Rosie the Riveter "roll call" honors surviving women who served on homefront
At the Rosie the Riveter WWII Homefront National Historical Park in Richmond, a special group of "Rosies" was honored on Saturday.
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John Ramos accidentally launched a lifelong career in journalism when he began drawing editorial cartoons and writing smart-alecky satire pieces for the Bakersfield High School newspaper.
Later, while attending Fresno State, John took a 3-week summer job at a local TV station filling in for a graphic artist...who never returned from vacation. Suddenly working full-time in television, he quickly moved from graphics to photography and spent many years covering news in the Fresno area.
John's career took a turn in 1995 when he was conned into taking an assignment to create a weekly news magazine show, for which he would be the sole photographer and editor. Defying all logic, the show succeeded and John ended up winning a regional Emmy Award, a national Iris Award for Television Programming, an Edward R. Murrow Award and was named Associated Press Editor of the Year two years in a row.
That's when he met Ann, his future wife. She was also working in Fresno, but wanted to move back to the Bay Area to be near family. John tagged along, taking a job at KPIX in 2003, working mainly in the Oakland/Contra Costa areas.
In 2011, John was asked to become a "Multi-Media Journalist" or MMJ, meaning he must produce, shoot, write and edit his own stories under daily deadline pressure...all while working out of a van. It's not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, John has developed a reputation for telling thoughtful, human stories, often with a hint of irreverence. He loves to find the humor in situations while, at the same time, respecting the viewpoints of others.
"I try to be fair in expressing people's positions...even it I don't happen to agree with them." he says. "But I'm also not afraid to point out when something just doesn't seem to make much sense."
It's been a fun, fascinating, challenging career for a guy who never really planned anything in his life. But, you know, things tend to work out OK...if you just have a little faith.
John lives in Concord with Ann and their two smart-alecky daughters.
At the Rosie the Riveter WWII Homefront National Historical Park in Richmond, a special group of "Rosies" was honored on Saturday.
The city of San Jose spent decades and millions of dollars to develop a plan to rebuild a city park, but the project is at a standstill.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao presented a positive picture of the troubled Hegenberger corridor area on Monday, saying efforts to reduce crime are paying off despite the rising number of businesses in the neighborhood changing policies or shutting down completely over safety concerns.
The East Bay city of Dublin marked its 40th year commemorating a religious holiday that has become a reason to party.
Contra Costa Fire hazardous materials crews in Martinez have determined the unknown substance in an abandoned tanker trailer that shut down Pacheco Blvd. Tuesday morning was not hazardous, according to fire officials.
Another Oakland fast-food business is making changes to how they operate because of safety concerns.
A Jewish summer camp in Sonoma County opened its doors to kids with disabilities and their families this weekend.
Eighty thousand blossoms created a rainbow of color in the middle of San Francisco's Union Square on Tulip Day.
On Wednesday, Alameda police announced an arrest at a retail theft fencing operation in the East Bay, containing more than $75,000 worth of stolen goods.
A woman who worked for Safeway for 22 years had to enter a legal battle with the company to get unemployment after they fired her for stopping a shoplifter.
For the past two years, winter storms have taken their toll on Bay Area roadways, but in one Oakland hills neighborhood, the road is at risk of disappearing completely.
Sonoma County, where agriculture is an economic engine, held a farmworker resource fair Sunday to help those who keep that engine running.
Saturday's rainstorm throughout the Bay Area became something else at the higher reaches of Mount Hamilton.
Measure F, a ballot initiative which would allow the small North Bay town of San Anselmo to withdraw from the Marin County flood control district, is stirring up a surprising amount of passion among residents.
Tens of thousands of people gathered on the streets of Oakland Sunday to celebrate the happiness and joy of being Black.