on Facebook. “I am hungry for a new challenge and must embark on the journey to find it starting now.”

Several websites incorrectly linked Grzanich’s departure to the layoffs last Monday of four sales account executives as part of year-end cutbacks at CBS Radio. In contrast to those moves, no one at the station would talk on or off the record about why Grzanich left.

A memo to newsroom staff Tuesday from Ron Gleason, director of news and programming, said: “This is to let you know Steve Grzanich is no longer with WBBM.  We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Except for an 18-month stint when he served as news director of WTAX in Springfield, Grzanich had worked at WBBM since 1994. He joined the all-news station as an anchor/reporter from WLRW in Champaign. If you rarely read or heard anything about the guy until now, that’s just the way he wanted it.

“I’ve tried very hard to stay out of Feder’s column,” he tweeted last week. “Fly below the radar . . . stay out of Feder . . . wonderful advice from Dale McCarren to me 20 years ago.”