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June 27, 2022, as Fred Zehnder Day in San Leandro
WHEREAS, Fred (Frederick Eugene) Zehnder was born March 5, 1934, in Lakeport, California where he grew up on a dairy farm with his three surviving brothers; and
WHEREAS, in 1944, he established the Scotts Valley News at the age of 10 and delivered 50 copies of his one-page weekly, which he reported, wrote, edited, and printed by himself; and
WHEREAS, in 1952, he attended Humboldt State College, where he majored in journalism and later worked part-time at a radio station in Eureka, California; and
WHEREAS, in 1956, he was drafted into the Army, upon his graduation from Humboldt State, at age 22. He was posted to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he worked at an Army public information office; and
WHEREAS, in 1988 Fred was the news director for KTVU in Oakland where he hired notable on-air talents such as Dennis Richmond, Barbara Simpson, Elaine Corral, Leslie Griffith, Julie Haener, weatherman Bill Martin, and sports anchor Mark Ibanez; and
WHEREAS, Fred founded the San Leandro Times in 1991 and later purchased the Castro Valley Forum; and
WHEREAS, each week, 20,000 newspapers are delivered free to residents and businesses in Castro Valley and 31,236 to San Leandro and Sheffield Village. Another 10,000 are delivered to store racks; and
WHEREAS, Fred died on June 27, 2021 at the age of 87 when he was hit by a car in his Alameda neighborhood.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pauline Russo Cutter, Mayor of the City of San Leandro, do hereby proclaim June 27, 2022, as Fred Zehnder Day in the City of San Leandro and commend Fred’s family, friends, business partners, and the newspaper staff for providing an invaluable service connects our community.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of San Leandro to be affixed this 21st day of June 2022