Leslie Shawn Rayburn posted this. Stay up to date! Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor, 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), Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor Frank Somerville with DUIs, Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released, Woman suspected of making threats toward Christian schools campus in Walnut Creek arrested, Federal jury finds Bay Area man guilty in string of East Bay bank robberies, Jurors hopelessly deadlocked in Bay Point murder trial, mistrial declared, In wake of scandal, East Bay school district keeps a close eye on staff behavior. The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, Petitos 23-year-old fianc. Somerville is expected to appear in court Feb. 28, the Bay Area News Group reports. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Frank Somerville Speaks, Says He's Likely Out at KTVU, fairly strange Memorial Day Weekend broadcast, just took up a local missing-persons case, Anchorman Frank Somerville's Future at KTVU In Doubt As Rumors Swirl About High Drama In the Newsroom, Day Around the Bay: San Jose Man Arrested In Connection With PG&E Transformer Explosions, Berkeley Poised to Close Famed Anthropology Library, Angry Students In Full Occupy Mode, The SFPD Brags About Busting Johns Seeking Sex Workers on Capp Street. Federal jury finds Bay Area man guilty in string of East Bay bank robberies The request was denied by KTVU news director Amber Eikel, who called the tagline inappropriate, a source told SFGATE in September, leading to criticism from the Oakland chapter of the NAACP. [1] During his three decades at KTVU in Oakland, California, Somerville received three Emmy Awards, including one for best on-camera news anchor. [6] Early Life and Education. That's a shivering duck sheltering a puppy with its wings. Mr. She has previously reported or edited for Bay Area news and lifestyle publications, including Walnut Creek Patch, and Diablo, Oakland and Alameda magazines, as well as The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand and The Economist. Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. "Well, the answer actually has a name: Missing White Woman Syndrome, the term coined by the late and greatGwen Ifillto describe the media and public fascination with missing white women likeLaci PetersonorNatalee Holloway,while ignoring cases involving of people of color.". Crime and Public Safety | I think its really indicative of the silencing and invisibility of Black and brown people, said Galvis, whose group worked with Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples to organize the rally. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Somerville has a Black daughter and wanted to add a note at the end of any news story on Petito about the rates of domestic violence Black women in America face, an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation told SFGATE in September. They had told me long before that.. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. This was Somervilles second suspension in a tumultuous year. I think its probably time to (let them know) were still listening and waiting, Holland said. Former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was charged earlier this week with driving under the influence following an arrest in late December in Oakland, Alameda County prosecutors and police. 80346 /80620. The driver of the Audi stepped out before Somerville pushed the vehicle across the intersection with his car before ramming it into a light pole, according to documents provided to SFGATE by the district attorneys office. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville anchors the five o'clock news at the KTVU studio on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. It's been one year since Somerville replaced longtime anchor Dennis . OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said. "I couldn't leave work at work," Somerville. In an interview with the Bay Area News Group published Friday, the celebrated former KTVU anchor confirmed that his former employer will not re-sign him and allegedly not because of his arrest. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville shared a Facebook post Saturday reflecting on his arrest and his termination from KTVU nearly a year later. His suspension came just six weeks after a previous leave of absence for health issues when he struggled to read his teleprompter and slurred his words during a broadcast in May. TV Streaming | According to station sources, Somerville, 63, has been suspended indefinitely by Channel 2 management after a disagreement with news director Amber Eikel over coverage of the Gabby Petito homicide case. 2. At that point, Somerville stopped driving; police arrived a short time later. After the initial collision, the driver of the Audi got out of their vehicle and Somerville, in his Porsche, allegedly pushed the Audi across the intersection of Broadway and West Grand Avenue until the Audi hit a pole on the southwest corner of the intersection, Windham's statement said. More than a month after Frank Somerville was suspended from KTVU, the popular anchor remains off the air with no word from either him or the station about if or when he might return. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. But a shortened version of the tag made it into the script for that evening's broadcast, which allegedly prompted Somerville's suspension for insubordination. The disagreement, said sources, occurred earlier in the week after the body of Petito was discovered in Wyoming. As Somerville has pointed out on social media, he is the father of an adopted Black daughter. This property is currently available for sale and was listed by MLS PIN on Mar . Somerville does not believe that his Dec. 30 arrest in Oakland on suspicion of driving under the influence was a factor in the stations decision. But even with such declarations, community activists say they have yet to hear from the station managers or Fox about their concerns. NEW - 21 HRS AGO. Sources told the outlet that Somerville was informed by station management the next day that he was being suspended. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The longtime KTVU news anchor is married to his wife, Donna Wright, a television producer. The Berkeley native had been an intern at KTVU many years before. You can see video of the Sunday 10 o'clock broadcast below, in which Somerville has difficulty reading from his teleprompter. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. Somerville was hospitalized shortly after the incident and was booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. And I guess thats the issue, isnt it?. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Longtime Bay Area Anchor Frank Somerville Off Air Since Slurred-Speech Broadcast On Sunday, AdWeek's TVSpy blog is covering his disappearance, fake names of the pilots of Asiana Airlines Flight 214, Day Around the Bay: San Jose Man Arrested In Connection With PG&E Transformer Explosions, Berkeley Poised to Close Famed Anthropology Library, Angry Students In Full Occupy Mode, The SFPD Brags About Busting Johns Seeking Sex Workers on Capp Street. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. Sources said that Somerville was informed by station management the next day that he was being suspended. Somerville, a white male, is being lionized and becoming the topic of the story and not the women who have been ignored, Reynolds said. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville is facing two DUI charges following a car accident on Dec. 30, 2021. Email: joshua.bote@sfgate.com and Signal: 707-742-3756, Frank Somerville now faces 2 DUI charges after car crash in 2021, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, Scream publicity stunt floods Bay Area dispatch with 911 calls, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Arrest in killing of woman seen running through Tahoe campground, Rain reenters Bay Area forecast: Have an umbrella near you, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Two more Shake Shack restaurants head to the Bay Area, Why every Californian needs an air quality monitor, In search of vegan food, I found a world-class Mendocino inn, 6 Cabo hotels for your spring break vacation, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). According to The Mercury News, Somerville wanted to add a tagline to a segment about the case to point out the disparity in the coverage of missing persons cases of white women relative to women of color. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in German studies and from Mills College with a MFA degree in creative writing and English. "[11], On December 30, 2021, Somerville was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after an automobile collision. Related Articles He was also named anchor of Channel 2 News at 5 in April 2005, when it was launched. Somerville has reportedly been "suspended indefinitely" after a behind-the-scenes disagreement about his coverage of the22-year-old vlogger's disappearance. Franqueville ( French pronunciation: [fkvil]; Picard: Franqville) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France . A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 7th 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the same location. The New York-born Petito was slain during a cross-country van trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released 42 Portfolio is located in Union Square, Somerville. But Reynolds also faulted KTVU for fueling the controversy by not meeting with activists to discuss their complaints about coverage, saying that journalism organizations must offer a level of transparency and accountability., While not publicly commenting to reporters about his suspension, Somerville took to Instagram late last month to thank his fans for his support in standing up for what he believes no matter the consequences., We in the media cant be afraid to look in the mirror and ask ourselves tough questions about race and our coverage, Somerville said. However, she agreed with the editors who thought the tag on its own wasnt a sufficient way to cover the story and would blur the lines between an anchor delivering a straight news story and offering editorial commentary, sources said. 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Why is 'Gabriel Salazar car accident' trending? The veteran anchor was told that the tagline was inappropriate and he apparently pushed back on it. All rights reserved, with driving under the influence following an arrest in late December in Oakland. Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. Somerville was pulled off the air over his coverage of Gabby's case, MSNBC host Joy Reiddiscussed the Gabby Petito case. Seven weeks later, he was off the air again. Venerated KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, days after an odd Sunday broadcast in which he can be seen on-air slurring his speech while reading a teleprompter, will be on indefinite leave starting . This latest incident, coming just six weeks after Somervilles return to the anchor desk, will undoubtedly trigger speculation about his future with the station. The City of San Leandro also issued an official proclamation honoring him for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.. I work out every day.. The photo shows him with a beard and the caption: I think I look pretty cool for 63 if I do say so myself In response to a follower who said Somerville didnt look well, he said, I feel great. Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. ContactGeorge Kelly at 408-859-5180. Sources said Eikel was willing to assign a reporter to do a separate, more in-depth story. Hes one of the highest paid anchors in the Bay Area, but his contract is up in March. 2. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 6th 2023 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Cusick Funeral Home (80 Mountain Ave, Somerville, NJ 08876). Somerville, 63, won the awards at KTVU, which included an accolade for best on-camera news anchor. In 2008, he was elevated to one of the stations marquee positions when he was anointed co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing 40-year veteran Dennis Richmond. Following Somervilles suspension, two rallies were held outside the KTVU studios in Jack London Square in October, both sparked by his reported desire to address disparities in media coverage of White crime victims like Petito versus women of color. Sign up for NBC Bay Areas Housing Deconstructed newsletter. About Frank; Contact Information; Court Records; Frank Bacci is 50 years old today because Frank's birthday is on 09/10/1972. Staff writer Harry Harris contributed to this report. Crime and Public Safety | 4ba. Somervilles next hearing will take place May 6. Frank Somerville, a veteran TV newscaster suspended from KTVU following a dispute over coverage of the Gabby Petito homicide case, said Tuesday that he believes he is not returning to the station . The next day, Somerville was told he was suspended for defying a superiors orders, sources said. These rallies were followed by the City of San Leandro issuing an official proclamation honoring Somerville "for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.". Somerville has kept his relationship with Donna mostly private, however, in an interview with the National Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences, he opened up about his personal life. Elevation. Somerville has had a tumultuous year. If not, Ill go to other stations outside of the market. Meanwhile, Oakland police are awaiting the results of blood tests before turning the case over to Alameda County prosecutors to decide whether to file charges. Over the years he has become one of the station's most recognisable having presented on screen for more than two decades. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! He took an indefinite leave of absence in June following a broadcast of the TheTenO'ClockNewsonKTVU in which he slurred lines and left mid-broadcast, resulting in speculation over his health and well-being. As per his date of birth, his birth sign is Pisces. Among them, whether the anchor was offering an effective or appropriate way to challenge the medias often lopsided obsession with stories about White women in jeopardy. His parents raised him in Berkeley, California. His last video was published March 31, voicing his perspective on the Will Smith slap at the Oscars and recounting anincident in which his wifes boss repeatedly harassed her. Reid hosted a discussion with representatives from the Black and Missing Foundation andNot Our Native Daughters Foundation when she made the comments. Since Somervilles suspension, two rallies have been held outside the KTVU studios in Jack London Square on Oct. 2 and and Oct. 12, both sparked by Somervilles reported desire to address disparities in media coverage of White crime victims like Petito versus women of color. On Tuesday, the district attorneys office charged Somerville with driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08, with an added clause for having a level over .15. Former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was charged earlier this week with driving under the influence following an arrest in late December in Oakland, Alameda County prosecutors and police said. According to a police statement in charging documents obtained Thursday, officers responded to Broadway and West Grand Avenue at about 8:20 p.m. Dec. 30, 2021 for a vehicle collision. Days later, a spokesperson for Fox the network that owns and operates KTVU announced that Somerville would take an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his health.. But if Petitos story needs to be told, so do the stories of thousands of overlooked women of color, they said. Staff writers Harry Harris and Rick Hurd contributed to this report. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. Reportedly, Somerville butted heads with KTVU News Director Amber Eikel over the addition of this "tag" that Somerville wanted to say on air, with Eikel saying that the topic deserved separate coverage at a later date. Frank Somerville has spoken out for the first time since his Dec. 30 arrest for a suspected DUI. But as community groups voice frustration, questions also remain over Somervilles suspension. In a May broadcast of KTVU's 10 p.m. news program,. Frank Somerville said Tuesday that he expects he has anchored his last newscast at KTVU, given that management hasn't contacted him since he was suspended in September for an off-air dispute. MSNBC host Joy Reiddiscussed the Gabby Petito case on her showon September 20. Somerville was not involved in that flub. 53-127 m (174-417 ft) (avg. He was named as a person of interest in the case, and his remains were found in Florida last week. As first reported by the Mercury News on Thursday, the venerated KTVU broadcaster faces two misdemeanor charges from the Alameda County District Attorneys Office one for driving under the influence of alcohol and a second for driving with a blood alcohol level of over 0.08% with potentially enhanced penalties because his BAC was over 0.15%. 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I would give anything to work there. ", KTVU again removes Frank Somerville from the air, 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), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early. [7], In June 2021, Somerville took a personal leave of absence from KTVU following an on-air incident during which he struggled to read the script for several stories and appeared to slur his words. 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), Wheres Frank Somerville? Holland and Galvis insist the ultimate focus of their rallies was not Somerville, nor were they saying the media shouldnt cover Petitos killing. An ABC News report,citing statistics from the FBIs National Crime Information Center stated that at the end of 2020, the FBI had more than 89,000 active missing person cases, and 45 percent of those were people of color. 3bd. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, one of the most recognizable of the Bay Area's news personalities having been on the air at KTVU since 1991, was pulled from a Sunday broadcast and has not returned . "The Petito family certainly deserves answers and justice. He believes that his automotive collision that happened the month before did not play a role, instead, he believes management had already decided to cut him loose months earlier. [8] He returned to the anchor chair on August 4 without addressing the incident that saw his brief departure. Following the suspension and subsequent social media attention, two rallies were held in support of Somerville outside KTVU headquarters in Oakland. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in German studies and from Mills College with a MFA degree in creative writing and English. Somerville later excused that saying he had mistakenly taken an Ambien before going on the air. According to two KTVU newsroom sources, who declined to give their names because they were not authorized to speak on the record, Somerville wanted to add a 46-second tag to an update on the Petito case, which aired Sept. 21. Another white person in Pacific Heights has been captured on video being an asshole to a person of color, this time questioning a man who was delivering Narcan to a nearby halfway house. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, who's been off the air since being suspended by management in September over a disagreement about the coverage of the Gabby Petito case, is speaking out and telling the press that he doesn't expect he'll be back at the station and also, no one from the station or Fox has even bothered contacting him. He is due to appear Feb. 28. The collision occurred eastbound on West Grand Avenue, Windham wrote. A station spokesperson could not be reached as of Friday evening, and Eikel declined to comment. I helped make Mornings on 2 the No. His next scheduled court appearance will be 9 a.m. May 6 at Oaklands Wiley Manuel courthouse, a district attorney spokesperson said. Since his suspension, Somerville has shared videos and posts on Instagram his social media platform of choice since leaving KTVU. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke.