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. I'm just glad at the end of the day there is no smoke over the cubicle and I haven't shut down the station. Life has returned back to normal! 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. He mainly anchors in the mornings, but expect to see more of him in the evening hours. I saw it. 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. He looked off last night. You know the story. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf. 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. Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than others. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). 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. You can email her at agraff@sfgate.com. wine startup leaves customers with thousands of Steph Curry adds to his Warriors legend by lighting up Kings for 50. It seems apparent that, even at a time when athletes and celebrities are connecting with the public by opening up about their personal struggles, both Somerville and KTVU have chosen at least so far to ignore the incident, move on and take a business-as-usual approach. "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. Brian Hackney!}. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". He always had faith in his people, and we always had faith in his judgment.. They went to Trabocco in an Alameda shopping center. Watson will write and report five- minute Sunday-night feature segments on "The 10 O'Clock News" as part of the station's "My Twentieth Century" retrospective series. He said that these findings and discipline are private under the police officer bill of rights. Griffith, probably not. 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. And I wouldn't rule out Ms. Corral attending, either. You're a GREAT MAN, George, we all love you. "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. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. He is 17 years removed from working as a reporter/anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. It shows a sympathetic person, Watson, in his most darkest days. "George is a great writer with a strong knowledge and interest in local history," said KTVU News Director Andrew . He was great. Always thought the O'Brien guy was the one adulated. 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. Thanks Rich for running this again. George Watson does not know this. Frank was definitely impaired last night. Fun to follow. "A terrible loss, what a man." Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? Several years ago George Watson worked for KTVU-2 in Oakland. I've noticed that KTVU, which has a (bad) habit of repeating stories over and over to fill time and hide the fact that they have about half the staff they did ten years ago, did very little repeat playing of the Fred Zehnder sendoff. KTVU began taking on water under his reign and frankly it's amazing it's still [barely] afloat. I'm sure current management heard that as a slap in the face. I'm the cameraman that worked with George. This photo is from 1990, early in Leslie Griffith's KTVU tenure, when she was a weekend anchor. He had his last drink on Oct. 6, 1996, after a phone call to his former rehab center. Significant piece of retro San Francisco bay area broadcasting history. "Long-time KTVU anchor Leslie Griffith has died. This is the department's first acknowledgment that there were missteps taken during last summer's protests over the death of George Floyd. PDF st Annual NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA EMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED As a news reader, he's average and somewhat stiff, but his health is more important. The film blends the status of the (then) current-day BART system with looks at the amazing transit systems that existed . And it appears that many viewers are willing to cut him some slack. Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. A native of Jamaica, he grew up in Miami. John Sasaki worked with Griffith for 10 years, starting in 1986, when she was the weekend anchor he was the weekend nightside reporter. That would be a dynamite idea and count me in as a interested observer. Longtime KTVU anchor Leslie Griffith dies - SFGATE One month ago, Sandobil took Zehnder out to lunch just to thank him for hiring him and bringing him along, 40 years later. Oh stop!He was drunk.Stop enabling him and make him get help. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. After being off the air for more than nine weeks, Frank Somerville returned to KTVUs The Ten OClock News Wednesday night without addressing his unusual and lengthy absence. The discipline by the chief and the civilian board would be the same and run concurrently if both parties agree. The family emigrated from Switzerland in the 1880s and homesteaded 160 acres. 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He and Leslie Griffith worked well together, and it is great to see her lovely self in those pictures. Oh, well. I miss seeing that good-looking gentleman with the wonderfully pleasant presence and noteworthy qualifications, and I will pray that he continues to address each day in wellness and with fortitude. I am going to honor him when I share my story. She later took over the 10 p.m. news spot co-anchoring with Dennis Richmond. ", "This hurts my heart," CNN correspondent Sara Sinder wrote. Zehnder started his own paper, the Scotts Valley News, in his hometown of Lakeport (Lake County), using a childs printing press set when he was age 10. