What Were They Thinking?

A friend of mine suggested I do one of my blogs on stupid criminals. She’s probably correct that there is a wealth of material that comes out of police reports. Here are some recent examples.

Two 16-year-old Fond du Lac boys were caught speeding up a city street. They were going about 50 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. The two were racing each other and passed another vehicle as they dueled for position. Even though that’s not a big crime, you have to love the comment one of the teens offered an officer as to the reasoning for it. “It was stupid.”

As a news reporter you actually love stumbling across reports that pretty much write themselves. Try your own hand at coming up with a lead for this one. Two guys are at a Fond du Lac restaurant; they are according to one employee’s estimation, very drunk. They don’t cause any problems while they are there, but steal a cake from a counter on their way out.

The cake is later found smeared on three windows and an outdoor umbrella at another restaurant. So to is an ID belonging to a 23-year-old North Fond du Lac man. It has icing from the cake on it. He tells police, yes he was at the restaurant and he was “wasted,” but had nothing to do with the cake. Icing on the cake!

I didn’t use this one, but could have had fun with it. A young woman runs into a parked car with hers. She was cited for inattentive driving. Actually she was paying a great deal of attention. She was reading a book and was on the cell phone at the time she hit the other car.

Here’s another one from this past weekend. A 25-year-old Theresa man is accused of taking a backhoe and driving it backwards down Winnebago Drive in Fond du Lac leaving damaged power poles, trees and telephone lines in his wake.

When authorities catch up with him they asked him if he had been driving it. “I don’t know.” Finally he admitted to it. When they found the backhoe it was hung up in some telephone line and was idling with no one behind the wheel. The man had been drinking and was more than twice the legal limit for intoxication.

When I told a friend about the incident he said, “It’s just further proof that nothing good comes out of being on the street after 2 a.m.” To that I add, “What was he thinking?”

Changes

Change we are told is a good thing, but it’s surprising how many people are resistant to it. Recently we went to a new format for our online newsletter. It’s the second change we’ve made in about four years.

Our original newsletter for KFIZ Today was pretty much just text that was e-mailed out to a subscriber’s list. It was meant to compliment the actual hardcopy we printed and distributed to area restaurants and businesses that was known as Fond du Lac Today. Due to the cost, time and fact that the copier we used to print Fond du Lac Today kept breaking down, we decided to do away with that and go strictly with the online version. KFIZ Today was born.

The format we then went to included pictures, links and much more than the original text version. Our jump to the newest format was a decision that was made to give us more control over the content and the ability to take care of any technical problems in-house. It also saved us some money on distributing a free newsletter.

Some people who preferred the old format, which allowed you to scroll down one continuous page, wrote e-mails to tell us that. We appreciate it. I explained to one such subscriber that it was like the Packers and Brett Favre. Once you reach a certain point there’s no looking back.

There’ve been so many changes over the years in Radio that I’ve learned to go with the flow. When I started out computers hadn’t quite reached their influence into studios yet. Now I work with two of them in my news studio and we have three of them in our main studio. I didn’t have a website to update, a newsletter to contribute to, and blog would have been a sound you made after eating something that didn’t agree with you.

I actually look forward to change. Yes it means having to adapt to something new or learn a new way of doing things. Sometimes change is forced upon you. Anyone who’s lost a job knows what I’m referring to. I got fired from a radio station in Park Falls about 15 years ago and thought it was the end of the world. I did everything that was expected of me, but it wasn’t enough.

As it turned out that’s how I ended up in this part of Wisconsin and eventually at KFIZ. It was a change for the better, but how could I have known that at the time?

Change is the very substance at the heart of our Presidential election. If you don’t care for it be among the 20 to 30 percent of registered voters who won’t be voting on November 4th. You can also keep your old calendar and ignore the fact that we’re moving towards 2009. Seems change is upon us whether we like it or not.

One change I do like is the change of seasons. Fall is one of my favorites and I’m thankful I live in a state where you can distinguish the season by the change in the weather. I’ll leaf you with that thought.

Cousin Doug

I’ve never told you about my cousin Doug, but because the presidential race is as much about our economy as anything else; I think he’s worth mentioning.

I got to know him when I was a kid and we were living on Indian Lake in Manistique, Michigan. He and his family were from Illinois and vacationed there during the summer. He’s a shirttail cousin, but yes is related.

Doug’s a blue-collar guy through and through. His education has been through a variety of jobs. He’s had the same girlfriend for years. Both of them worked at Kohler in the Sheboygan area for some time. However he took other jobs in that city and she stuck with Kohler.

Recently I talked with him. He and his girlfriend, Allison, bought a home in Sheboygan and a cheaper cabin-like home on Indian Lake. They had the same dream as Doug’s parents who retired to a home on the Lake. However out sourcing caught up with them Doug trained for about three different jobs and only months into each lost them when the jobs were shipped overseas. She lost her job too.

The home they had in Sheboygan was razed and they are waiting for the real estate market to rebound before they sell that property. That could be a long time. Meanwhile they had to move into the small home on the Lake and are in danger of losing that too. The 14-year-old pickup truck he’s been driving is being repossessed because the payment they sent in wasn’t processed in time.

Doug says the company is welcome to it. It has 250,000 miles on it and isn’t worth the $325 payment. Now he’s training for a truck-driving job out of Manitowoc. He’s pretty sure that job won’t be shipped over seas.

Oh yeah recently he found out he has diabetes like millions of other Americans. At least he has that in common with many others.

A friend of mine last week told me too many Americans were living beyond their means and deserve what they got coming to them. She says she doesn’t know anyone who hasn’t bought a new car since 2000 and most families have two vehicles or more.

She wasn’t impressed by my story about cousin Doug. He’d give you the shirt off his back, but the problem is everyone wants a piece of it.

Box of Stuff

Can you really tell anything about a person by the stuff that they save? Maybe, and maybe not! I got around to my spring cleaning a little bit late this year. I found one box in the basement that had me scratching my head as to why I’d save the items in it.

First of all there were parts to a vacuum cleaner. That might not seem so strange, but I got rid of that vacuum cleaner years ago and the one I own now has its own accessories.

There was also half of a two-cassette series on learning to speak Spanish. Don’t know where the other tape is and I abandoned the effort when I found out it was mostly to make you fluent enough to pass as a poorly equipped tourist.

There was also a scuffed up softball. Not sure, but I think its stuffing may have been made of sawdust. Good enough to throw around.

Then there was a box for a miniature porcelain nativity set without the nativity set. The set I’d packed away in with other Christmas stuff years ago.

Finally there was a small Packer football figurine that you’d hang from your rearview mirror in your car. Thinking it was cute at the time I’d used a magic marker to put the number four on it.

So what do those items tell you about me?

The vacuum cleaner parts could represent my desire to try and keep organized in life even when I’m not sure how to accomplish that.

The Spanish tape. My desire to learn more about my fellow man; granted it would only be a small understanding.

The scuffed up softball is the desire to hold onto my youth. Especially when I have two young nephews who are starting to get interested in sports.

The faux Favre. Well you got to have heroes and someone that inspires you. I wonder about the timing of finding that one.

The box for the nativity set. Faith itself. It’s for something you know exists, even when you can’t see it.

As for the box. It represents life. Something you place all of what makes you unique in. What’s in your box of stuff?

