Fran Blowitz Fran Blowitz, who with her husband John owned and operated the Gazette Newspapers from 1981 to 2004, died in November. After purchasing the paper, Fran and John developed Gazette Newspapers into a two-paper, 66,000 combined-circulation business employing 20 people. Fran and John were co-publishers, with Fran handling the business end of the operation. She worked tirelessly to keep the business in the black. John said many times that he might be the public face of the Grunion, but that Fran was the brains behind the operation. During that time, Fran came up with something she called Valentine's Date Night, which grew to a fundraiser for the heart programs at Long Beach's three major hospitals raising around $40,000 each event.