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! > It's time KTVU makes a permanent change on> their main anchor desk.They don't have much male talent they could bring in. KTVU's George Watson's 60th - plaing - SmugMug The EMMY statues will be handed out at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Saturday, May 18th. He started as a feature writer in the People section, which was anchored by Herb Caen's column, and has written about people ever since. TV Streaming | It remains to be seen whether Oakland police consider the injuries suffered during last summer's protests as rising to that level. He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. I've reached out to Somerville. And let us know who else besides Griffith might have ended up on the wrong side of Zehnder's life. Theyd been planning a reunion for July 9 in Sacramento. Hopeless. I think she did well for herself afterwards though. He wasnt like the idea that people have of a publisher sitting behind a big desk smoking cigars. 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. People get sick while working, all the time. He lives in San Francisco and walks three miles a day on the steep city streets. Produced by Mooj Zadie , Luke Vander Ploeg and Clare Toeniskoetter. Fred would not have wanted that.. TO THIS DAY, I STILL GET ASKED, "how's George Watson doing?"No news is good news. I have thought about you often and held positive thoughts for you. Drunk on TV?A viewer could have been killed with this carelessness.Have you all gone mad? Thanks Rich and George - so glad to hear he is enjoying life. Last time in 2007 and 2008, the economic downturn hit me hard, I was working on commission only, and my business disappeared in a matter of weeks, because I was too late to face reality I also lost my condo. 1 Frank Somerville , KTVU 5, 6, and 10 p.m. anchor. And that's fine with him now. Can I say that I was just absolutely shocked by that video? Walter Cronkite famously had a bug and had to ask for a blanket to wrap around himself after delivering a newscast while so afflicted. Related Articles 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. I'm shaken. Don't know what her latest role is now. (She finished the May 30 newscast alone after Somerville disappeared from the desk, without explanation, 15 minutes into the program). By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. Heather Holmes, a Texas native, has been at KTVU since 2006, when she started as a weekend anchor. "She had such a wild & wonderful personality. 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. 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 . On July 1, the San Leandro Times came out, with the usual uncredited grunt work that Zehnder always contributed. Watson and his wife, Diane, whom he met randomly at a Bay Area restaurant are avid followers, still, of the business. HmmmmmFrank SomervillePam MooreVeronica De La CruzThis crap is spreading like a wild fire!!! Longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith dies His story on the Pan Am Clippers, planes that flew from San Francisco to China from 1935 to 1946, airs this Sunday. I know you all are too. 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 . Another source who watched the program was more blunt. He was a man of the printed word and resisted all indications that he should go fully digital. To date, police have not yet provided evidence of those Molotov cocktails and dozens of witnesses have told KTVU that no one was causing imminent danger to police at 7:45 p.m. that night, 15 minutes before curfew, when police threw tear gas into the crowd. He looked off last night. Title not meant as any sign of disrespect, just a piece of retro bay area broadcasting history. Is she still working there? What did Leslie do to get on FZ's bad side? His voice and presence was so incredibly comforting to me. He sold subscriptions and took in news items dead cows and broken-down milk trucks on the family phone line. KTVU will take an all-hands-on-deck approach while Somerville is away, relying on several newsroom regulars to fill in. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Suzanne was George's wife. It was O'Brien that was the same boss that had to let Watson go after repeated bouts with alcohol abuse. He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. PDF Class of 1996 - emmysf.tv However, I urge anyone who is depressed to get some help, life will get better. He was an excellent writer and speaker. Real No-BS professionals. Drinking can help relief stress, but it can ruin someone lives and his career if you have no control over the abuse. A segment that continues to be one of Dateline's most-watched programs--the segment aired in 1996, right when Watson left KTVU. Loved watching when KTVU news still held the bar that other stations tried to match. She was a real psycho-lady. When someone you really admire, like Fred, says something like that, you tell yourself, Well, I guess Im doing OK, Watson said. I watched him for years. They were big shoes to fill! Fred pulled us aside and said, Everyone is on edge. He held a news conference at the time saying that people were throwing rocks at police and "preparing Molotov cocktails.". I thought it was a big deal when I started working with her and Dennis. He really needs help. Sam Whiting has been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle since 1988. 