In 1999, Melendez won an Emmy and RTNDA for "Nicholas' Gift of Life," the story of a Bay Area boy whose organs were donated to seven Italian recipients. In 1992, she received the Latina Media Person of the Year Award from New York University, the Asociación de Cronistas de espectaculos Award for Reporter of the Year and the Outstanding Person in Communications Award from the Puerto Rican Institute of New York.
Melendez came from CNN-SPANISH in New York where she worked as a senior correspondent and substitute anchor. She's also worked at television stations in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She began her broadcasting career in 1984 as a production specialist at WTMJ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Melendez received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Alabama and a Master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Melendez has traveled to Somalia, Iraq, Central and South America, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on special assignments.
Melendez covers the AIDS and education beat in the Bay Area.
Lyanne's Stories
San Francisco mall beefs up security after several teen fights caught on camera
Police in San Francisco have responded to a series of brawls at Stonestown Galleria by adding more patrols on Monday. The last two incidents involved several dozen youths duking it out while streaming it live on social media.
CA school district files federal lawsuit against social media companies for adverse effects on kids
According to the lawsuit, the district wants the platforms to help pay for the costs spent addressing and reversing the harm done by social media.
San Francisco wants extra $27M to pay police overtime, hire more officers and prosecutors
Mayor London Breed is asking the Board of Supervisors to approve a $27 million budget supplemental to fund police overtime citywide.
'Element of self-defense' likely reflected in charge against Montgomery HS stabbing suspect: Expert
Legal analyst Steven Clark points at what police have said about the two stabbing victims walking into the suspect's classroom - something that will be closely looked at in this case.
Larry Hunt, known as San Francisco's 'Bucket Man' of Market Street, dies at 64
For years, Hunt played his makeshift drums as long as he had an audience to entertain - and that he did.
What's in store for San Francisco Bay Area's economy post-pandemic?
Here's what we know - the Bay Area's slow economic recovery is a surprise to no one. But, economists are optimistic that the worst is behind us, and the tech capital of the world is still the best investment.
CA bill would require early dyslexia screening for K-2nd grade students
One in five children in the U.S. is diagnosed with dyslexia. And while 40 states already have early screening at schools, California does not.
Listeners show support for missing Wild 94.9 DJ as station shares 'incredibly worrisome' updates
Though Wild 94.9 released a statement that there hasn't been activity on his phone or credit cards, police tell ABC7 that official information regarding the usage of electronics is not being released.
These Bay Area metro areas saw thousands of households move away from 2018 to 2022, data shows
Data shows San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley combined had a net loss of at least 250,000 households from 2018 through the end of 2022. Here's a look at our interactive map to see the net change where you live by zip code.
CA bill would mandate HPV vaccine for all students entering 8th grade
A bill has been introduced in Sacramento to require students entering the 8th grade to have the HPV vaccine. This would apply to students attending public and private schools in California.