It's heartening to hear that he is well and sober. I remember watching him in the 90s on KTVU, the years with Elaine Coral and Leslie Griffith when they still work for KTVU. He was known 'bout town drunk in public. The EMMY statues will be handed out at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Saturday, May 18th. His life is changed now, relatively stable and on an ordinary course. But behind the scenes, negotiations were under way on a departure settlement. Now I can watch again. She stood up for good reporting on so many occasions. How much will be revealed is yet to be determined. He has filled in this week alongside Holmes. His answer is an unequivocal "no." Another source who watched the program was more blunt. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. KTVU began taking on water under his reign and frankly it's amazing it's still [barely] afloat. I totally had a crush on her. Even for those wit sky high alcohol tolerance, it can ruin your innards over time, irreversibly in many cases. A segment that continues to be one of Dateline's most-watched programs--the segment aired in 1996, right when Watson left KTVU. I will keep you informed of any information I obtain. Drunk on TV?A viewer could have been killed with this carelessness.Have you all gone mad? He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. > It's time KTVU makes a permanent change on> their main anchor desk.They don't have much male talent they could bring in. Barbaa Rogers cried on the air announcing it, As a recovering Alcoholic (30 years sober) I know how difficult it is to reach sobriety. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith, who most . 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. When Somerville posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, he drew responses from a multitude of well-wishers. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez, Evan Sernoffsky is an investigative reporter for KTVU. Mike Mibach grew up in the Bay Area and attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco (Class of 94) and College of Marin. I remember him, he was always really good at what he did. 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. Sad. With Mary Wilson and Rikki Novetsky. Watson and his wife plan to attend the memorial service for Zehnder when it takes place. She resigned from KTVU in 2006. I can't remember the last time I saw her on air. Hope he can get some help . HmmmmmFrank SomervillePam MooreVeronica De La CruzThis crap is spreading like a wild fire!!! He also did not want a memorial service. He was speaking more slowly than normal, and he was mispronouncing and slurring some words. Produced by Mooj Zadie , Luke Vander Ploeg and Clare Toeniskoetter. ), Best part about the Leslie/Mark (short man) story is that she was upset at losing him (refer back to short comment), LIVE AND DIRECT FROM SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONE, GEORGE WATSON IS ON THE PHONE. He is 17 years removed from working as a reporter/anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. He was an excellent writer and speaker. He said that these findings and discipline are private under the police officer bill of rights. 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"When I first watched it, I had no idea it would be as impactful as it was. Former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith has died. I remember when Doug passed away. He always had faith in his people, and we always had faith in his judgment.. Somewhere along the line, George either got help or knew he just had to pull himself out of the situation. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. I don't think anyone knows where those two are these days. 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. She will forever remain part of a lengthy list of talent that made KTVU a destination station for news. "It was not a call for help; I made the phone call initially to ask for money," he says. One day at a time. I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. Unfortunately, he let booze control his life and he lost everything ! He had spirit and energy and passion; he wasn't just an emotionless bean-counter. 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. Here are their demands, Downtown S.F. Frank's on-air situation on 5/30, and his "explanation," was Savitch-esque and very sad. Frank was definitely impaired last night. The Cliff House was once a colossal Victorian mansion that met a Californias historic snowpack remains massive. 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. Walter Cronkite famously had a bug and had to ask for a blanket to wrap around himself after delivering a newscast while so afflicted. When someone you really admire, like Fred, says something like that, you tell yourself, Well, I guess Im doing OK, Watson said. And it appears that many viewers are willing to cut him some slack. January 6, 2013. I'm shaken. Hopefully Mr. Watson is doing well. Reply Delete I survived unspeakable abuse from my parents. Zehnder was 87 and second youngest of four brothers, all still alive. Big shift in weather is headed to California. wine startup leaves customers with thousands of Steph Curry adds to his Warriors legend by lighting up Kings for 50. "I feel good, awesome actually. Review: Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is an old-school special for an old-school talent Hopeless. I've reached out to Somerville. GEORGE WATSON OBITUARY. 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. Is she still working there? Also, during the Zehnder tribute there was NO Fox2 branding. 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." KTVU will take an all-hands-on-deck approach while Somerville is away, relying on several newsroom regulars to fill in. "I'm loving retired life, really have left that stage of my life." "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. He just worked.. Once promoted, he showed a brilliance not only in personnel decisions but also in conceiving and launching the popular standing features Segment Two and My 20th Century.. 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. Jerry Springer, former Cincinnati mayor and talk show host, dead at 79 KTVU's George Watson's 60th Read More. 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. I watched him for years. He also had the pleasure of being on hand for a couple Warriors championship parades. But the call led to a job offer as a maintenance man at the center, which led to his sobriety. I miss George Watson on the nightly news. 