He returned to KTVU News a short time after. Nor Leslie. There was also a front-page news item about his death. Hope all is well, George. Here are their demands, Downtown S.F. "But more like feeling for the first time that I really could make it. Fred would not have wanted that.. She resigned from KTVU in 2006. TV Streaming | Related Articles Always thought the O'Brien guy was the one adulated. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. 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. I'm shaken. Fred Zehnder, longtime KTVU news director, dies at 87 after being hit by a car in Alameda. Drunk on TV?A viewer could have been killed with this carelessness.Have you all gone mad? I wish him all the best, in his efforts to overcome Drinking. I've often heard than most American Indians have a very low tolerance for it. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. But that's . She will forever remain part of a lengthy list of talent that made KTVU a destination station for news. Watson's transgressions are in full display and at times it's a frustrating, sad and equally compelling segment. 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. Police, by law and court order, must use de-escalation techniques first, before deploying such harmful, although less-lethal, agents and tools. Hope he can get some help . ", 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. 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. A group of about 1,000 people broke off from that main rally and headed down to police headquarters. A native of Jamaica, he grew up in Miami. At that time I did not seek professional help due to finances. UPDATE, 8: 31 AM PT: A source tells me Somerville was asked to leave after the first segment. "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.". Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than others. He hired Randy Shilts as a reporter covering gay issues before Shilts went to The Chronicle. Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith has died. "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. 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. 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. 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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. Email Evan [email protected] follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. He was speaking more slowly than normal, and he was mispronouncing and slurring some words. By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. 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. HmmmmmFrank SomervillePam MooreVeronica De La CruzThis crap is spreading like a wild fire!!! 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. God Bless You and George for all that you do. Licensed to Oakland, California, the station has been owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises since 1964, making it the largest Fox affiliate by market size that is not owned. You can email her at [email protected]. It shows a sympathetic person, Watson, in his most darkest days. I was stunned. He said that these findings and discipline are private under the police officer bill of rights. He is getting old and maybe time for early retirement. George Watson was "Excellence Personified" during his tenure at KTVU. He also did not want a memorial service. From April '93 former anchor and reporter tells viewers he had been in treatment for . 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. The source told me the producer said "Frank looked haggard." The Bay Area knows the story. Reply Delete Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Glad your health is ok and whatever you were going through., Another chimed in with, WAS SO HAPPY to see you back on the news tonight. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). I used to pretend he was my father. TV Streaming | No I was not deliriously happy, but I was not depressed. He and Leslie Griffith worked well together, and it is great to see her lovely self in those pictures. I can see all of the KTVU alumni that RL mentioned getting together to remember Fred Zehnder. He was known 'bout town drunk in public. 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. Griffith . It remains to be seen whether Oakland police consider the injuries suffered during last summer's protests as rising to that level. He took the wrong medicationThe vodka instead of the Scotch. Andre Senior is a relative newcomer to KTVU, having arrived in 2018 after anchoring and reporting in Hampton, Virginia and Tampa Bay, Florida. She was a force of nature.". He was speaking more slowly than normal, and he was mispronouncing and slurring some words. Walter Cronkite famously had a bug and had to ask for a blanket to wrap around himself after delivering a newscast while so afflicted. Western Bride 26/05/2022. Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. His story on the Pan Am Clippers, planes that flew from San Francisco to China from 1935 to 1946, airs this Sunday. He was great. Im soooo happy to see you back anchoring the news! one reader wrote. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. With Frank Somerville away, who will KTVU turn to? Watson and his wife plan to attend the memorial service for Zehnder when it takes place. Watson's first report will be on the Marin Shipyards and can be seen Sunday. Amen, Rich. You're in our thoughts. 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. But behind the scenes, negotiations were under way on a departure settlement. 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. Produced by Mooj Zadie , Luke Vander Ploeg and Clare Toeniskoetter. After 15 minutes on the 10 PM News last (Sunday) night, Frank Somerville abruptly LEFT the news desk and didn't re-appear. I was at their wedding and his other ones. GEORGE WATSON OBITUARY. Was at KNTV last I remember. I survived unspeakable abuse from my parents. Watson said Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong will hold a news conference this week to explain more. I hear George is doing fine --as best that can be expected --but the former Bay Area/KTVU anchor/reporter has a long road to hoe. A few years later, he bought the Castro Valley Forum. Frank was definitely impaired last night. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life Producing that show was a dream job. I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. I remember when Doug passed away. On July 1, the San Leandro Times came out, with the usual uncredited grunt work that Zehnder always contributed. Thanks for the update, Rich. Everyday I couldn't wait to see him on the news. Asked if Somerville was sick, Haener replied: No hes doing well taking a little time for himself and should be back soon!. Heather Holmes, a Texas native, has been at KTVU since 2006, when she started as a weekend anchor. "During my first stint at @KTVU in the 90s, my first chance to sit on the anchor desk was to fill-in for Leslie, who then solo-anchored weekends. To me, at that stage in my life, it was kind of a blur." Sadly, it looked like he was drunk. When there's a bit of hope, all of a sudden, darkness emerges. Real No-BS professionals. Click this link to see pics of George on his 60th birthday. 