Letter to Famous Quarterback

There is a little trepidation when you fill the shoes of a legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback. He has the experience of winning championship games and Super Bowls. He has the respect of his fellow players and coaches. He’s been into battle in fair weather and foul. He has endured painful injuries and heartbreaking moments both on and off the field.

That future hall of famer and his wife also have the respect and love of the community. They’ve done so much on behalf of others. Young men and women look up to them. They aren’t often disappointed.

That’s a hard act to follow and I know it’s difficult for them to leave it behind. However I hope to have the same opportunity to make a niche for myself on this team and in the Green Bay community and Wisconsin.

Being a quarterback is all about being a leader. You have to have confidence and poise. A belief in your own abilities is essential. If you don’t believe it your teammates won’t either.

I’m a young man who hopes to have a glorious path ahead of me. After all if being a Green Bay Packer is nothing else it’s about winning and adding to the tradition and the mystique that is Lambeau Field.

So as I head down that tunnel and onto that famous turf I hope that I can rise to the occasion and lift my self up off it when I take the punishment that goes along with playing the game. I’m now ready to wear the green and gold. With respect to that famous quarterback, it’s my time now!

I wish you well Bart Starr.

Respectfully,
Scott Hunter
University of Alabama, Class of ’71.

P.S. Yeah Scott didn’t really write this, but it seems to apply to the current situation. Bob Nelson

A Place At The Table

In America everyone has a place at the table. That also means everyone has a say, but some of those voices are being stilled by time. That includes our WWII veterans. I got a chance over the last couple of weeks to be around one, James “Maggie” Megellas. He’s a genuine WWII hero, native of Fond du Lac, first City Council President and much more.

He was back in Fond du Lac, he lives in Texas now, for the dedication of the Veterans Memorial Building in his name. We had him in our studios for an interview, covered the dedication and his speech before the City Council during their meeting.

For those who’d listen he told wonderful tales of people like you and me who lived and died during life in wartime. Not many veterans want to talk about that these days. However when you get to be 91-years-old and still visit our fighting troops in Afghanistan you’re more than entitled to tell your story.

The dedication ceremony took a little time on a humid day. I did a little people watching. There was a decent crowd, but mostly older veterans. That’s the sad thing about our veteran’s organizations these days. They are literally a dying breed. You just don’t see the number of younger veterans joining the ranks of the VFW, American Legion, etc. They still do wonderful things for our nation’s youth, but can’t continue to do so if they don’t have the members to do it.

One of the most inspired moments of the dedication was when fellow 82nd Airborne veterans joined Megellas at the podium They were members past and present. I spoke with one of them and he said it was truly an honor.

There was also a nice moment at the City Council meeting when Megellas addressed the gathering and said that the City Council was a great form of democracy in action. It’s too bad there weren’t that many in the Council chambers or watching on television at home to hear about it. However that’s the thing about democracy. It’s about having the right to make your choices freely. Just remember that if it weren’t for people like Megellas that freedom might not be readily available.

Traditional Family Values

A few different episodes over the past week have me wondering if the term “Traditional Family Values” is applicable any more. You hear it batted about during political campaigns and whenever someone is making a decision that might portray them in a less than favorable light.

The Fond du Lac County Board this week tabled a decision on whether or not to support a diversity initiative’s statement of principles. It was done for a couple of reasons, one of which had to do with objections to the term “sexual orientation” in the statement. It was implied that there might be a hidden agenda and some supervisors said outright that they wouldn’t condone gay, lesbian, and bisexual and transgender lifestyles.

Actually the initiative was started as a way of attracting more talent as the County faces an aging workforce. It was felt if the community were more welcoming it would attract a diversity of talent. County Executive Al Buechel says the statement was also designed to be an umbrella that would cover everyone.

Supervisor Jim Kiser objected to the statement saying he’d run for office on a platform that supports “Traditional Family Values.” I have no problem with that. What I do question is just what is considered a “traditional family” these days. With more than half of marriages ending in divorce and a growing number of single-parent households the “traditional family” is in danger of being redefined. Not to mention how are “values” seem to be evolving as well.

I attended the Democratic Party’s campaign headquarters kickoff in Fond du Lac last Sunday and heard a lot about families. Not surprisingly the typical family is struggling to handle rising expenses for gasoline, education, health care, etc. Plus or minus campaign rhetoric there are some truths in what is being said. Though I was there to cover it as a news event, I have to admit it also provoked some thinking.

Lastly one of my favorite non-traditional family’s is making too much news these days. Can’t the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre get along? Yeah I know professional football is a business, but nobody is coming away a winner in this struggle. I’ve always considered the Packers more than just a football team, maybe part of the family. It’s the worst case of public sibling-like rivalry I’ve ever seen. Please make it go away!

Cane You Help Me?

Okay so the title of this blog is a play on words. It’s actually an update on the progress I’ve made since hip surgery and the complications that arose. I now have a new fashion accessory, a cane. To be honest most of the time around the house and the radio station I don’t use it and have been walking around in public without it most of the time.

The cane has become my security blanket. My balance and stride are much better, but at times when I really push myself during a long day I get tired. About a month ago I fell in my home and landed knee first on the leg I had the surgery on. No apparent injuries until the next day after work when I tried to pull my shoe off that foot and found it had swelled up a bit and I had a slight sprain to a finger I apparently suffered that when I tried to catch myself on the way down. I didn’t go to the doctor for the fall.

Since then things have gotten much better. Now I’m to the point where I wonder just how much I need the cane. The folks at therapy told me when I ended therapy that I’d know when I no longer need it. Since I still have some doubts I’m guessing it’s still required.

One thing I have found is that the cane elicits sympathy. People are more courteous when they see a cane being used or in your shopping cart. It would be easy to use that sympathy to my advantage, but I haven’t been. It’s not right. Once I’m rid of it I’ll have to get used to being treated as just another person on the street. I can hardly wait.

Drunk Driving Has Consequences

My younger brother Matt got stopped for his 3rd drunk driving offense the other day. I’m not sure what your response was to that previous sentence, it depends on where you stand on the issue of drunk driving. Personally I don’t condone it, but it happens. Since he’s my brother and I love him I’m hoping it works out for him. In Michigan when you reach you’re third drunk driving it’s a felony.

I bring it up because the 4th of July is coming up, it falls on a weekend and there are probably going to be quite a few people driving around with one too many under their belts. I won’t be one of them. I don’t like getting behind the wheel even if I’ve only had one drink.

I told a friend about my brother being stopped and they asked if he has a drinking problem. I said no he was with a friend he doesn’t have much opportunity to get together with often and they had a few beers. He was stopped for speeding on his way home.

I’m not really the one to say whether my brother has a drinking problem. There is a history of it in the family, but Matt doesn’t drink that much that often. His first drunk driving offense was 18 years ago. His second 8 years ago. But for those two previous mistakes he may pay the price. I hope not, but know sometimes it’s the only way you can learn.

I joked this past year about reading a news item about a Bob Nelson who had been stopped four or five times for drunk driving with the latest being one in Dodge County. Of course it wasn’t me. I’ve never been stopped for drunk driving, but that being said I wondered sometimes if two or three beers I enjoyed while watching a football game or at a family dinner might have put me close to the line.

I’ve reported on enough drunk driving accidents and been in enough courtrooms to see the impact of drunk driving on families. Often when a drunk driver kills a person there are two sets of victims. There’s the family of the person killed and the family of the person who is facing possible jail time for it. Fortunately my brother wasn’t involved in any kind of accident when he was stopped. That’s the only real break he may get this time. However he’s got family to see him through the consequences.

Five Feet High And Rising

I’ll have to admit that the recent flooding in Fond du Lac County threw me a little bit off my game. Going back into the station on a Thursday afternoon wasn’t surprising after all we did have a forecast that called for the possibility of strong storms. However I wasn’t expecting as much rain as we got in such a short amount of time.

During the next 20 hours the station became my home. Around midnight I called the Fond du Lac police station to see if my street was accessible. Nope, the Fond du Lac River saw to that. So I crashed on a station couch for about a half hour so I wouldn’t be groggy for what I needed to do. A walk to the Kwik Trip on the corner took care of breakfast, but I didn’t want to repeat the same ritual for lunch.

We passed along as much information about the flooding as we could as fast as we could. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the cooperation of emergency management officials, fire, police, and volunteers. Thanks for that. The neighbor-to-neighbor calls we got reporting flooding experiences was outstanding. It also gave people some comfort knowing they weren’t the only ones going through it.

Shortly after noon Friday when the information was slowing I decided to try going home. I used 9th Street, which at the time was the only east-to-west route that was open in Fond du Lac. From there I made it up Hickory and went around a barrier on Western Avenue that was only open to local traffic. Since I live on Western I figured that applied to me. Looking up the street I could see water that still came a ways up the street and about four or five vehicles that had stalled out trying to get through it and across the Fond du Lac River Bridge.

I parked on the street because the back parking lot and backyard were filled up with floodwater. The city had issued an advisory urging people not to use excess water so I decided to do without a shower, but later discovered I didn’t have hot water anyway. That made doing dishes interesting, not to mention a cold shave.

Even though flooding was less than a day in people were starting to fill the curbs with flood-damaged items. I didn’t get around to my basement storage unit for a couple days, but it’s interesting to see how water can seep into things you figure are air or water tight. Nothing major was lost, compared to what some experienced.

By the end of the week the water had receded and I was able to park in my garage, but it was a couple more days before the muck and dead worms that temporarily took up refuge there got washed out. To be honest I was glad to see rain this past Sunday. It washed away some of the remaining residue left in the wake of the flood, but didn’t come down in threatening amounts.

It would have been easy to make some kind of nervous joke about the flooding, but too many people were being affected and personal items of sentimental value were lost. I may never take a thunderstorm for granted again.

Indiana Jones and the Sands of Time

Are my heroes getting older or is Hollywood running out of action stars? It’s a question I’ve been pondering a while, but really got me thinking when the latest Indiana Jones film came out. It’s hard to believe that Harrison Ford was able to do a lot of his own stunt work at the age of 65. Heck I’ve got some time before I hit that age and there are a lot of things I wish I could do I’m just not physically capable of.

Maybe I really started thinking about the question in the past year when I picked up a copy of Rocky Balboa. It was supposedly Sylvester Stallone’s last Rocky film. Time will tell it was a modest success and was meant to wrap up lingering questions about the character and give fans something satisfying to end with. I had a bit of a problem before seeing the film with a 60-year-old boxer, but the scenario Stallone came up with wasn’t too far of a stretch. Now a 60-something Rambo on the other hand is not something I’m dying to see.

I remember during the last decade Bruce Willis doing an interview prior to the release of the third Die Hard film saying he was getting too old to do the stunts he has to for his character in the series. That would have been a fitting epithet for what was supposed to be the last film in a trilogy. Yet last year we were treated to a new Die Hard film and I must admit something fans would enjoy.

Before he became the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was still doing action films and I have no doubt would still be doing them if politics had not intervened. Chuck Norris, don’t get me started. He was still kicking butt in his TV series into his 60s.

Personally I don’t believe Hollywood is running out of action stars. I think actors just like to diversify a little in their roles and there’s an up and coming crop of new heroes. Still maybe it’s not such a bad thing that we can hold on to some of our older champions a little longer.

For Hollywood leading men doing action roles into their 50s, 60s and beyond is nothing new. Some of John Wayne’s most popular films running on television these days were done when he was in his late 50s and 60s. So if Indy wants to crack that whip for another film, I’m game.

The Great Grape Lake

Sometimes my mind wanders and the other day I was reflecting on a moment I enjoyed with my father as a young child. We were out fishing on Indian Lake (in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) armed with fishing equipment and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.

Well you know kids I became bored because the fish weren’t biting and began looking for other forms of entertainment. It’s at that point I decided to pour some of the grape soda I was drinking into the lake. My little kid’s brain fantasized that by doing that I could turn the lake into one giant grape soda, a lifetime’s supply and then some. Of course my dad didn’t appreciate me wasting the pop.

The reality is that my parents both grew up during the depression. They knew what it was like to go without and buying the cheaper brand was something you did not by choice, but by necessity. Growing up I mostly remember the store bought brands and not the brand name products lining our shelves at home. If you are old enough to remember the A & P stores you probably remember the Ann Page products.

My mother came from a bigger family than my dad and to this day watches her pennies. I sometimes tell her to treat herself once in a while, but those impressions made by the depression and WW II live on. I’m always amazed at the no-name products she buys. Except of course for the Schwan’s man, which seems to be the only type of product she’s willing to pay a little more for.

Recently she stayed with me for a couple of weeks and we went shopping together. For the first time I saw how she thinks and how far she can stretch a meal. I have to admit that since then I’m thinking along similar lines. This morning after munching on the plastic bag filled with carrots I brought to work, I started thinking about how many times I might be able to use that bag again.

Getting back to the fishing venture with my dad. There’s no way I was going to turn Indian Lake into the “Great Grape Lake,” but it’s probably all for the best. At the time there were a lot of cabins and resorts along the lake that were pumping their sewage into it. You can pretty much guess how that grape soda dipped from the lake would have tasted. Still I enjoyed the time with my dad and the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with their Ann Page peanut butter and jelly.

Sick of the Presidential Race?

The question people keep asking me whenever they see coverage of the Presidential race is, “Aren’t you just sick of it already?” They then add, “And it really hasn’t begun yet.”

At the beginning of the year the prospect of electing are first woman president or first African-American president held some appeal. However over the past few months we’ve probably found out more about Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama then we’ve wanted to. Meanwhile John McCain awaits an opponent and gets in his licks when he can.

Hillary’s been buried prematurely before, but following the North Carolina and Indiana primaries there’s reports her campaign is running out of money. Add to that former presidential candidate and U.S. Senator George McGovern urging her to drop out of the Democratic presidential race. He was backing her now he’s endorsing Obama.

Obama seems to have survived the controversy over his former pastor’s raves. If he does indeed become the Democratic nominee what other dirt will be uncovered? I’m just asking because in our “can’t wait” society we learn everything about everyone before they become someone.

I will be honest that John McCain’s age is something that bothers me. He’ll be 72-years-old in August and would be older than Ronald Reagan was when Reagan was elected President. Staunch Republicans will point towards Ronald Reagan’s accomplishments. However the world is in a whole different state than it was in that era. For one thing America wasn’t in the midst of a prolonged war.

So who to vote for? That will probably be an Election Day decision for a lot of us. Please don’t waste it with a “Mickey Mouse” or “Darth Vader” write-in. You can start the name-calling after the candidate has been in the White House for a while.