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. He wasn't missed. With Frank Somerville away, who will KTVU turn to? Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. 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. Zehnder founded the San Leandro Times in 1991 while still working as news director at KTVU. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of Mornings on 2, co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. 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. Somerville, one of the Bay Areas highest-paid and most visible TV journalists, has been at KTVU since 1991. Part-time? 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. 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. I love this man and I don't even know him. "What an idiot I am!.". Fun to follow. Franklin (Fox Sports Net), Leslie Griffith (KTVU), Mark Ibanez (KTVU), Deanne Moenster (KTVU), Tom Pellack (Fox Sports Net), Steve Shlisky (KTVU), George Watson (KTVU), and Rita Williams (KTVU). Political chaos has erupted in this Peninsula city over one issue: Housing, Flower Moon, a lunar eclipse and a meteor shower unfold this week, Oakland teachers set to strike starting Thursday. He didnt care how people looked, he cared what they brought to journalism. He was intoxicated. By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. A family member told KTVU that Griffith died "from the effects of Lyme Disease since she was bitten by a tick while living in Oregon in 2015.". I'm delighted and happy that Watson has turned his life around. John Sasaki worked with Griffith for 10 years, starting in 1986, when she was the weekend anchor he was the weekend nightside reporter. 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. It wasnt until four days after the bizarre incident that a New York-based spokesperson for Fox the network that owns and operates KTVU announced that the veteran anchor would be taking an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his health., KTVU also offered no prior notice that Somerville would be returning this week, although Julie Haener, his longtime co-anchor, did briefly broach the subject in a July 28 Facebook post. to FOX2. I have since rebuild my life. And let us know who else besides Griffith might have ended up on the wrong side of Zehnder's life. Despite the acknowledgment, the contents of those reports and what discipline was meted out, and to whom, were not revealed. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks.". 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Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Watched the KTVU newscasts when George worked there, and I miss his work and on-air presence. Real No-BS professionals. Produced in-depth "think pieces" from throughout San Bernardino County. clinical psychologist jobs ireland; Tags . He knows what his vulnerabilites are, and attempts to deal with this truth. When there's a bit of hope, all of a sudden, darkness emerges. 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 . Calls to Somerville and Fox spokesperson Victoria Gurrieri Thursday morning were not returned. 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. We got Mike Mabach, Andre Senior, Frank Malicoat to take over his spot. 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? Maybe if McCormick feels good enough, he might come down from Oregon. I never knew what happened until now. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Covered the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks in New York City . She was a real psycho-lady. Categories . 2023 FOX Television Stations, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California, Man frustrated by Oakland sideshow gets attacked by crowd, 'War on the Poor': Rally to remember Banko Brown victim of SF Walgreens shooting, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao unveils her first budget amid historic deficit, Oakland teachers announce strike Thursday if no agreement reached by then, Oakland's teachers are still negotiating with OUSD, Chinese immigrants remembered as backbone of building transcontinental railroad, Rally held to remember Banko Brown D.A. 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. Buy Photos. A few years later, he bought the Castro Valley Forum. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. She has been with SFGATE for more than 10 years. The Press-Enterprise. He started at KTVU as a reporter in 2011 and shifted to anchoring in 2018. I used to pretend he was my father. I definitely noticed when he did not return after the commercial break. The film blends the status of the (then) current-day BART system with looks at the amazing transit systems that existed . In 2008, he received a highly publicized promotion when he was named the co-anchor of the station's 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing Bay Area . Email Evan atevan.sernoffsky@foxtv.comand follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. Several years ago George Watson worked for KTVU-2 in Oakland. She was a force of nature.". "You have to quit because if you don't, it will kill you. 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. 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. Heather Holmes, a Texas native, has been at KTVU since 2006, when she started as a weekend anchor. George Watson does not know this. 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. "Leslie Griffith was a consummate professional," wrote KTVU reporter Greg Liggins. 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. I'm sure current management heard that as a slap in the face. "But more like feeling for the first time that I really could make it. The source told me the producer said "Frank looked haggard." "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. 0. Always thought the O'Brien guy was the one adulated. But I ended up being one of the lucky ones. KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior Somerville, 63, has been at KTVU since 1991. Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? 