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. We had wanted to do it sooner, but Fred delayed the whole thing because of his work with the paper, said Isabelle Zehnder, a sister-in-law, who confirmed his death. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of Mornings on 2, co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother 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. needs these 5 sites to thrive so the city can recover. You're a GREAT MAN, George, we all love you. He has filled in this week alongside Holmes. while a far more talented anchor toils away in the background {*cough-cough* Brian Hackney! He was an excellent writer and speaker. 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. Indeed, Watson had a serious back issue; had to have surgery (he's now ok) but working would cause a great deal of hardship. Leslie performed journalism the right way, focused on the story. 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. This photo is from 1990, early in Leslie Griffith's KTVU tenure, when she was a weekend anchor. One final lapse crossed the line and that one signaled George's exit from Channel 2. 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. The EMMY statues will be handed out at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Saturday, May 18th. His voice and presence was so incredibly comforting to me. "It was not a lightbulb, burning-bush experience," he says. He knows what his vulnerabilites are, and attempts to deal with this truth. His answer is an unequivocal "no." Johnny Depp was surprise difficult on set of comeback film, reports say, Coronation organizers wonder if Prince Harry will be a no-show, report says, Summer movies 2023: 21 reasons you should be eager to return to theaters, Tucker Carlson: How early rejection by hippie San Francisco mom made him shameless, Harriette Cole: My friend's mom didn't recognize me at my job, and she was very rude. Thanks Rich and George - so glad to hear he is enjoying life. ", Watson's re-entry into the workplace was easier than he had expected, he says. Toshua Sears was injured after getting tear gassed at an Oakland youth rally in honor of George Floyd on June 1, 2020. I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. She was a real psycho-lady. This began a string of jobs in TV broadcasting as a news director in Eureka, a cameraman at KPIX, and an assistant director on Van Amburgs news show on KGO-TV. Fred Zehnder, the news director at KTVU for decades, died after being hit by a truck while walking in Alameda. Get well soon, Frank. at KTVU (Mann was one of the station's first hires), O'Brien and Zehnder brought in newcomer Leslie Griffith to join veteran KTVU reporter George Watson on the weekend anchor desk. Unfortunately, he let booze control his life and he lost everything ! Maybe she's oldsteam? I remember seeing him on a program a few years ago that was about his life. "A terrible loss, what a man." 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. We all need help at some point.I personally am too embarrassed to ask for help currently.Severe depression going on 4 years now. As editor and publisher of both the San Leandro Times and the Castro Valley Forum . He was still drinking then and wanted to get sober. TV Streaming | Loved watching when KTVU news still held the bar that other stations tried to match. I really appreciated and enjoyed George's on-air work and presence. Courtesy KTVU. The ones that put me to sleep." I'm delighted and happy that Watson has turned his life around. But he also had a remarkable middle career as news director and on-air talent scout for KTVU in Oakland. Barbaa Rogers cried on the air announcing it, As a recovering Alcoholic (30 years sober) I know how difficult it is to reach sobriety. When someone you really admire, like Fred, says something like that, you tell yourself, Well, I guess Im doing OK, Watson said. He sold subscriptions and took in news items dead cows and broken-down milk trucks on the family phone line. 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. It's tragically intense and real. She later took over the 10 p.m. news spot co-anchoring with Dennis Richmond. She stood up for good reporting on so many occasions. Sad. Several years ago George Watson worked for KTVU-2 in Oakland. Another source who watched the program was more blunt. 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. Edited by Anita Badejo and Marc Georges. KTVU reporter Watson spent two weeks on the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal to film a comprehensive 45th anniversary report on the storied landing by U.S. Marines in World War II. When Somerville posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, he drew responses from a multitude of well-wishers. But I ended up being one of the lucky ones. I definitely noticed when he did not return after the commercial break. KTVU fired him too !! Heres a quick look at some of the people we can expect to see more of in the coming days and weeks: Julie Haener, a Danville resident, goes way back with KTVU viewers. I'm sure current management heard that as a slap in the face. Fun to follow. One of the biggest stories he ever worked was the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin. George Watson does not know this. This S.F. He was already 12 years into his career when he was drafted into the Army, upon his graduation from Humboldt State, at age 22. I don't know if that's true or just folklore.I wish the best for this man. KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior Related Articles While there, he was introduced to broadcasting through a part-time job at a Eureka radio station. And that's fine with him now. And besides Haener, the Zehnder will likely include Ibanez & Vacar.Rich, absolutely keep us posted as to how many long-time KTVU alumni attend and reconnect. He was a calming and a guiding influence. "He (Somerville) looked drunk. He looked awful and sounded worse. Posted to Fort Bliss, Texas, he worked at an Army public information office run by Sam Donaldson, later a famously brusque TV news reporter. Then, he disappeared. 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. I watched the first 10 minutes of the 10 PM news and Somerville seemed pretty impaired. ", "This hurts my heart," CNN correspondent Sara Sinder wrote. 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 am a computer illiterate. Would be great to see some of his more recent reporting. Watson worked with KTVU news boss, Fred Zehnder, who was killed by a suspected DUI driver in Alameda last week. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Despite the acknowledgment, the contents of those reports and what discipline was meted out, and to whom, were not revealed. ;-). Suzanne was George's wife. 1 She stood up for me on occasion too. We got Mike Mabach, Andre Senior, Frank Malicoat to take over his spot.
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george watson ktvu where is he now
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