Grab What You Can

I was enjoying a movie on television Saturday afternoon when all the fire alarms in my apartment building started going off. The first thing you want to do is deny there’s a real fire in the building. Still I grabbed my wallet, checkbook and poked my head out in the hallway to see how serious things were.

There was smoke on the first floor, but it wasn’t that thick so I went down to see what was going on. It seems my downstairs neighbor, let’s call him “T”, was cooking in his kitchen when something caught fire. One neighbor said there were flames two to three feet high coming from a counter top or stove. “T” himself said something I didn’t quite understand.

Anyway by that time the fire was out, but the smoke, which had an electric crispness to it, was still making its way out the front and back doors that were propped open on the first floor. The fire department arrived to check out the damage, which was mostly smoke damage.

On my way upstairs I started thinking about the things I’d gathered and cursed myself for not grabbing my parakeet “Sprite.” Course my quick evaluation told me the building wasn’t going to burn up, but if there’s a next time the bird goes with me. The rest of the stuff is covered by insurance, although a few things have great memory value.

I’m not much for labeling, but during the incident one of my newer neighbors said something like, “That crazy guy tried to burn down the building.” The person who said it looked a bit crazed at the time, but I don’t like to make snap judgments.

Let me tell you about “T.” He had a brain operation years ago that didn’t go right. It left him with some problems and eyes that don’t quite align right. If you met him you might get the impression he’d been drinking, but he’s not a drinker. It takes him a little more time to process things. When I finally talked to him about the fire he said it wasn’t his fault and I believe him. Still I fear it might affect his particular independent living situation. I don’t like judging a book by its cover. It’s been my experience that most books deserve a good read.

Open Door

Politicians are fond of saying they have an “open door” policy. That’s pretty much true here at our KFIZ studios as well. We’ve always pretty much allowed listeners to walk right in when they feel like it. However a recent incident makes you wonder how much trust you should put in that policy.

Bob Hoffmaster was on the air and made a comment about some parents from somewhere else in the country that were trying to decide which street gang their child should belong to. The comment was meant to be funny, but at least one listener didn’t take it that way.

She drove over to the station and during a commercial break started to tell Bob how inappropriate it was. The conversation took place in the office and not in our on-air studio. However the woman did barge into the studio while Bob was on the air and started ranting at him.

I’m not going to say who was right or wrong, but being a fellow announcer I have to say the woman crossed the line. Most of the people who enter our studios are guests. Sometimes people come in off the street with birthdays or whatever, but have the courtesy to wait until your microphone is off to tell you what it is they need or want.

There have been incidents where radio announcers have been beaten up or killed while doing their air shifts. Certainly that wouldn’t happen in Fond du Lac? Or would it? Trouble is you never know nowadays when people are trying to get their point of view across and don’t seem to know when they’ve gone too far.

Once upon a time I worked at a radio station in Minocqua. Our nighttime disc jockey was getting crank calls at the station. He put up with them and reported them to the station manager who asked him to keep a record of them. Finally he got fed up and started arguing with the guy. The guy told him he’d come down and straighten him out and our disc jockey said come ahead.

Well the guy didn’t, but we later found out he was picked up one night running naked down a county road waving a shotgun around. Turns out he only lived a couple blocks away from our disc jockey.

With radio you’re going to touch a nerve once in awhile. It’s unavoidable. You only hope that it’s not going to enrage someone to the point where they feel the need for a face-to-face confrontation. Most times you are trying to say something clever that the majority of your listeners will know is a joke. However some don’t realize it’s only humor. I’m not sure whether to feel sorry for them or just scared.

Brett Favre Stay Retired

Brett Favre don’t come out of retirement. Words I didn’t think I’d ever pen or utter, but there they are. While recuperating in a convalescent home from hip surgery I watched the press conference. Despite what I went through I think that was more painful.

I’m happy to say I at least got to see Favre play at Lambeau once and that it was a winning experience. I also watched the rest of his games as a Green Bay Packer on television in whole or part. Though he played his rookie season for the Atlanta Falcons I’ll always consider Brett Favre as a Packer only! Sorry four or five passes in a Falcons uniform don’t count in my book.

Last week rumors surfaced that Favre’s agent might be shopping him around to other teams. Some insiders believe the agent might have done that, but not necessarily with Favre’s knowledge and that Favre will stay retired. Short of winning another Super Bowl, and there’s no guarantee that would happen, what else does he have to accomplish.

Critics say Peyton Manning will break Favre’s records in another 5 or 6 years. That may be true, but he’d have to play about 100 more games for the consecutive game streak and there’s no telling when a quarterback is going to be injured. Would that be a reason for Favre to play one more season?

Reggie White retired then came back a season later as a Carolina Panther. He wasn’t the same Reggie White. How would Favre fair in another uniform? Would he go to a team with a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl? If so why not another season with the Green Bay Packers?

So Brett Favre stay retired. Aaron Rodgers stay healthy! Just how good a coach Mike McCarthy is and general manager Ted Thompson is will be measured by next season’s success. Hopefully they’ll all surprise as Favre cruises on his riding lawn mower, a man of leisure who doesn’t have to worry about a blitzing linebacker.

Thanks for the Prayers

I’ve developed a new appreciation for the handicapped and disabled over the last month and a half. Hip surgery did not go as well as hoped for me with some complications arising. A few were life threatening, but because of my relative youth I pulled out of them. As planned I did spend a few weeks in the All About Life Rehabilitation Center in Fond du Lac. That followed a couple of hospital stays.

It wasn’t easy being one of the youngest occupants in the Center. In the dining room I was paired up with Ray and Jerome at a table. Ray is 73-years-old and Jerome a sprite 102. Jerome is also known as “The Candy Man” because of his penchant for passing out candy to other residents and staff. Although it wasn’t easy to understand what he was saying I found out that if you took the time to listen you could.

It’s not easy going through therapy to learn how to walk again. Basically that’s why I was there. It started out slow, but progressed from there. Progress is measured in feet and inches and how much heart you have for it.

I draw some of my strength from a therapy session in which I witnessed both courage and despair. A woman named “Kathy” was depressed about how far she’s come in her therapy. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she talked with her therapist. I’m not sure on the details, but she broke something in her back in January. Her therapist detailed her progress mentioning that someone who might not have been expected to walk again was now able to walk over a hundred feet with the aid of a walker and some help. I hope her therapy continues to go well.

It was also encouraging to get so much support from friends and listeners. Cards, e-mails, and phone calls came to the hospitals and rehab center I stayed at. One friend brought a box of candy, another the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. There were flowers and more. On occasion I got a chance to meet some of our great listeners from an older woman who volunteers at St. Agnes Hospital to a teenage girl, “Anna Rose”, whose mother cuts and styles hair at All About Life.

There were plenty who also had me in their prayers and I hope some day to return that favor for them.

Visitors are important in the healing process. Remember that if someone close to you is going through a hospital stay or convalescent process. More important than the flowers and cards they bring is the encouragement and hope.

Hip, Hip Hooray!

It was a clear crisp day in Park Falls, Wisconsin. It was my birthday in fact. I was about half way through a six-mile run and going over some railroad tracks. I thought to myself that it seemed symbolic. Four years later in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin I was still a runner, but pulled what I thought was a muscle and woke up around another birthday feeling terrible pain. I thought I’d ripped up a muscle in my left leg.

