Bob Batlin, ex-Chronicle journo was 80

When he was arts editor of the old San Francisco Examiner Bob Batlin once had to defend his decision to cover rock music. The publisher had wanted to ignore it. Batlin, who retired from the Chronicle in 2002 capping a 47-year newspaper career, died May 9 from Parkinson’s disease. Services were held this morning in Daly City. Obituary: Chronicle