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| SF Chronicle photo |
We thought Jonestown was chilling and cruel but before we were able to get through that dark period, just a week and a half later; the day after Thanksgiving weekend to be exact; Monday, Nov.27th, at City Hall, another horrible event: the George Moscone and Harvey Milk murders by disgraced supervisor, Dan White.
In Sunday's Chronicle, they bring back those two weeks of misery with a great story and reflection by senior reporter, Kevin Fagan. It's worth reading --excellent work by Fagan and staff at the Chron.
*Between the 40th anniversary of Jonestown and the Moscone Milk murders, combined with the ongoing calamity up north in Butte County, everything seems to pale in comparison. I don't care that they postponed the Big Game between Cal and Stanford. To me it was a no-brainer and the right decision.
*As a kid growing up in the 70's, I used to love Thanksgiving week and the holiday; food, family; even my eternal-arguing Jewish family was comforting and sanguine. Mom made the turkey and entire meal; my brother and I played flag football outside in the backyard. All of this was precipitated by the ladies (my mom and sisters) watching the Macys Parade in NY. It was a grand scheme and noshing on the chips and dips before the main event dinner was supremo --this year, after mom's passing last March, no Thanksgiving (I just can't stomach it, no pun intended) just a whole lot of depressing thoughts alone which is only appropriate and fitting.*April used to be the cruelest month but lately, November is right up there.
*When Dianne Feinstein made that historic, eerie announcement shortly after the Moscone-Milk murders, longtime Bay Area reporter/PR guy for the Giants, my friend, Duffy Jennings was in the room covering the story for the Chronicle. Jennings used to be married to Cheryl Jennings of KGO-TV fame.
Jennings told me firsthand the mood inside City Hall that day was bone-chilling. Even well-grounded veteran reporters were shocked and had to hold their emotions in check. Watch the Feinstein announcement (in the above video) and notice the cranky, verbal chaos ensue in the midst of her fateful words. It was quite a moment and I'm still numb a generation and a half later.
*Personal note: I was a junior at Skyline High in Oakland in '78; on the Monday after Thanksgiving word spread in the early afternoon of what had taken place in San Francisco. Word of mouth of course because there were no cell phones just analogue news delivery.
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| Duffy Jennings |
*I'll never forget turning on the radio the next day; KGO's Ronn Owens was a mess and literally cried on the air. It was the right tone and no one faulted Owens' legitimate anguish; he was real good friends with Moscone and had him on the air frequently.
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| Ronn Owens in 1978 |
*I HABITUALLY pick on and rip TV and Radio reporters; I'll call it honest and harsh criticism but for a week, I applaud the fifth estate here (for the most part) for its vaunted coverage of the firestorm in Paradise. It's a tough story to report both literally and figuratively and most of the coverage has been professional and humane which is not always the case here or elsewhere.
*The despair and depression of the city in those dark days in the fall of '78 made for a welcome respite come January 1979. A sense of relief and back to normal permeated the entire area, well, gradually.
Journey's "Lights" was a popular song and most comforting and joyous in a town --the hometown of Journey no less, made it even more cool and especially needed. Out of all the anguish and hell we all had experienced the mood slowly but surely got better and better.Thank Goodness.
*Mayor Feinstein did a great job of galvanizing the community --there was little rancor if any because the city: Democrats, Republicans, he/she/it, the whole shebang needed someone for a calming presence. Feinstein set the proper tone; I know I'm going to get inundated with political blather from detractors of DiFi but at the time when we all needed cleansing and leadership, she was terrific.
I wasn't living in the city back then but you could feel the hurt and pain all the way from Oakland to San Jose. It was some kind of a couple weeks. If Feinstein were a Republican, I'd have given her credit too.
*FINALLY...
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Considering all the years Ronn have been on the air, and considering that for majority of those years you liked his show, aren't you being a little tough on him the past few years? I'm not saying to write a fluff piece, or to not be critical at all, but perhaps leave out the personal stuff, which has no bearing on his show. I listened to Ronn and all the KGO hosts after 9/11 and you are right it helps you sort out your feelings and gives you a feeling of community. I was somewhat new to the Bay Area in 1978 having moved here in 1975 from Milwaukee with my ex husband. After living in the City for a few years we just bought a house in Marin in 78, I remember both Jonestown and especially the Moscone, Milk murders very well. I did not listen to talk radio back then, but watch everything on the local TV stations.
ReplyDeleteRonn showed his true colors when his job was on the line; when cumulus took over. The rubber met the road, and when it was bad the real Ronn reared his head.
DeleteThat’s the judge of a man and Ronn has failed every time since then.
Not harsh enough in my opinion!