Several months later I found out that my running days were over unless I wanted to hasten on hip surgery. I was informed I was too young for that, but would likely need it anyway within 10 years. Now 11 years later in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin it’s become a reality. Although some physicians still feel I’m too young for surgery.

I have my bad left hip to thank for a few new educational experiences. First of all I have learned how far you can go before you can no longer hide the pain from yourself. Others can see it, but you put on blinders. It’s also been a wonderful introduction to our health care system. I am beginning to see the frustration that people go through.

Working with insurance companies is strange. It’s almost like trying to speak a language you are nowhere near fluent in. Our insurance program at work isn’t bad, but unless you learn the short cuts you may just become lost. For instance the 1-800 number you call for all purposes isn’t very helpful. Neither is the website that’s supposed to supply instance answers. Of course part of this was my fault because I didn’t speak the language.

I was eventually able to get questions answered. The term “in-network” became essential to my cause. For instance going through my regular doctor and the orthopedist he recommended, both “in-network,” I was given the names of several specialists. It looked like one that I was referred to was also “in-network,” but the facility he does the surgery at isn’t. I have since been referred to another surgeon and facility that is.

The surgeon informed me that I would be in the hospital for 3-5 days. The insurance company sent me a notice that I was covered for 3 days. I’ve been told this is a game that the insurance companies and doctors play. Since I hadn’t had the surgery at the time that I wrote this no one really knows how long I’ll be required to be in the hospital.

Until I actually have surgery there are no certainties, but I know that when it does happen a whole chapter of my life is finished. Taking stock of the things I’ve missed out on the last few years I really wish I’d gotten the surgery done earlier. I took a trip to Lambeau Field with my brother John in the fall of 2006 and watched the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions. It was a great trip and I enjoyed it immensely, but climbing through the stands was both painful and worrisome.

One of the wonderful things I’ve learned from this experience is just how wonderful your friends are. The people who volunteered to help me through it by giving me rides and best wishes have shown me that a person who has friends is truly blessed. I’m also thankful to those who have been through the procedure that put in their two cents worth.

If you’ve been told you need hip surgery and have put it off, a piece of advice. Don’t wait until a friend tells you I thought that was you I saw “gimping around.” That was six years ago and came from a friend. Doctors can tell you what’s what, but friends lend some honesty to the diagnosis.

A Pretty Good Start

“A pretty good start.” That’s the punch line to a famous lawyer joke. Don’t get me wrong I heard it from a lawyer friend of mine. I only speak of it after sitting in on a long murder trial, the Kevin Moore case, which got me to thinking about lawyers and courtrooms, etc.

If you’re not familiar with the case Moore was accused of bludgeoning his wife to death with a cinderblock. A jury found him guilty of the murder charge after nearly 13 hours of deliberation. Moore’s lawyer is the legendary Gerald Boyle. It’s the first time in my travels that I’ve covered a case in which Boyle was representing someone. His most famous client was Jeffrey Dahmer.

Speaking with my reporting colleagues a few feel Boyle’s best days are behind him, but I think he gave Moore his best shot. He certainly had the jury’s attention throughout the case. Compared to his opponent in the courtroom, Assistant State Attorney General Tom Storm, they are a study in contrast. Storm was the Fond du Lac County District Attorney when Moore was originally charged.

During his closing argument Boyle explained to the jury how he operates and made no apologies for at times bouncing his raised voice off the courtroom walls. He quoted from General Douglas MacArthur, Popeye, and the Constitution. Okay so the Popeye thing was the line “I am what I am,” but I couldn’t resist.

In his rebuttal Storm had a little fun at Boyle’s expense quoting from a Theodore Roosevelt speech where the president had written in the margins, “argument weak, speak louder.” Storm got his arguments and questioning across in the case without raising his voice.

While waiting for the jury verdict Boyle shared with myself and a reporter for Channel 5 that he was disappointed that Court TV had decided against carrying the Moore Trial. He felt it would be compelling television. He also showed us a photo of his Newfoundland and his granddaughter. He says the dog goes wherever he does and was in fact happy to sit in his car for hours at a time.

One of our sports guys at KFIZ knows of Boyle and had his own story he imparted. He says there’s a picture that hangs in the Press Box in Fond du Lac that was taken of Travis Diener. It’s the only picture of Travis taken during his Marquette basketball glory days that hangs in the tavern. Boyle, who is an amateur photographer, took it. He occasionally eats there when he’s in Fond du Lac.

As for Tom Storm I know he has a good sense of humor, but goes about things quietly. I covered my share of court cases he’s prosecuted and he’s a good lawyer. He may not have the big reputation that Boyle does, but in a courtroom is just as imposing.

Kevin Moore got a good lawyer when he hired Boyle. However for the family and friends of murder victim Dawn Moore, Tom Storm as prosecutor in the case was more than “a pretty good start.”

The Packers Unexpected Journey

First off I’d like to wish good luck to the Green Bay Packers this Sunday when they host the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game. The fact that it’s being played at Lambeau Field is a surprise. The fact that the Packers are in that game is also a surprise.

All Packer fans had hope when they finished the 2006 season with four straight wins, but honestly I didn’t expect the Bears to fall from first place. Of course they still had the Packers’ number during their regular season match ups, but I still figured when the dust settled Green Bay at best had a shot at a wild card spot.

While waiting for last Saturday’s game to come on the tube I went through some of the Packer memorabilia from their Super Bowl winning season of 1996. There’s a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel compendium of the 1996 season, a Sports Illustrated issue from the Super Bowl win and a few videos. I didn’t watch the videos, but did thumb through the Journal Sentinel book.

The 1996 team and the 2007 edition have some similarities and some major differences. The earlier team was expected to win and they played like a team. The latest team, we are constantly reminded, is the youngest in the NFL and wasn’t expected to win. However they have played like a team with different contributions each week paving the way for a winning season.

There’s a lot of national media attention focusing on Green Bay this week and I hope that they don’t melt under the spotlight. I still have nightmares about John Elway and the Denver Broncos beating the Packers in a Super Bowl that Green Bay was favored to win.

One line from the 1996 team that I will always remember is “The Journey is the Reward!” I think to describe this 2007 team you’d have to say “The Unexpected Journey is the Reward!”

Whatever lies beyond next weekend I certainly have appreciated the pleasant diversion the Packers have provided through the fall and early winter months. Hopefully there’s one more chapter for the Packers to write in February. Go Pack Go!

Up In Smoke

I’m never really sure how to feel when state legislators start talking about smoking bans. On the one side there are certain things the government shouldn’t be allowed to regulate. On the other I’m not a smoker and really can’t stand the smoke from cigarettes myself.

When I was younger smoking was a fact of life. Not for me personally, but my mother smoked, a grandmother and grandfather smoked, even my father smoked a pipe at one time. Things changed. My mother had to give it up for health reasons. My dad gave up smoking a pipe when some of the tobacco he was smoking ended up in an eye in a freak accident.

Years ago I became a runner and although those days are behind me, I really appreciated breathing in fresh air. Now it’s hard for me to walk into a smoke-filled room and something I wouldn’t do by choice. I can feel the effects the next day. Sure it sounds like whining, but tell it to the 200,000 people that die every year from second hand smoke.