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. Once after my divorce, which I asked for by the way. Barbaa Rogers cried on the air announcing it, As a recovering Alcoholic (30 years sober) I know how difficult it is to reach sobriety. I asked Watson if he has any interest in getting back into the biz, even on a limited basis doing special projects, a few bits here and there. Finlayson is one of those remarkable people who always falls up. He had spirit and energy and passion; he wasn't just an emotionless bean-counter. Not sure what you mean by "Fox 2 branding" but "Fox 2" as a concept didn't exist during the Zehnder era, so why would it be an element? Did he use a different name on air? One final lapse crossed the line and that one signaled George's exit from Channel 2. Courtesy KTVU. I used to pretend he was my father. I definitely noticed when he did not return after the commercial break. He talks to me here at 415 Media, his first public interview in over two decades. "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.". Miss him on the air. It was created in 1984 by KTVU reporter George Watson, and produced by Don McCuaig. I watched the first 10 minutes of the 10 PM news and Somerville seemed pretty impaired. The 10 o'clock News would soon become the No. He returned to KTVU News a short time after. When Zehnder wasnt working he was walking, and it was while out making his nightly round of his central Alameda neighborhood on the night of June 27 that Zehnder was hit by a raised pickup truck in an intersection. At that time I did not seek professional help due to finances. 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 . needs these 5 sites to thrive so the city can recover. 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. Watson's first report will be on the Marin Shipyards and can be seen Sunday. by | Jun 10, 2022 | 1050 main street paterson, nj | 159th aviation regiment patch | Jun 10, 2022 | 1050 main street paterson, nj | 159th aviation regiment patch Can't help but notice that the name 'Elaine' didn't appear in the list of reunion participants. Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. Long investigative pieces that only air occasionally? Somerville, one of the Bay Areas highest-paid and most visible TV journalists, has been at KTVU since 1991. 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? Nice entry, Rich. Maybe if McCormick feels good enough, he might come down from Oregon. Hopefully Mr. Watson is doing well. The motorist, identified as Michael Williams, 30, of Hayward, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. I really appreciated and enjoyed George's on-air work and presence. Leslie Griffith, Longtime KTVU Channel 2 Anchor/Reporter, Filmmaker "When I first watched it, I had no idea it would be as impactful as it was. Buy Photos. I'm delighted and happy that Watson has turned his life around. The state panel is preparing a final report that will suggest how to compensate Black residents to address the harms caused by the states history of slavery. And the department's own policyplaces special restrictions on the use of dangerous weapons such as flashbangs and tear gas precisely because those breaking the law might be mixed with peaceful passersby, along with legal observers and journalists. GEORGE WATSON OBITUARY. He's The Peter Principle in action. Unfortunately, he is not the only Bay Area news anchor with a substance abuse/alcohol problem Doug Murphy, KPIX 5 died in a house fire at his home in Lafayette in 2005, Dec. 4th. After 15 minutes on the 10 PM News last (Sunday) night, Frank Somerville abruptly LEFT the news desk and didn't re-appear. When there's a bit of hope, all of a sudden, darkness emerges. What happened on first day of CHP drug dealing crackdown in S.F. 1994 KTVU flashback of George Watson drunk on the air I remember seeing him on a program a few years ago that was about his life. He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police officers have been disciplined following the deployment of tear gas and other less-than-lethal projectiles at last summer's George Floyd protests, KTVU has learned. One year after Oakland police used tear gas to break up a large crowd ahead of a citywide curfew, the top brass remained mum on why the department resorted to that level of force. ;-). TV Streaming | I wish him all the best, in his efforts to overcome Drinking. Nor Leslie. Maybe she's oldsteam? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Watson's transgressions are in full display and at times it's a frustrating, sad and equally compelling segment. Producing that show was a dream job. Email Evan atevan.sernoffsky@foxtv.comand follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. Somewhere along the line, George either got help or knew he just had to pull himself out of the situation. He talks to me here at 415 Media, his first public interview in over two . I have had severe depression a few of times in my life. 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. ", 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). Original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano . You were a bright shining start in a dark, dark world. 