Transcripts For KTVU The 20240703 : vimarsana.com

A champion for the poor, the homeless, a fighter for racial equality. Tonight we remember the reverend Cecil Williams, whose love and compassion was the rock and foundation and Guiding Light for all who walked through the doors of glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. He walked his talk. He he was a direct example of how to be in the world. Its such a loss for the city. Its a loss for this community. The reverend Cecil Williams died today at his home surrounded by family and friends. He was 94 years old. Good evening. Im julie julie haener and im mike mibach. Williams was known for his wisdom, compassion and providing critical support to impoverished residents every day for 60 years. Ktvu is amberleigh live tonight at San Francisco city hall. Amber. A very big loss tonight for the community. Absolutely, mike. There is grief and gratitude for all the work Cecil Williams did for the people and city of San Francisco. Now, the folks at glide tell me he may have retired years ago, but he was still very much a presence at glide and that his work lives on the street of my life. The voices of the glide ensemble rang out in the Church Sanctuary in San Franciscos tenderloin, just hours after its visionary founder and pastor, Cecil Williams, died monday afternoon. A man known for giving a voice and extending a helping hand to those who need it the most, this man of joy, this man of second, third and fourth chances. A brief ceremony honoring williams, led by glide Senior Pastor marvin white, who was chosen by williams himself to help carry out his legacy of serving the community. White described williams as a mentor. If youre not a church of action, then youre not doing the work. We are doing social gospel. That means that we are taking the good news out into the streets and inviting everyone in. He did it with the idea that glide would become the center of the city for marginalized people. Former San Francisco mayor willie brown described himself and his longtime friend williams as the preacher and the politician. He says he was also williams attorney. When williams was arrested for civil rights demonstrations. Cecil has established for all of us what community. Service really means, what it means to be an activist, what it means to help other people. I was suicidal. Tatiana tilley, a glide choir member, says williams opened up his heart and church to her and other members of the Lgbtq Community when most organized religion rejected them, i found home. We sing a song called the sit at the welcome table. Theres a space, theres a place for you. And he meant it. Cecil for 50 years has been one of the cornerstones of the city. He really didnt have any critics. We will be clapping our hands for the next few weeks. Months and years in celebration of his life. Pastor white extended the hours of the sanctuary through friday to give Community Members a space to mourn and celebrate williams life. Glide is still working out details for a public memorial service. For more information and updates, go to ktvu. Com and click on the web links section. Mike, julie. Amber, i know you. Youve worked with the reverend williams on a number of stories over the last 20, 30 years. Im just curious, you know, what do you take away most from Cecil Williams . I will always remember the big smile he always had on his face, his kindness and his willingness to always speak with us. He always made time. Yeah. A true san franciscan. Someone who will never be forgotten. Amber. Thank you for that. Tonight we did speak with glides chief communications officer, who says the impact Cecil Williams had on the church will be felt for years to come. Many, many people will be feeling this loss today, particularly those that come to glide, who turn to glide for services. Thats who cecil stood for every single day of his life. And glide leaders say the entire Williams Family is on its way to San Francisco to celebrate the reverends life. Reverend williams was much more than just a spiritual leader. He was also a civil rights pioneer and a San Francisco legend. Ktvu betty yu joins us now with a look at the legacy williams leaves behind. Betty Julie Williams was a revolutionary reverend. The backbone of glide and arguably San Franciscos most influential religious leader for more than 60 years. I see soul ktvu last caught up with williams on Christmas Eve at glide signature holiday celebration, where volunteers serve thousands of those less fortunate. That afternoon in the tenderloin glides holiday jam benefit concert in november celebrated the 94 year old, who retired earlier last year as ceo of the foundation. This is just the beginning. Every day is the beginning. Every hour is the beginning. Williams became pastor of glide in 1963. What we see is, is a people that needs love, a people that need also to say to each other, i care. I will be with you. Im not going to give up on you. Ktvu sat down with williams five years ago under his leadership, the glide Memorial Church grew to 10,000 people and the tenderloin church became world famous leaders including warren buffett, nelson mandela, oprah, maya angelou, barack obama and Hillary