", Watson's re-entry into the workplace was easier than he had expected, he says. Fred would not have wanted that.. He doesn't sound drunk to me, and he doesn't move as if he were drunk. Fred was vibrant and in excellent health and still working more than full time. Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life 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? I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. I look at my success as being nurtured and guided by Fred Zehnder, said Richmond, who cried when he got the news of Zehnders death at his home in Grass Valley. John Sasaki worked with Griffith for 10 years, starting in 1986, when she was the weekend anchor he was the weekend nightside reporter. Real No-BS professionals. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". "Leslie Griffith was a consummate professional," wrote KTVU reporter Greg Liggins. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? He was an excellent writer and speaker. 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 never knew what happened until now. Miss him on the air. 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. George is a solid reporter and anchor. 1993 KTVU news anchor George Watson sign off asking for help - YouTube TV Streaming | George was an excellent anchor. Many honored Griffith in social media and expressed anguish over herpassing. A slightly more up to date update on George. Is she still working there? 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 (She finished the May 30 newscast alone after Somerville disappeared from the desk, without explanation, 15 minutes into the program). Would be great to see some of his more recent reporting. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith, who most . Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of Mornings on 2, co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. Always liked George Watson, hope he's doing well Wow, Suzanne Saunders Shaw was his girlfriend! When Somerville posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, he drew responses from a multitude of well-wishers. George Watson does not know this. Once after my divorce, which I asked for by the way. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. 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. He held a news conference at the time saying that people were throwing rocks at police and "preparing Molotov cocktails.". . He was already 12 years into his career when he was drafted into the Army, upon his graduation from Humboldt State, at age 22. The years rolled on and the alcohol continued to flow. 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. It shows a sympathetic person, Watson, in his most darkest days. Frank's on-air situation on 5/30, and his "explanation," was Savitch-esque and very sad. I get the impression that Les has remained supportive, through thick and thin, and (if true) that would be quite a reflection of her character. 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. He also had the pleasure of being on hand for a couple Warriors championship parades. But he also had a remarkable middle career as news director and on-air talent scout for KTVU in Oakland. RICH LIEBERMAN 415 MEDIA: Mystery at KTVU: Frank Somerville - Blogger 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. Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. George Watson is safe and sane. Email Evan atevan.sernoffsky@foxtv.comand follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Asked if Somerville was sick, Haener replied: No hes doing well taking a little time for himself and should be back soon!. "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. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". 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 icon Dennis Richmond. It seems odd. He was an excellent writer and speaker. 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. The old, lame sleeping pill excuse. He is 17 years removed from working as a reporter/anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. 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. 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. He didnt care how people looked, he cared what they brought to journalism. Drunk on TV?A viewer could have been killed with this carelessness.Have you all gone mad? KTVU will take an all-hands-on-deck approach while Somerville is away, relying on several newsroom regulars to fill in. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. He wasnt like the idea that people have of a publisher sitting behind a big desk smoking cigars. Part-time? I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. Griffith has been off the air for more than 10 weeks in what the station characterized as a leave of absence. I was at their wedding and his other ones. His life is changed now, relatively stable and on an ordinary course. I have thought about you often and held positive thoughts for you. He returned to KTVU News a short time after. A segment that continues to be one of Dateline's most-watched programs--the segment aired in 1996, right when Watson left KTVU. She will forever remain part of a lengthy list of talent that made KTVU a destination station for news. 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. I watched the first 10 minutes of the 10 PM news and Somerville seemed pretty impaired. Longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith dies The Press-Enterprise. TO THIS DAY, I STILL GET ASKED, "how's George Watson doing?"No news is good news. 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. His answer is an unequivocal "no." Hopeless. "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. But I ended up being one of the lucky ones. The Cliff House was once a colossal Victorian mansion that met a Californias historic snowpack remains massive. Watson worked with KTVU news boss, Fred Zehnder, who was killed by a suspected DUI driver in Alameda last week. Get well soon, Frank. Another source who watched the program was more blunt. I just screwwed up (and took wrong medication) The ones that put me to sleep." To me, at that stage in my life, it was kind of a blur." I definitely noticed when he did not return after the commercial break. George Watson is safe and sane. There was also a front-page news item about his death. 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. Click this link to see pics of George on his 60th birthday. Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? Just KTVU Channel 2. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of "Mornings on 2," co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. What did Leslie do to get on FZ's bad side? This photo is from 1990, early in Leslie Griffith's KTVU tenure, when she was a weekend anchor. 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. Frank was definitely impaired last night. I totally had a crush on her. KTVU 10 p.m. news anchors from left: Bill Martin, Dennis Richmond (seated), Mark Ibanez, Leslie Griffith (seated). God Bless You and George for all that you do. I remember watching him in the 90s on KTVU, the years with Elaine Coral and Leslie Griffith when they still work for KTVU. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. I think she did well for herself afterwards though. In the two-plus months since, Somerville has not publicly addressed the situation and KTVU management has barely acknowledged it. She replaced Elaine Corral on the Ten O'clock News in 1998, becoming a staple on the program as Dennis Richmond's co-anchor. 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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. Can't help but notice that the name 'Elaine' didn't appear in the list of reunion participants. RICH LIEBERMAN 415 MEDIA: George Watson --a KTVU News Anchor - Blogger Sad. 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. Posted to Fort Bliss, Texas, he worked at an Army public information office run by Sam Donaldson, later a famously brusque TV news reporter. He has filled in this week alongside Holmes. I thought it was a big deal when I started working with her and Dennis. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. This S.F. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. He was great. PDF st Annual NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA EMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED Former Reporter George Watson Returns to KTVU - SFGATE GEORGE WATSON OBITUARY. Mike Mibach grew up in the Bay Area and attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco (Class of 94) and College of Marin. "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. "I feel good, awesome actually. How Two Generals Led Sudan to the Brink of Civil War It was created in 1984 by KTVU reporter George Watson, and produced by Don McCuaig. TV Streaming | Sad. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Despite the acknowledgment, the contents of those reports and what discipline was meted out, and to whom, were not revealed. 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. George Watson Obituary (1944 - 2013) - Portland, OR - The Oregonian A few years later, he bought the Castro Valley Forum. 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. Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than others. clinical psychologist jobs ireland; Tags . I remember seeing him on a program a few years ago that was about his life. I saw it. 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. 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 really needs help. Barbaa Rogers cried on the air announcing it, As a recovering Alcoholic (30 years sober) I know how difficult it is to reach sobriety. 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. Don, to take its toll at the news studio at Jack London Square. Fred Zehnder, the news director at KTVU for decades, died after being hit by a truck while walking in Alameda. The discipline by the chief and the civilian board would be the same and run concurrently if both parties agree. During the Loma Prieta earthquake, we had no power and had to do our newscast in the parking lot. I miss George Watson on the nightly news. "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. Amen, Rich. 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. UPDATE, 8: 31 AM PT: A source tells me Somerville was asked to leave after the first segment. 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. I was stunned. KTVU began taking on water under his reign and frankly it's amazing it's still [barely] afloat. 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. 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? And let us know who else besides Griffith might have ended up on the wrong side of Zehnder's life. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. TV Streaming | And it appears that many viewers are willing to cut him some slack. Even for those wit sky high alcohol tolerance, it can ruin your innards over time, irreversibly in many cases. The rest of the nation did too. Sam Whiting has been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle since 1988. 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. Frank Somerville , KTVU 5, 6, and 10 p.m. anchor. It includes footage of legendary transit historians Harre Demoro and Ted Wurm.. ?A: 1 Year sobriety !Quick.Somebody call George Watson. 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. Covered the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks in New York City . I can see all of the KTVU alumni that RL mentioned getting together to remember Fred Zehnder. Some never do admit they need help. He looked off last night. One of the finest anchor persons around. Ex-news anchor back at KTVU as writer, reporter - SFGATE He wasn't missed. Were it not for alcoholism, George Watson might have ended up with a Hall-of-Fame broadcasting career. Drinking can help relief stress, but it can ruin someone lives and his career if you have no control over the abuse. Why is Rich Lieberman so absolutely giddy when other people face personal problems? He talks to me here at 415 Media, his first public interview in over two . Photo Sharing; About SmugMug; Browse Photos; Prints & Gifts "When I first watched it, I had no idea it would be as impactful as it was. With Frank Somerville away, who will KTVU turn to? 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. Kevin O'Brien was the station manager, Zehnder's boss. Here are their demands, Downtown S.F. 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. Several years ago George Watson worked for KTVU-2 in Oakland. He started at KTVU as a reporter in 2011 and shifted to anchoring in 2018. Long investigative pieces that only air occasionally? "Long-time KTVU anchor Leslie Griffith has died. They've let better people go. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith, who most notably anchored the Ten O'clock News on KTVU Channel 2, died at the age of 66 on Aug. 10 in Lake Chapala, Mexico, where she had home, KTVU reported. I wish Somerville well in his personal life. Produced by Mooj Zadie , Luke Vander Ploeg and Clare Toeniskoetter. Finlayson is one of those remarkable people who always falls up. Co-anchor Julie Haener broadcast the rest of the newscast solo and didn't explain Somerville's absence nor even acknowledge it. They went to Trabocco in an Alameda shopping center. She later took over the 10 p.m. news spot co-anchoring with Dennis Richmond. You were a bright shining start in a dark, dark world. KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior Leslie performed journalism the right way, focused on the story. Calls to Somerville and Fox spokesperson Victoria Gurrieri Thursday morning were not returned. He looked awful and sounded worse. 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. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Related Articles She stood up for me on occasion too. He also did not want a memorial service. Always thought the O'Brien guy was the one adulated. He was a man of the printed word and resisted all indications that he should go fully digital. Aug 2001 - Mar 20042 years 8 months. His voice and presence was so incredibly comforting to me. Zehnder founded the San Leandro Times in 1991 while still working as news director at KTVU. TV Streaming | Former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith has died. Big shift in weather is headed to California. The George Watson You May Have Never Known; KTVU Anchor - Blogger He was a calming and a guiding influence. He talks to me here at 415 Media, his first public interview in over two decades. Nice entry, Rich. Life has returned back to normal! Everybody could depend on him.. 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'm loving retired life, really have left that stage of my life." 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.". 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. Zehnder also helped mold the on-air persona of popular feature reporters Bob MacKenzie and George Watson. He sold subscriptions and took in news items dead cows and broken-down milk trucks on the family phone line. "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. ", "This hurts my heart," CNN correspondent Sara Sinder wrote. The Bay Area knows the story. SAN FRANCISCO It's bizarre when someone calls me out with a sickening comment. I survived unspeakable abuse from my parents. At that time I thought professional help and it did help. Courtesy KTVU. The source told me the producer said "Frank looked haggard." 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. george watson ktvu where is he now - redstarcapitalllc.com He is a general assignment reporter with a focus on writing feature-length obituaries. She was a force of nature.". ", 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. How could it be an element? Former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter Leslie Griffith has died. 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 . Altamont Press Discussion Board :: Discussion :: Re:George Watson It's tragically intense and real. He also picked up items by listening in on the 18 neighbors who shared a party line. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? 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.