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. Maybe he can come back to KTVU some day even if doing special reports part time. He also picked up items by listening in on the 18 neighbors who shared a party line. I remember when Doug passed away. ", 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. She was born and raised in the Bay Area and got her start in news at the Daily Californian newspaper at UC Berkeley where she majored in English literature. Covered the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks in New York City . To me it seems like Haener, who has been sleepwalking through the news for at least the last year, perked up and seemed to be trying harder last night after Frank departed.Just an observation. He is a general assignment reporter with a focus on writing feature-length obituaries. But his post Wednesday was his first since late May and rather than addressing his situation at KTVU, he presented high school senior photos of his daughter. It was about his brothers John, 93, of Modesto; Bob, 91, of Sacramento; and Dave, 72, of Kelso, Wash. All three survive him, along with sister-in-law Isabelle Zehnder, seven nephews and one niece. Was at KNTV last I remember. "He (Somerville) looked drunk. It was Somervilles first appearance on the KTVU anchor desk since making an alarming exit from a May 30 newscast during which he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. Male talent seems to bog that station. She was a force of nature.". No I was not deliriously happy, but I was not depressed. A possible reunion of old KTVU on-air people, like Watson, Dennis Richmond, Rita Williams, Lloyd Lacuesta and others might be in the works too. "Sad news," KTVU reporter Sal Castaneda wrote on Twitter. Don, to take its toll at the news studio at Jack London Square. Many honored Griffith in social media and expressed anguish over herpassing. Unfortunately her subsequent marriage to ski racer Bill Shaw ended in divorce. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. He also put out the garbage, pulled weeds around the offices, typed wedding announcements and calendar items, took pictures and did every job that goes into getting free publications into circulation. I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. Co-anchor Julie Haener broadcast the rest of the newscast solo and didn't explain Somerville's absence nor even acknowledge it. Jasmine Gaffett suffered these bruises at a May 29, 2020 George Floyd protest in Oakland. Why is Rich Lieberman so absolutely giddy when other people face personal problems? Police were on edge that night, because a few days earlier, during a May 29, 2020, protest, protesters set fires, threw Molotov cocktails and separately, a federal agent was killed by a member of the Boogaloo movement in an undisputably chaotic night. God Bless You and George for all that you do. Everybody could depend on him.. Everyday I couldn't wait to see him on the news. 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. Kevin O'Brien was the station manager, Zehnder's boss. Edited by Anita Badejo and Marc Georges. Western Bride 26/05/2022. His life is changed now, relatively stable and on an ordinary course. "I would quit drinking only in order to keep my job, but I always started again because that was never the right reason to quit," Watson says. Also, during the Zehnder tribute there was NO Fox2 branding. A consummate pro, she long has co-anchored KTVUs 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts with Somerville and figures to do a lot of the heavy lifting in the coming days. (That role was reserved for Andrew Finlayson, who was Zehnder's successor. As editor and publisher of both the San Leandro Times and the Castro Valley Forum . "As a reporter, she led with passion for the craft, for getting the story, for pursuing what is right," Sasaki, who is now the public information officer for the Oakland Unified School District, wrote in an email to SFGATE. Police, by law and court order, must use de-escalation techniques first, before deploying such harmful, although less-lethal, agents and tools. I wish Somerville well in his personal life. "I feel good, awesome actually. Get well soon, Frank. Part-time? George Watson Obituary (1944 - 2013) - Portland, OR - The Oregonian A job that former KTVU boss/GM, Kevin O'Brien got him. George Watson - Writer - Self-employed | LinkedIn Watson worked with KTVU news boss, Fred Zehnder, who was killed by a suspected DUI driver in Alameda last week. Bay Area Transit (1984) is a locally-made documentary about the history of transit in Oakland and the Bay Area. Hope he can get some help . But the call led to a job offer as a maintenance man at the center, which led to his sobriety. A few years later, he bought the Castro Valley Forum. George was an excellent anchor. A slightly more up to date update on George. Lisa Fernandez is a reporter forKTVU. . Produced in-depth "think pieces" from throughout San Bernardino County. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of "Mornings on 2," co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. From April '93 former anchor and reporter tells viewers he had been in treatment for . Hope Frank gets the help he deserves. KTVU anchor calls out racist who disapproves of his family - SFGATE Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? He just worked.. Toshua Sears was injured after getting tear gassed at an Oakland youth rally in honor of George Floyd on June 1, 2020. "I'm loving retired life, really have left that stage of my life." He knows what his vulnerabilites are, and attempts to deal with this truth. Altamont Press Discussion Board :: Discussion :: Re:George Watson Don. In the two-plus months since, Somerville has not publicly addressed the situation and KTVU management has barely acknowledged it. Fred Zehnder, the news director at KTVU for decades, died after being hit by a truck while walking in Alameda. 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.