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. Have you never heard of diarrhea? TV Streaming | 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. ", UPDATE 10: 28 AM PT: I just received a text from Somerville: "I took the wrong meds last night. "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.". He took the wrong medicationThe vodka instead of the Scotch. TO THIS DAY, I STILL GET ASKED, "how's George Watson doing?"No news is good news. The rest of the nation did too. "She had such a wild & wonderful personality. A drug company abandoned a treatment for bubble boy disease. After a 5-year fight, this little California girl is about to get it Nor Leslie. Life has returned back to normal! Somerville, 63, has a reputation for making frequent and heartfelt Facebook entries (He has more than 560,000 followers). Hope all is well, George. I saw it. What happened on first day of CHP drug dealing crackdown in S.F. Once after my divorce, which I asked for by the way. george watson ktvu where is he now. "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. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? Title not meant as any sign of disrespect, just a piece of retro bay area broadcasting history. Was at KNTV last I remember. "George is a great writer with a strong knowledge and interest in local history," said KTVU News Director Andrew . From April '93 former anchor and reporter tells viewers he had been in treatment for . Always liked George Watson, hope he's doing well Wow, Suzanne Saunders Shaw was his girlfriend! Some never do admit they need help. Let's forget Fred, we came here to buy him not to praise him, seems to be the mantra of current (mis)management. (She finished the May 30 newscast alone after Somerville disappeared from the desk, without explanation, 15 minutes into the program). 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 looked off last night. Unfortunately her subsequent marriage to ski racer Bill Shaw ended in divorce. 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. Pray constantly for pain to go away. 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. She stood up for me on occasion too. 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 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 | Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother Hope Frank gets the help he deserves. 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. Fred was one of the few people in broadcasting who had the courage to hire the cosmetically challenged, including me, said Randy Shandobil, another Zehnder hire and longtime political editor, who retired 10 years ago. I know you all are too. Q: What does George Floyd have, that Frank doesn't have?? I remember seeing him on a program a few years ago that was about his life. Maybe he can come back to KTVU some day even if doing special reports part time. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. 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. 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. I'm the cameraman that worked with George. The family emigrated from Switzerland in the 1880s and homesteaded 160 acres. while a far more talented anchor toils away in the background {*cough-cough* Brian Hackney! "A terrible loss, what a man." His voice and presence was so incredibly comforting to me. This S.F. Also, how come KGO-TV Channel 7 doesn't have Melanie Woodrow on their website under Newsteam? He was a man of the printed word and resisted all indications that he should go fully digital. Edited by Anita Badejo and Marc Georges. 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 . Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of "Mornings on 2," co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. Thanks for linking that gallery! They've let better people go. Sadly, it looked like he was drunk. That liquid person can cause permanent damage to the brain; hence the addiction is harder than ever to overcome, though we do read about successes.Saunders-Shaw ended up being a pretty good news executive. That would be a dynamite idea and count me in as a interested observer. 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. One final lapse crossed the line and that one signaled George's exit from Channel 2. Can't help but notice that the name 'Elaine' didn't appear in the list of reunion participants. Related Articles 2023 FOX Television Stations, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California. Don't know what her latest role is now. Leslie performed journalism the right way, focused on the story. Armstrong, who was deputy chief at the time, also said that the June 1, 2020, protest got out of hand. Police, by law and court order, must use de-escalation techniques first, before deploying such harmful, although less-lethal, agents and tools. He's The Peter Principle in action. 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. needs these 5 sites to thrive so the city can recover. He was a calming and a guiding influence. Were it not for alcoholism, George Watson might have ended up with a Hall-of-Fame broadcasting career. God Bless You and George for all that you do. I have thought about you often and held positive thoughts for you. I'm not sure how I missed all the drama or where all the years have gone but I remember George very well on KTVU and had no idea this was his story. Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. Watson and his wife, Diane, whom he met randomly at a Bay Area restaurant are avid followers, still, of the business. He was speaking more slowly than normal, and he was mispronouncing and slurring some words. Surprised that he was working so recently - I don't see any online mention he was a reporter / anchor at KPHO .- the CBS affil in Phoenix. Would be great to see some of his more recent reporting. 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. Maybe she's oldsteam? 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. The 10 o'clock News would soon become the No. Lisa Fernandez is a reporter forKTVU. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". Sam Whiting has been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle since 1988. We were normal-looking people who you wouldnt expect to see on TV news., Starting as an assignment editor, Zehnder was promoted to news director because of his news judgment and popularity with the staff. Over the years, Savidge has contributed to KTVUs coverage of several major stories, including the Napa earthquake and the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa area. But he also had a remarkable middle career as news director and on-air talent scout for KTVU in Oakland.