Still I live with smoking to a certain degree. A younger sister is a smoker. She used to be bad about just lighting up whenever and wherever she was, but over the years has become a little more considerate. Last year my other sister and a brother went to her house during Christmas time to clean it for her and put up her tree to cheer her up. Her mirrors and windows were covered with a film of nicotine.

When I lived in Beaver Dam I rented a small house. One day I accidentally knocked out a false-ceiling panel while I was cleaning and it broke. Fortunately there were spares in the basement and I replaced it. It was lily white compared to the other stained-yellow panels. You guessed it a previous tenant had quite the smoking habit. I left the panel up hoping it would give others something to think about.

Today on KFIZ we talked with Sandy Bernier of the Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control Coalition. She shared a number for Wisconsin’s Tobacco Quit Line. If you’ve considered quitting smoking you can get help at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, that’s 1-800-784-8669. It operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Here's their website address too I’m never really sure how to feel when state legislators start talking about smoking bans. On the one side there are certain things the government shouldn’t be allowed to regulate. On the other I’m not a smoker and really can’t stand the smoke from cigarettes myself.

When I was younger smoking was a fact of life. Not for me personally, but my mother smoked, a grandmother and grandfather smoked, even my father smoked a pipe at one time. Things changed. My mother had to give it up for health reasons. My dad gave up smoking a pipe when some of the tobacco he was smoking ended up in an eye in a freak accident.

Years ago I became a runner and although those days are behind me, I really appreciated breathing in fresh air. Now it’s hard for me to walk into a smoke-filled room and something I wouldn’t do by choice. I can feel the effects the next day. Sure it sounds like whining, but tell it to the 200,000 people that die every year from second hand smoke.

Still I live with smoking to a certain degree. A younger sister is a smoker. She used to be bad about just lighting up whenever and wherever she was, but over the years has become a little more considerate. Last year my other sister and a brother went to her house during Christmas time to clean it for her and put up her tree to cheer her up. Her mirrors and windows were covered with a film of nicotine.

When I lived in Beaver Dam I rented a small house. One day I accidentally knocked out a false-ceiling panel while I was cleaning and it broke. Fortunately there were spares in the basement and I replaced it. It was lily white compared to the other stained-yellow panels. You guessed it a previous tenant had quite the smoking habit. I left the panel up hoping it would give others something to think about.

Today on KFIZ we talked with Sandy Bernier of the Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control Coalition. She shared a number for Wisconsin’s Tobacco Quit Line. If you’ve considered quitting smoking you can get help at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, that’s 1-800-784-8669. It operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Here's their website address too http://www.wiquitline.org/ I don’t have a problem with those who smoke. It’s their choice, but it isn’t mine.

So Long 2007!

I don’t know how you feel, but I’m glad to see 2008 arrive. Of course covering the news is a little bit different than reading or hearing about it. Reporters have to be objective, but occasionally get to talk about the stories they cover or read to you on the radio.

In putting together an End of the Year Special (“Forged by Fire,” which you can hear on the www.kfiz.com homepage) I once again got to live through some of the stories I covered. Locally I think the St. Louis Church fire was tops. Although no one was killed in the fire it impacted a lot of people. Sadly a new use for the church was found and it would have been preserved. It was a story that touched the heart for many.

The continuing controversy over the Highway 151 bypass in Fond du Lac was another matter. When the state’s Department of Transportation decided to close four intersections to through traffic along the bypass it had implications for residents as well. Some were more than inconvenienced. They were hit in the pocket book. It left many asking why the state just didn’t do the project right in the first place.

There were others in the state that kept reporters busy and people followed them daily for weeks or months. That included the Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey murder trials. Hilbert freelance photographer Teresa Halbach deserved a long happy life. She didn’t get it. Neither did seven young adults killed in Crandon by an off-duty Sheriff’s officer.

Nationally my thoughts keep going back to the Virginia Tech shootings that left 33 people dead including the shooter. He was an alienated loner, big surprise. Unfortunately the shooting set a new benchmark for violence and school shootings. One I hope will never ever be closely approached.

In sports the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers both gave me hope and hours of pleasure. Both teams are young and show promise. For nearly the entire season the Brewers were in the thick of it. The Packers story is still being written, but they surprised many and seeing Brett Favre return to MVP-like form brought smiles to many faces.

What does 2008 hold? For you and your family I hope a lot of promise, some dreams come true and mostly good news!

Naughty and Nice

In keeping with the situation Mr. Scrooge, I present my own Christmas naughty and nice list. I considered a celebrity list, but that would be too easy and way over done. So let’s narrow the focus a little.

Nice: Fond du Lac City Manager Tom Herre who accepted the responsibility of being Honorary Chair of the Fond du Lac Salvation Army’s 1st Annual Community Christmas Dinner. Also, a nod to all those table hosts, volunteers and businesses that will help stage the dinner at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds Recreation Building on Friday December 21st.

Naughty: Those who think it’s fun to vandalize outdoors Christmas displays. People put a lot of effort into creating and sharing them with the community. It takes a lot less imagination to destroy than to create.

Nice: The Christmas display in Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park. Also the decorations area cities put up in their downtowns to brighten the holidays.

Naughty: The people who put their Christmas shopping too far ahead of others. Namely I’m speaking of those who don’t have a disability, but use handicap parking stalls to get closer to the store. Shame on you!

Nice: Those who take extra time to shovel out around fire hydrants next to their homes or the curb cuts on corners. You’re helping out those who already have obstacles or are trying to provide a protective service to others.

Naughty: Those who only look at the Christmas season as an excuse to drink too much or go from party to party. At least do us the favor of not driving drunk to the next party or on your way home.

Nice: Parents who take the time to attend their children’s Christmas functions or share traditions with them. These are life-sized ornaments you can’t hang on a Christmas tree.

Naughty: People who re-gift, giving gifts they received in the past. There are charities that would gladly take your donation.

Nice: Anyone who gives to charity during the holidays when times are tight for everyone. You never know when some day you may need the services of a Salvation Army or United Way agency or others.

Naughty: Christmas “Scrooges.” Those who just can’t get into the Christmas spirit, can’t stand it and don’t care how many people they share that opinion with.

No Christmas season is perfect. Snow doesn’t remain Lilly white. Bills for that gift giving come due. The donation you make to a charity might mean cutting corners elsewhere. The person who irritates you at holiday gatherings probably won’t be visited by three spirits. Take some time to enjoy the season and reflect on why it’s celebrated. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Yes Virginia

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus. No, this is not some lame attempt to mimic a classic Christmas editorial. The thought here is that occasionally we might be able catch a glimpse of Santa in a mirror at home.

I’m not saying I go out of way to be nice during the holidays, but did something Santa-like the other day. I was at the Post Office in Fond du Lac for some personal business when I spied an older gentleman in his car buried in a snow bank on 1st Street. He tried to pull a U-turn and paid for it when he couldn’t swing it and ended up wedging a wheel on the passenger side into the snow bank.

I’m ashamed to say that no one was stopping to help him, but they were getting their Christmas cards, letters and bills dropped off in the drive-up mailbox. I decided to stop and try and help him. Between the two of us we couldn’t accomplish it, but soon a kind woman stopped and she had a small shovel. We had her climb behind the wheel of the car and were able to lift the front end just enough so that she could rock it backwards and out. He thanked us and we left. It really wasn’t a big deal.

