Fred still had his great laugh and was as engaged as ever in journalism and in life, said Sandobil, now a communications consultant in Alameda. Starting in 1978, he had a 22-year run at the TV station, where he put together the anchor team of Dennis Richmond and Barbara Simpson, whom Zehnder later replaced with Elaine Corral, Leslie Griffith and Julie Haener, all during Richmonds 20 years as an anchor. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith, who most . "The hardest thing to deal with -- this is going to sound silly -- the computer system is the most difficult thing I'm dealing with right now. Nor Leslie. I can't remember the last time I saw her on air. CPRA Executive Director John Alden said that discipline was also ordered in these cases, which range from failure to supervise, excessive use of force, failure to accept complaints and Miranda violations, to name a few. "It was not a lightbulb, burning-bush experience," he says. He said that these findings and discipline are private under the police officer bill of rights. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), H-1B: Feds want criminal charges over application fraud for Silicon Valleys favorite visa, KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior. Unfortunately her subsequent marriage to ski racer Bill Shaw ended in divorce. TV Streaming | I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. Separately, the civilian-led Oakland Police Commission's "Community Police Review Agency," which has its own investigative arm, found numerous sustained findings of policy violations stemming from last summer's protests. By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. Despite the acknowledgment, the contents of those reports and what discipline was meted out, and to whom, were not revealed. Posted to Fort Bliss, Texas, he worked at an Army public information office run by Sam Donaldson, later a famously brusque TV news reporter. Indeed, Watson had a serious back issue; had to have surgery (he's now ok) but working would cause a great deal of hardship. Watson's transgressions are in full display and at times it's a frustrating, sad and equally compelling segment. Is she still working there? Griffith . In that sendoff staffers talk about how great things were back then, with Randy Shandobil saying "If you like us at all now, it's because of Fred." Alex Savidge normally anchors the 4 p.m. newscast on KTVU and the 7 p.m. news on KTVU Plus. I can see all of the KTVU alumni that RL mentioned getting together to remember Fred Zehnder. ;-). ", UPDATE 10: 28 AM PT: I just received a text from Somerville: "I took the wrong meds last night. Thanks Rich and George - so glad to hear he is enjoying life. KTVU fired him too !! He talks to me here at 415 Media, his first public interview in over two decades. People get sick while working, all the time. Sad. Watson and his wife plan to attend the memorial service for Zehnder when it takes place. I was stunned. Co-anchor Julie Haener broadcast the rest of the newscast solo and didn't explain Somerville's absence nor even acknowledge it. Zehnder founded the San Leandro Times in 1991 while still working as news director at KTVU. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. He was known 'bout town drunk in public. At Lakeport Union Elementary, he fell under the spell of a teacher who had been a news reporter, and she encouraged him. His answer is an unequivocal "no." George Watson was "Excellence Personified" during his tenure at KTVU. I totally had a crush on her. A job that former KTVU boss/GM, Kevin O'Brien got him. I'm shaken. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. They were big shoes to fill! For the last year, civil rights attorneys and some city leaders have called out the police behavior, saying that officers violated city policy and a court order, prohibiting them from using tear gas and fire off specialty munitions as there was no proof of imminent danger, among other things. Dec. 1, 2015 Updated: Dec. 1, 2015 3:33 p.m. 11. Was it throwing the shoe at Ibaez (urban mythnever happened, and I am ex-KTVU and in the know) or trashing his car and smashing in all the windows (did really happen, not an urban myth).Why they hell did they keep her? She later took over the 10 p.m. news spot co-anchoring with Dennis Richmond. Holmes has a strong social media presence, with 34,000 followers on Facebook and 14,000 followers on Twitter, where she claims to forever be in pursuit of a good story and fabulous shoes.. Though station management has said it will welcome Somervilles return when he is ready, in the interim KTVU must scramble to fill the void left by one of the Bay Areas most visible journalists a man who co-anchored the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. With Mary Wilson and Rikki Novetsky. She resigned from KTVU in 2006. I'm delighted and happy that Watson has turned his life around. Brian Hackney!}. Bay Area Transit (1984) is a locally-made documentary about the history of transit in Oakland and the Bay Area. He is 17 years removed from working as a reporter/anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. She has been at the station since 1997 and was on the desk the night Bay Area news icon (and Somervilles predecessor) Dennis Richmond tearfully signed off in 2008. Hope Frank gets the help he deserves. This is the department's first acknowledgment that there were missteps taken during last summer's protests over the death of George Floyd. George was an excellent anchor. Suzanne was George's wife. Hope all is well, George. It shows a sympathetic person, Watson, in his most darkest days. george watson ktvu where is he now. Watson also didn't realize how much the segment would have on his life later, even the more than twenty years later. She will forever remain part of a lengthy list of talent that made KTVU a destination station for news. ", Former Reporter George Watson Returns to KTVU, Why every Californian needs an air quality monitor, SZAs extended tour lineup includes new SF show, Sustainable Hawaii travel tips for your next island getaway, Saks Off 5th in downtown San Francisco slated to permanently close, Fox Sports pundit made cowardly 'bet' on Warriors losing Game 7, Landslide results in closure of near-century-old California institution, Horoscope for Monday, 5/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Another Ross Dress for Less could be opening in San Francisco, Geoffrey Hinton, 'Godfather of AI,' quits Google to speak out on AI concerns, Missing 12-year-old Petaluma girl found safe, police say, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). I remember when Doug passed away. Categories . Heather Holmes, a Texas native, has been at KTVU since 2006, when she started as a weekend anchor. Somervile did not appearr on the 6 PM newscast. Ask Amy: I put a security camera in my room, and what I saw was creepy, Ask Amy: My fiancee's family says I'm not invited, and she's going without me, The dad whose wife and child were among 5 killed by a neighbor in Texas describes how the massacre unfolded, 'Total dominance': Steph Curry breaks NBA Game 7 record, leads Warriors over Kings, Dear Abby: The reason her fiance hid his phone was something she never guessed, Mortgage fees to rise for buyers with high credit scores, fall for those with lower scores, Kurtenbach: Steph Curry built the Warriors dynasty. Calls to Somerville and Fox spokesperson Victoria Gurrieri Thursday morning were not returned. Thanks for the update, Rich. I remember watching him in the 90s on KTVU, the years with Elaine Coral and Leslie Griffith when they still work for KTVU. You did what he told you because you loved him and didnt want to let him down, Shandobil said. Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother The family emigrated from Switzerland in the 1880s and homesteaded 160 acres. declines to files charges against armed Walgreens guard, Shocking details revealed during 'Doomsday mom' Lori Vallow's murder trial: Live updates, Barbie debuts Anna May Wong doll for AAPI Heritage Month. Born in Texas, Griffith started her journalism career as a newspaper reporter for the Associated Press and Denver Post. Life has returned back to normal! They've let better people go. > Also, how come KGO-TV Channel 7 doesn't have > Melanie Woodrow on their website under> Newsteam? He was an excellent writer and speaker. That would be a dynamite idea and count me in as a interested observer. ", Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), H-1B: Feds want criminal charges over application fraud for Silicon Valleys favorite visa. Review: Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is an old-school special for an old-school talent From there he was hired at KTVU, which at that time was an underdog independent station in Oakland, going up against the bigger stations in San Francisco KPIX, KRON and KGO. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? George is a solid reporter and anchor. Mike Mibach grew up in the Bay Area and attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco (Class of 94) and College of Marin. He started the Scotts Valley News at the kitchen table and ran off 50 copies of his one-page weekly, which he reported, wrote, edited, printed and delivered on his bike, an 8-mile round trip. As a news reader, he's average and somewhat stiff, but his health is more important. Frank was definitely impaired last night. Related Articles Jerry Springer, former Cincinnati mayor and talk show host, dead at 79, A drug company abandoned a treatment for bubble boy disease. After a 5-year fight, this little California girl is about to get it, Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother, Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life, Review: Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is an old-school special for an old-school talent. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? He just worked.. The old, lame sleeping pill excuse. His story on the Pan Am Clippers, planes that flew from San Francisco to China from 1935 to 1946, airs this Sunday. 