R0nNNn is an utter phony and cares about nobody but himself. Piece of garbage needs to retire immediately.
ReplyDeleteJust listen to his greasy insincere voice. Who the fuck do you know that even talks like that?
R0nnn needs to retire immediately.
Ronn is a good man who stepped up for me once when I asked him for a favor. A total stranger.
ReplyDeleteAlso, kudos to the Chron for their recent tributes to the passings of both Willie McCovey and Hank Greenwald!
ReplyDeleteI was glad to hear the tributes to Hank on the radio. They brought out more of his personality and professionalism. Didn't know that side of him until now. It was also good to honor Willie Mac. What a decent person. Kind of like Nate Thurmond--class person.
DeleteI remember this happening during my senior year in high school. I can still hear Van Amburg giving all the gory details about what happened at Jonestown.
ReplyDelete"*I HABITUALLY pick on and rip TV and Radio reporters; I'll call it honest and harsh criticism but for a week, I applaud the fifth estate here (for the most part) for its vaunted coverage of the firestorm in Paradise. It's a tough story to report both literally and figuratively and most of the coverage has been professional and humane which is not always the case here or elsewhere."
ReplyDeleteExcept for the Chippie ass and the Bearman ass that twist all against trump (not capitalized for reason) and wind their programs to suit bay area (not capitalized for reason) liberals to sell their time. Pathetic.
Honest journalism is needed, not clowns playing to the masses.
I don't hold any ill against liberal or conservative. I just want talk show hosts that don't play an acting part.
- It is sickening how child abuse combined with lifelong mental health issues can sometimes lead to such unspeakable crimes.
ReplyDelete- No calendar day in San Francisco history will ever be darker than November 27, 1978. The Mayor was immensely respected - and in some cases, loved - outside the City limits.
- Looking forward to breathing again, us and all of Butte County, whose well wishes we shall always pass forward to. We will be doing so again from a Big Game standpoint on December 1st, same day as the Pac-12 Championship Game in Santa Clara, but because neither Bay team could keep up with the Washington schools and one is in the day while the other is at night, we can use the Big Game to raise more funds for food, clothing, and shelter purposes for all fire victims.
- Macy's Parade coverage may include fewer balloons due to high wind forecasts. It is rare, but with NY as always, history has seen it.
- Moscone-Milk-Speier 1978, JFK 1963, major elections good and bad, and many more famous dark moments have happened in November. Your point is valid, RL.
- Never got around to reading Duffy's stories (never really subscribed to the Chron while along the Nimitz between Hayward & Fremont, sticking with the Daily Review & Argus, respectively), but it was around this time that his ex Cheryl started working for Van Amburg's crew. Van, of course, was at his very best covering this.
- Having these public Bay deaths happen while I was in the midst of a junk food addiction definitely didn't help any coping efforts.
- In 1978, Owens was at his healthiest. In 2018, Ronnnn is a shell of himself. His health is getting worse, so might be his budget.
- All hands on deck with all Bay stations since the Camp Fire begin. Even RL's least faves have raised their game. That's how much this tragic story has transformed each reporter's life.
- Journey was one of the very few bands that were allowed to visit Dr. Don Rose and his very full studio room at KFRC. The band even did a Lights parody promoting the station. BTW, Rolling Stone has a very interesting article on what Steve Perry is up to in their latest issue (the one with Zoe Kravitz - as in daughter of "Are You Going To Go My Way" Lenny, and Reese Witherspoon co-star in Big Little Lies - in a matching cover similar to her mom Lisa Bonet - of Cosby Show fame - from 30 years before). Perry was in a dark place while Neal Schon kept touring and Jonathan Cain turned into his own Hairpiece Evangelist; he himself had too much personal tragedy.
- It wasn't exactly how a prolific political career was supposed to take off, but Dianne Feinstein never looked back after the hardest Monday night of her life. Nobody has forgotten that press coverage.
- Help, Big Donors! Keep RL funded, and we can keep up with such wildfire coverage that has impacted all of us others in austerity!
I guess I was just an out of touch 18 year old back then. Or maybe I was too busy chasing my girlfriend around. Because while I remember Jonestown happening and the endless new on it (even in the non 24/7 environment of the day) I don't recall anyone being so sad about it. Maybe that's because I grew up on the lower peninsula and not many of the victims were from that area. I just don't remember the area being so shocked and aggrieved.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the Milk, Moscone murders much more clearly. Seeing Diane Feinstein standing outside giving the news that the murders had taken place. I also clearly remember much of the White Night Riots that happened because myself and two friends happened to be in the city that night and got very close to the action. One very crazy night I will never forget.