Clinton met with williams. He fought for racial equality and lgbtq rights. He did so alongside people like angela davis and the black panthers. The church became a safe haven during the aids crisis, and provided hiv screenings. Williams dedicated his life to helping people who were hungry or homeless or battling drug addiction. I reach out to people all over the world. Im not afraid of anybody. Im just i care. Glides foundation is the largest provider of social services in San Francisco. Williams ran the church with his wife, janice mirikitani, a poet, activist and first glide president. She died in 2021. The one that took me and said to me, im going to make you a better human being, williams said. Glide foundation and legacy is love, which leads to liberation, justice and freedom. Cecil williams, hes always into something. Hes always doing something. My theology, basically, its in the doing. And williams said in his final note to the glide Community Last year that he will always remain connected to it, even as he took time to focus on his family and his health. Julie. Yeah, he truly touched so many lives with his compassion. Betty. Thank you. Well, tonight, governor gavin newsom calling williams a visionary leader who transformed the lives of many. In a statement, he wrote in part, reverend williams truly embodied the california values of unity, generosity and acceptance. All of us can take inspiration from his legacy and renew our commitment to one another. San Francisco Mayor london breed shared this photo on x, where she wrote in part, reverend Cecil Williams was the conscience of our San Francisco community. His kindness brought people together and his vision changed our city and the world and reaction over the death of williams continues to pour in. Tonight, state lawmakers, state lawmakers, bay area leaders and Community Members are sharing photos, personal stories and gratitude for the work williams did, as well as the major impact he had on the bay area and beyond. And for more on the life and legacy of Cecil Williams, you can head to our website. Its all ktvu. Com. Today, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in a groundbreaking case on homelessness. The justices will decide whether it is constitutional for cities to fine or arrest people for sleeping in public spaces. The case is from grants pass, oregon, where people face escalating penalties for sleeping outside with a lack of shelters. A federal Appeals Court classified the law as cruel and unusual punishment under the eighth amendment. Can you imagine anything more cruel and unusual than throwing somebody in jail for using a blanket in the middle of the freezing winter . In court, though, some of the conservative justices asked how far the eighth amendment Legal Protections should extend as cities struggle with managing homeless encampments that they say can be dangerous and unsanitary. Jessica levinson is a professor of law at Loyola Marymount university. I heard the conservatives saying, i think that we need to leave these decisions to cities, to towns, to counties, to the elected officials, not us. Not this group of unelected judges. Whereas i think you saw the liberals saying, no, im comfortable saying im interpreting the eighth amendment, and this violates it. And advocates say that in oregon, a lack of Mental Health and addiction resources has helped fuel the crisis. Well, california accounts for more than a quarter of the nations homeless population, and San Francisco officials will be watching the Supreme Court ruling very closely. As ktvu Christien Kafton reports, it is expected to impact the citys own legal battle over how to address homeless encampments as the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments over how cities manage the issue of homelessness. While the case in question came from grants pass, oregon, the case is drawing attention here in the bay area. Homeless advocates marched and rallied in front of San Franciscos federal Court Building and through the streets of the city, advocates saying the case will get to the heart of whether cities can criminalize homelessness. The reality is folks are out there because they have no other choice, for almost everyone. And its not okay to then cite them and arrest them because theyre destitute. That is, in essence, a paupers prison that were creating. There and i think weve moved beyond that. San franciscos City Attorneys Office has a very different take. The city says it has laws on the book to offer Compassionate Care for homeless. But also to clear streets when necessary. Those policies have been blocked for now by the courts waiting for a decision on this case. City attorney david chiu says whether and how San Francisco can manage its homelessness crisis will be determined by this ruling. Hopefully have a much more nuanced ruling that strikes a balance between what San Francisco has been trying to do, which is our compassionate approach to homelessness, but also giving us the ability to have some tools to ensure that our streets are clean and safe. While its difficult to predict how the court will rule, levine says it appears the court is leaning toward giving cities more control over how