Tom Vacar
After two years of freelancing while working full time in L.A., Tom became a full-time staff member of KTVU as Consumer Editor, in 1991.
Tom has covered every major disaster including earthquakes, wildfires, floods, levee breaks and droughts and has had a big hand in covering business, economics, consumer affairs, aerospace, space, the military, high technology, ports, logistics, airlines and general news.
Tom worked at KGO TV and KGO Radio from 1979-1985. He moved to KCBS-TV and KNX News Radio in 1985 before moving to KTTV in 1988.
Tom is originally from Salem, Ohio (a small industrial town of 11,000 people between Cleveland and Pittsburgh). He got his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Government at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio in 1972 as a designated Undergraduate Scholar. Tom got his Law Degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1978.
In his 31 years at KTVU, he calculates that he has covered 8,000 stories. For 18 years, KTVU was home to Tom’s syndicated Great American Toy Test (nominated for a national Emmy). He has covered many major disasters including the Caldor Fire in Lake Tahoe, the L.A. quake in 1994, the Napa Quake, the Great Recession, the Pandemic and the long drought.
Tom loves the diversity of the region’s people, cultures and ethnicities. That, he says, is what truly makes the Bay Area’s natural beauty even more beautiful.
Tom shoots still pictures, mostly of wildlife while traveling with his wife Sharon, a former SF Opera soprano who also worked as a producer for 17 years. He has also traveled to England, Italy, Japan, Honduras, Bahrain, British Virgin Islands, The Grenadines, St. Martin. Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Society Islands, Panama, etc.
The latest from Tom Vacar
WatchDuty app tracks wildfires and now flooding
What started out five years ago, as a local North Bay app to monitor wildfires in real time, is now a national non-profit that now has a second life-saving specialty: nationwide, localized flooding.
California gas prices drop amid Iran deal, but experts warn relief may be temporary
California's average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped 16 cents over the past week to $5.64, marking nearly four weeks of consecutive declines.
Quick action saves San Rafael apartment complex after carport fire
A fast-moving fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in a carport area at a San Rafael apartment complex, threatening a critical piece of the city's low-income housing supply.
Grassroots effort restores historic 91-year-old Petaluma neon sign
A grassroots community effort successfully restored Petaluma's historic 91-year-old "Baby Chicks" neon sign over the weekend.
8 Killed in B-52 Stratofortress crash at Edwards Air Force Base
A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed and burst into flames immediately after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base on Monday morning, killing all eight people on board.
Bay Area's 1st red flag warning since 2024 goes into effect as temperatures reach triple digits
A red-flag warning, the Bay Area's first since late 2024, goes into effect late this evening through 9 a.m. Thursday. Parts of the Bay Area could see power shutoffs to due to increased fire danger.
Officials defend California governor's race, say it's accurate not 'rigged'
Elections officials defended California's election counting process saying it's accurate and fair, not rigged like some outsiders have claimed.
Demolition of beloved Pacifica cafe approved, damaged pier's fate uncertain
The damaged Pacifica Municipal Pier is now an official emergency zone as the fate of the 53-year-old structure hangs in the balance, but the future of its much-loved eatery is already sealed.
Novato mobile home residents fight for promised ownership as bonds near payoff
Residents of the Marin Valley Mobile Country Club are fighting to ensure their community remains affordable and transitions to resident ownership as reportedly agreed upon decades ago.
San Rafael 2nd Friday Art Walk kicks off weekend of festivities
The city of San Rafael kicked off a weekend of art and automobiles Friday as the Art Works Downtown Second Friday Art Walk took center stage. Under clear skies, the event highlighted the growing role of the arts in the city’s continued recovery from the pandemic.