NBC Palm Springs Picks Up Two Emmy Wins for “80 Years Later: Coachella Valley’s WWII Legacy” and "Roaming The Desert"

Two big wins for NBC Palm Springs last night as anchor Olivia Sandusky and special projects producer Heath Cunningham earned an Emmy Award for their documentary special, 80 Years Later: Coachella Valley's WWII Legacy.

The award was presented Saturday night in La Jolla at the 52nd annual 2026 Pacific Southwest Emmy® Awards in the Military Program category.

The project, released on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, highlights the stories of Coachella Valley veterans who served during one of the most defining periods in modern history.

The special features firsthand accounts from members of the Greatest Generation, including Bernard, a 100-year-old veteran who documents his wartime experiences through poetry. It also profiles two local women who broke barriers in military service and revisits the Coachella Valley’s own World War II-era training grounds.

From construction crews to combat medics, the documentary captures the diverse roles these veterans played and preserves their stories as this generation continues to shrink.

The Emmy win recognizes the project’s powerful storytelling and historical significance, honoring both the journalists who created it and the veterans whose voices shaped it.

Watch the award-winning special here: 80 Years Later: Coachella Valley’s WWII Legacy

Special projects producer Heath Cunningham also picked up a second win for his travel special "Roaming The Desert: Exploring The High Desert Region" in the Magazine Program category.

The project set out to tell the authentic story of the Joshua Tree area through the lens of the locals who make the area so wacky and wonderful. The special focuses on the journalists, small business owners, and eccentric but charming locals that define a magical slice of California.

Watch the award-winning special here: Roaming The Desert