they combat homelessness. Listening to the oral argument, it seems like a majority is likely to go there. Then the judge in this in the case in San Francisco, would have to be more deferential to what San Francisco thinks is an approach way to handle the local homelessness problem. The United States Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on this case in late june. In San Francisco, Christien Kafton, ktvu, fox two news. Still to come tonight, an east Bay Community mourning the loss of a former Police Officer who died in the line of duty while working in idaho and in bay area weather. Our warm weather stretch will soon be coming to an end. Here is our live camera looking out toward the moon. Almost a full moon. Looks like well be talking about some more low clouds and cooler temperatures in your tuesday forecast, and well have the update coming up and a final rush to a popular burger pit in the south bay that is closing for officer and High School Sports coach who died in the line of duty while working as a sheriffs deputy in idaho. Ada county sheriffs deputy tobin boulter was shot and killed while making a routine traffic stop on saturday. Ktvu zac sos joins us now. Hes in walnut creek tonight outside the deputys former high school. Zach yeah, and its here at Berean Christian that he later returned as a Cross Country coach. It is because of that that there are still many students, many faculty who knew him well, who are struggling right now. Hes being remembered for his friendliness, his devotion to his job by seemingly everyone at this school is where, as well as everywhere, he worked in law enforcement, all the chiefs and sheriffs that have reached out. Its not just our community here. It shows what kind of a state we live in. Hours after the Ada County Sheriffs Office in idaho tearfully announced the death of deputy tobin boulter, slain in the line of duty saturday, the news quickly spreading to the east Bay Community, where he grew up. Its still a shock, you know, to learn of the news of tobin passing. We loved him, we loved his family, nicolas harris, the principal of Berean Christian high school in walnut creek, where deputy boulter graduated in 2015 and later returned to coach the schools Cross Country team with his wife, maddie. His yearbook graduation page listing Police Officer as his dream job. When you think of tobin, you think i mean the first word that comes to mind is servant. You know, someone who wants to serve. And so to be in public service, you know, looking out for the benefit of others, you know, that made sense for him on saturday, will the 27 year old deputy was out doing that very job. He was shot by a driver. He pulled over for a traffic stop and were devastated to say he did not survive his injuries, and he passed away moments before this press conference. Before joining the Sheriffs Office in january, deputy boulter spent several years as a Pleasant Hill Police Officer, the department posting a tribute to him on their facebook page, noting that during his time there he, quote, came to work and entered the streets, always with a smile. Walnut creek police, where he trained as a cadet, also honoring his memory. Back at Berean Christian high, a flag at half staff. Its been a challenge today. Even when i took my students out to the field today and i walk across the track, i thought about them, justin wade, deputy boulters former teacher and mentor. As a track coach, he would come straight from his duty as a Police Officer in his uniform, full uniform and do track practice. And i think that just is a sign of his dedication. Why so many at this School Teachers, students are now leaning on each other for support in the wake of his death, he had just the biggest smile on his face. He was happy to give of himself in any way that he could , and its just were at a loss and were mourning this. And it is our understanding that deputy boulters family are now en route to idaho. As for the suspect believed to be behind the shooting, he was later shot and killed by by police. Julie. Yeah, just a heartbreaking story. Zac sos in walnut creek tonight. Zach. Thank you. Well, today marks 20 years since the friendly fire death of bay area native and army ranger pat tillman. Tillman who attended Leland High School in san jose, died on april 22nd, 2004. After the september 11th attacks, tillman gave up his nfl career with the Arizona Cardinals to join the army and become a ranger. Two years later, the 27 year old was killed by friendly fire. A memorial to honor him stands in san joses bullmore park. His death initially was attributed to enemy combatants, but it was later revealed that tillman was indeed killed by friendly fire. The oakland roots and soul soccer clubs are bringing their expertise to Elementary Schools through a program aimed at giving oakland students more access to sports. For the past few weeks, the teams have been training people how to coach. Some experts say one of the Biggest Barriers for children in underserved communities is a lack of qualified coaches. The players also provided a free soccer clinic for girls at Highland Community Elementary School in east oakland, along with the nonprofit girls leading goa