It does however remind me that we should probably help our neighbors more than we do and not assume that someone else is going to be good enough to stop and pitch in. Although the man that needed assistance didn’t bear any resemblance to Santa Claus except for his white hair, no doubt he’s played the kindly old elf to a number of people over the years. Just think how many people passed up the chance to be nice.

Although gifts and cards are great to give and receive during the holidays it’s those small opportunities we have to give something of ourselves that really can make someone’s Christmas special. Of course when it comes to being a better person, unlike the credit cards we use so much during this season, there’s no limit and no expiration date.

Christmas Tree

Why is it that every year we get dragged into a debate on whether the term “Christmas” is politically correct? The most recent foray is state legislators bickering over whether to call the giant tree put on display at the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin a “Christmas Tree.” Since 1985 it’s been referred to as a “Holiday Tree.”

The folks with the Freedom from Religion Foundation say it is what it is and should be left that way. Others think its time to rethink the issue. I’m all for not offending people, but the term holiday is sooooh generic! Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, and Halloween are holidays as well. I didn’t include New Year’s in the mix because people often think of that as part of the Christmas season. Do those holidays have trees? You know the kind you put ornaments, tinsel and lights on?

It’s a dumb questions and do agree with the Freedom from Religion Foundation that legislators have more important things to talk about. I vote for using the term “Christmas Tree.” At least in my own home I don’t have to worry about offending someone with that term. If you’re religion free is it possible to “practice what you preach?”

On other Christmas topics:

When do we get to the point where we see an impact on crowded stores and malls from shopping online? I’m ashamed to say I’ve been doing more of that, but then again one of the persons I’m shopping for is very discriminating. Translation they want movies on DVD and other items you won’t find locally.

The TV networks can rerun episodes of newer television series over and over. Why can’t they run traditional Christmas programs like Charlie Brown’s Christmas more than once? And for heaven’s sake why not run them closer to Christmas.

Christmas traditions can be real odd. We have one in our family where someone takes a mildly offensive term and puts it on a post-it note on my mom’s refrigerator. Throughout the course of several days cruder fashions for that term start popping up on a make shift list. I didn’t say it was a nice tradition, but I think my mother actually enjoys the humor in it. This year I’m going to suggest the term “Christmas Tree.”

P.S. That's not the State Capitol's tree.

Deer Hunting

I’m not a deer hunter. I tried when I was younger and really enjoyed the experience especially the part of scouting out a place to hunt and then hunkering down and waiting for my opportunity. The problem is me and guns don’t have a working relationship. I could hit the broad side of a barn with a rifle, but only if I was close enough to throw the gun at it.

My deer hunting is now restricted to foraging through the freezer section of my fridge to see what venison my successful deer hunting brothers and sisters have donated to the cause. Last week I enjoyed some venison stroganoff and this week I’ll dip into some venison chili. People who say they can’t stand the taste of venison have never really tried it other than just fried up in a pan. Meat processors can do wonders.

The great thing about deer hunting is the bonding it can build with families. One of my fondest memories of my dad is of him taking me deer hunting with him when I was 4 or 5 years old. At least that’s how old I think I was. I remember my canteen had milk in it and I sat on a stump trying to be as quiet as possible. I don’t think we had any success that day, but the joy of being with my father was probably reward enough for the both of us.

That kind of bonding has been passed down from my brother John to his two sons Max and Derek. That’s Max pictured, who is 12-years-old, with the 5 pointer he shot on the opening day of Michigan’s gun-deer season Thursday, November 15th. My brother Matt and his wife Laurie also got their bucks early in the season. I count myself lucky to known that at least someone in the family can be successful at deer hunting.

This is probably where someone with PETA or another animal rights group would probably say it’s a barbaric practice. I once talked with a conservation warden who had worked with the Department of Natural Resources in northern Wisconsin for more than 30 years. I’ll never forget his words. Animals out in the wild don’t die of old age and rarely in their sleep.

I took a year off of college and worked with the U.S. Forest Service on a timber crew. We marked trees for cutting in the woods. From that experience I learned to appreciate nature and wildlife. I can definitely get the appeal of hunting. Those who’ve never done it really shouldn’t criticize. The timing of Wisconsin’s season also prepares us for another, the Christmas shopping season when survival of the fittest is truly tested.

Deer hunting season is great. Besides I’d rather see a deer carcass strapped across someone’s car or truck hood than part of my dashboard.

Homeboy Dropped His Cell Phone! -Full - Ghost Hunters Live!

My nephews who are wrestling fans really enjoyed this video taken from a live Ghost Hunters episode on Scifi channel Halloween. ECW's Elijah Burke freaked out while ghost hunting with the programs investigators! He lived up to his "Express" nickname!

Jury Duty

There’s a whole different kind of jury duty than the one people try to get out of. That’s the one prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, witnesses and interested parties like the press are involved in. Namely waiting for a jury to come back with verdicts in a case.

Witness for example the recent Ben Mercer case involving the former Fond du Lac City Human Resources Director accused of viewing child porn on a work computer. As a reporter you can try and sweet talk your way into getting someone to call you to let you know when the jury has decided and is returning. That can be risky business.

Most of the time you just sit and wait swapping stories. Some of these might be termed war stories. The question arises, “What’s the longest jury trial you ever worked?” A cameraman from Channel 26 won this time talking about a trial in the mid-80s that went more than five months. The Ben Mercer trial is the longest of my particular time as a reporter. The nine days it lasted edged out an eight-day trial I covered in Dodge County for a baby-shaking case. The infant died and the jury acquitted the veteran baby sitter who was charged in the baby girl’s death.

We also talked about a jury trial in Outagamie County that was running parallel to the Mercer case involving a former teacher who was accused of sexually assaulting a student and former student. He was acquitted and earned mention in USA Today by fainting during the course of the trial.

Most of us starved in the lobby of the second floor of the City-County Government Center while the jury was treated to fresh pizza brought in no doubt just in time to reenergize them during their deliberations. One reporter munched on a homemade sandwich she claimed wasn’t tasty at all and was only outdone by the stale all-natural boxed snack she switched off on. I starved and settled for water.

I actually got a break during the seven hours of deliberation to go to a doctor’s appointment that went longer than I’d hoped. Good old reliable Wade Bates of our sports department sat in and swapped stories with the Assistant State Attorney General and two others during that time. The Channel 26 reporter and cameraman left to cover some white powder found in an envelope in Oshkosh and severe weather. The weather never materialized, but did set a dramatic scene outside that second floor window.

Although the future of a person hinges on the jury’s decision it almost seems anti-climatic after a long trial and deliberation. Unlike television and the movies there’s no music to heighten the mood or quick quip to go with the announcement of the decision. For the jury however there is a little bonding with other jury members during the trial and a sense of relief. Unlike others they were chosen to serve and did the job very well.

State Budget

Even when you report the news sometimes you get a little frustrated with a story. That’s how I feel about the impasse over Wisconsin’s state budget. Insiders say they aren’t that far apart except for on a few key issues. Both sides are blaming each other for not being willing to compromise. It’s like an old-fashioned duel in which the two participants are given single-shot pistols and miss each other.

It is costing people already as property tax levies are being set for December tax bills and state employees realize they may soon be unemployed. My sister Kathy works for the state of Michigan’s Correction Department. At the end of last month she was informed that she was being laid off and not to bother filing for unemployment because there wasn’t any money for that either. Fortunately Michigan passed a 30-day extension of their budget and she and other state employees went back to work.