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Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of Mornings on 2, co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of "Mornings on 2," co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. It remains to be seen whether Oakland police consider the injuries suffered during last summer's protests as rising to that level. I have had severe depression a few of times in my life. She joined KTVU in 1986 as a weekend reporter and anchor, and with her alto voice and steadfast reporting, she worked her way up to become an influential force in Bay Area journalism, the East Bay Times reported. I survived unspeakable abuse from my parents. I have a feeling they decided to limit the coverage of Fred's good old days, and there's been no follow up about a memorial, or more info on the alledged drunk driver, since. Then, he disappeared. He always had faith in his people, and we always had faith in his judgment.. The plan was set, and just as O'Brien expected, KTVU became even more phenomenally successful. Protesters yelled at police and someone was seen throwing a water bottle over the barricade, but dozens of witnesses told KTVU that the crowd was not violent. Great to report he's living in Scottsdale and enjoying retired life, sober and tranquil many years and sounding very much the same as he did when he was an anchor at KTVU. Dozens of protesters have alleged in at least two federal lawsuits that they suffered bruising and even temporary blindness as a result of getting hit with toxic chemical agents and the equivalent of rubber bullets during at least two protests last summer, on May 29 and June 1, 2020. "George is a great writer with a strong knowledge and interest in local history," said KTVU News Director Andrew . For decades he lived in an in-law unit behind the home of close friends Howard and Claudette Morrison, who ended up working with him at his papers. A group of about 1,000 people broke off from that main rally and headed down to police headquarters. "It was not a call for help; I made the phone call initially to ask for money," he says. After the series of reports aired, in 1987, Watson got a simple note from Zehnder ending with, Were lucky to have you. Watson put it on his fridge, and it was still there 30 years later. I miss a lot of these past greats. Im soooo happy to see you back anchoring the news! one reader wrote. Covered the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks in New York City . Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. george watson ktvu where is he now. KTVU, virtual channel 2 (digital channel 44), is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Maybe she's oldsteam? Everybody could depend on him.. He also picked up items by listening in on the 18 neighbors who shared a party line. 1 Frederick Eugene Zehnder was born March 5, 1934, in Lakeport, where he grew up on a dairy farm run by his father, Joe Zehnder, and where the milking was done by Fred and his three brothers. He was an excellent writer and speaker. I watched Sommerville on Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast and noticed right away that he was having difficulty reading the teleprompter and speaking clearly. Drunk on TV?A viewer could have been killed with this carelessness.Have you all gone mad? Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez, Evan Sernoffsky is an investigative reporter for KTVU. UPDATE, 8: 31 AM PT: A source tells me Somerville was asked to leave after the first segment. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. Real No-BS professionals. And I wouldn't rule out Ms. Corral attending, either. In addition, the use of force reports into what occurred one year ago have also been completed and "discipline has been administered," according to police spokeswoman Johnna Watson, who sent KTVU an email on Monday. Tickets for the event are $85, with a $10 . Everyday I couldn't wait to see him on the news. "Leslie Griffith was a consummate professional," wrote KTVU reporter Greg Liggins. Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. Let's forget Fred, we came here to buy him not to praise him, seems to be the mantra of current (mis)management. Pray constantly for pain to go away. I had to move in with a friend and get a retail job that paid minimal, however, getting out and working and helping people was the cure. Don't know what her latest role is now. It includes footage of legendary transit historians Harre Demoro and Ted Wurm.. Welcome back.. Griffith has been off the air for more than 10 weeks in what the station characterized as a leave of absence. I think she did well for herself afterwards though. The Press-Enterprise. He looked off last night. For the last year, Armstrong has promised transparency and has told the community on several occasions that if the police made mistakes, he would let the public know. I've reached out to Somerville. "She had such a wild & wonderful personality. They're not like another Bay Area station, that has a mediocrity [*cough-cough* Ken Bastida! "I'm OK.", UPDATE 10: 44 AM: I asked Somerville if he was going to be back tonight (Monday) on air at KTVU: He texted back: "Yeah, I'm totally fine. "Boring is good," chuckled Watson, 75 and mellow over a wide-ranging telephone conversation with me and talking about the biz and his retired life away from the camera and teleprompter. Maybe he can come back to KTVU some day even if doing special reports part time. A police transparency law, SB 1421, which took effect in January 2019, mandates the release of information to the public if officers cause great bodily injury. . George Watson, former KTVU (Channel 2) weekend news anchor whose struggle with alcoholism cost him his job six years ago, was rehired as a reporter and writer last month.. Watson will write and . In March, Somerville missed over two weeks from KTVU and told me that he was battling an alcohol-abuse issue and that he spent some time at a North Bay recovery center. Fred Zehnder, the news director at KTVU for decades, died after being hit by a truck while walking in Alameda. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. The nine-time Emmy Award-winning Griffith worked at KTVU for 20 years from 1986 to 2006 beginning as a reporter and as co-anchor, with George Watson, for the station's 10 p.m. weekend newscast.For several years in the 1990s, she anchored that weekend broadcast by herself, doing the same as well for a weekend early evening edition. The 10 o'clock News would soon become the No. "Her focus on animal welfare is the most prominent example, as she worked for years to highlight the mistreatment of elephants in circuses and elsewhere.". Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. You know the story. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. I was at their wedding and his other ones. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. At that time I thought professional help and it did help. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. Ken Bastida!} Kevin O'Brien was the station manager, Zehnder's boss. We got Mike Mabach, Andre Senior, Frank Malicoat to take over his spot. I will keep you informed of any information I obtain. For eight years, he held two full-time jobs, one in TV and one in print. The film blends the status of the (then) current-day BART system with looks at the amazing transit systems that existed . It's tragically intense and real. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? What happened on first day of CHP drug dealing crackdown in S.F. "You have to quit because if you don't, it will kill you. I saw it. I've often heard than most American Indians have a very low tolerance for it. It's time KTVU makes a permanent change on their main anchor desk. I really appreciated and enjoyed George's on-air work and presence. He had spirit and energy and passion; he wasn't just an emotionless bean-counter. When there's a bit of hope, all of a sudden, darkness emerges. As editor and publisher of both the San Leandro Times and the Castro Valley Forum, Fred Zehnder had an outsize role in putting out weekly print editions of the East Bay papers. Email Evan atevan.sernoffsky@foxtv.comand follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. He's The Peter Principle in action. Watson's email on Monday came an hour after KTVU published a story online saying that it's been a year since the June 1, 2020, George Floyd protests outside Oakland Technical High School, which was organized by teens. She stood up for good reporting on so many occasions. However, I urge anyone who is depressed to get some help, life will get better. Zehnder walked there from home and refused a ride back to his place, preferring to walk, as always. Did he use a different name on air? He held a news conference at the time saying that people were throwing rocks at police and "preparing Molotov cocktails.". At that time I did not seek professional help due to finances. He really needs help. I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. Now I can watch again. Abrupt closure of S.F. She was a force of nature.". The source told me the producer said "Frank looked haggard." We all need help at some point.I personally am too embarrassed to ask for help currently.Severe depression going on 4 years now. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. I'm sure current management heard that as a slap in the face. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks.". Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf. The last time I wrote about Watson, things seemed positive.I hope this is the current status and I'm working on talking to George because I know he reads 415 Media and I know and share . Betty and family Margaret are sorry for your lost.but remember he is in a better place god is holding him now ,our prayers are whith you all. To me, at that stage in my life, it was kind of a blur." Fred just liked to do the real work of putting out a newspaper, the nuts and bolts of it, said Jim Knowles, managing editor of the San Leandro Times. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Even Corral's predecessor, one-time KSFO talker Barbara Simpson, admitted to being saddened, possibly attending as well.Fowler, Roth, Kauf, Bruno, can see all of them coming. He took the wrong medicationThe vodka instead of the Scotch. Fred Zehnder, longtime KTVU news director, dies at 87 after being hit by a car in Alameda.
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