I’m told that couldn’t happen in Wisconsin because the state’s old budget just continues in such cases. However something has got to give. This morning we got a report from the Associated Press the eight state legislators working on the budget compromise committee had earned $34,000 in per diem payments and travel money since July first. That’s simply not fair. If there were any justice no state legislator would be paid including the Governor, one of those budget proposals is his, until the budget were passed.

My first radio job out of college an automobile repair shop owner held my car hostage because he didn’t think I could pay my tab. When he found out who my boss was, she had a reputation for robbing Peter and paying Paul, he took pity on me. He got half my paycheck anyway and I had to go without some things for a few months.

I don’t blame state employees for gathering at the State Capitol to protest the budget impasse. In the end that old boss of mine spent five years in prison because she shorted the wrong person. Chances are nobody’s going to prison for failing to pass the state budget. Then again if they did imagine the wonderful treatment they’d get from those state employees. Provided of course there’s money available to man the prison.

We Are Marshall

When it comes to sports movies I guess I’m a real sap. I enjoyed “We are Marshall.” Part of that was due to the fact that it was based on a real incident. To tell you the truth I thought Matthew McConaughey’s performance as the new head coach of the Marshall University football team in the wake of a tragic plane crash was a little over the top, but it seemed to fit in with the role. What was eerie was seeing the players in their letter jackets. Honest to goodness they look just like mine when I was playing high school football. I recommended the movie to one of the women in our front office and she liked it. She is a family-oriented “happy ending” person. It has a good cast. I’m not going to say anything more about it in case you wanted to see a football movie that demonstrates how life and death is so much more important than a game and yet how important a game can be to help us cope with loss.

As a kid I read a number of biographies, autobiographies and some ghostwritten autobiographies. Lately I’ve gone through a period of watching DVDs and movies based on real life events. “Zodiac,” about the Zodiac killer of the late 1960s was disturbing in more ways than one. It’s about the obsession both police investigating the killings and those writing or reporting about them get caught up in. For some it cost them their jobs, health and marriages. Officially the killer wasn’t caught, but the film points toward a likely suspect.

I recently picked up a copy of “World Trade Center.” I watched it the weekend after the 6th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. I have to give credit to Oliver Stone that he didn’t go overboard as he is apt to do, but am convinced from watching it that the 9/11 attacks are something I will never be able to fully think about without feeling a sense of loss. It tells the story of two of the New York Port Authority policemen who were trapped in the rubble at Ground Zero and survived. Usually I’ll watch a movie several times to see if I like it. I haven’t been able to watch it a second time yet, even though for the officers it had a happy ending.

On television sometime over the last few months I watched Spike Lee’s “Summer of Sam,” a take on the Son of Sam murders. Not really a fan of Brooklyn or the Bronx I found some of the 1999 film downright stupid and or funny. Like when the dog talks to David Berkowitz. Then there’s Spike Lee playing a reporter. I’m not sure if he was going for the best wooden performance award or if he was poking fun at himself, but there was a funny bit where some of the bystanders verbally attack him (the reporter) for the job he is doing.

Sadly Hollywood at its best can’t substitute for real-life drama or tragedy. Witness for example the shootings in Crandon, Wisconsin early Sunday morning A 20-year-old off-duty Forest County Sheriff’s Deputy shot and killed six people, another person is in critical condition. I lived and worked in Northern Wisconsin for six years. I’d travel through Crandon at least three times each year and back to go see family in Michigan’s U.P. I always thought of it as a nice quiet community. Residents living there now probably wish it still were.

Customer Service

Customer service sure isn’t what it used to be. I think part of that is due to the fact that a lot is no longer done face-to-face. The words convenient, new, and automated phone service should never be used together. Take for example my recent efforts to just find out if my doctor is covered under our new insurance carrier.

I spent the better part of an hour going through their automated toll-free number before by shear luck I got a hold of a real person who gave me a short cut through the new convenient system. Yes my doctor is part of the plan, which I thought I could easily find out through their website. Alas my insurance card had two types of plans listed on it. That’s why I was trying to reach a real person in the first place. I found out one shouldn’t have been listed and actually creates a lot of questions for them. I wonder how many of those questions are as easily answered.

Many businesses go with automated phone service now. I’ve run into that with the State Patrol, school districts, businesses, etc. We even have one at our radio stations offices. It’s on after hours. Granted that’s not an easy system for some people. In checking for weather cancellations one morning I stumbled across messages from a man who wanted to get a birthday on the air. Of course we do that live on KFIZ six mornings a week and take them ahead of time during business hours as well. Still it was inconvenient for him.

With the Internet a lot more inquiries are being done on line. I sometimes do that, but still prefer doing it over the phone or in person. Shopping is still a feel good experience for me although every once in a while you are going to have a bad experience. How mad does it make you to see an item in a flyer and then be told when you get to the store that they were only allowed to carry a certain number or that their particular store wasn’t allowed to stock that item? Buyer beware!

We are coming up on that time of year when Christmas shopping has us scrutinizing our purchases a little more carefully. I can’t tell you how much I agonize about the amount of time I want to spend in a crowded store. Add a little short temperedness of some shoppers and overworked clerks and you have the recipe for Bah Humbug. Remembering the reason for the season helps me get through it.

Generally the bigger the company the more lax the customer service seems to be. Recently a part in our central printer broke down. One of our ladies in the front office spent an hour and eight minutes on hold waiting for a real person to help her out. A couple more such calls and the better part of a week later our printer, which everyones' computers in the building are linked to, was up and running again. And you wonder why the corporate company that makes that printer went through a boardroom scandal in the past year?

Now for something nice to say! My experiences with local companies have been first rate. I call quite a few in connection with news stories. So my thanks to Mercury Marine, G & L, BCI Burke, Quad Graphics, Mid States Aluminum and a host of others. I don’t know how they treat their customers, but if they are as kind and courteous to them as they have been to this reporter, they’re being treated like royalty.

Freedom of speech or free publicity?

I’m all for peaceful student protests and the right to say your piece, but the incident involving 21-year-old Andrew Meyer of the University of Florida was shameful for all involved. In case you missed the tidal wave of publicity that followed his persistent and somewhat angry questioning of Senator John Kerry during the Senator’s appearance on campus that led to a confrontation with police. They tried to remove him from in front of a microphone when his time limit was up and he began to put up a struggle.

Police had to use a Taser on him during his pleas of “No bro don’t tase, me.” The officers in question are now under scrutiny while Meyer after his release from jail Tuesday morning decided not to talk with the press. That’s interesting given that he has his own website, which displays material that some would call stupid, others glory-seeking, and yet others would say makes some interesting points. He’s also known as a practical joker. He’s a communications major and knows how to get attention. He’s gotten that in spades.

Somewhat removed from my college days I do remember some hot button issues of the day we protested. I usually chose the written word, the student newspaper or through peaceful means. I believe a student should be able to express his or her opinion, especially if they have no ulterior motive. I’m not so sure Meyer didn’t have one.

As for the use of tasers or stun guns, I think it’s an option for police officers I’d rather see than someone being shot. Pepper spray doesn’t always work, but when an officer threatens the use of a stun gun the person causing the problem usually shows some hesitancy.

A Fond du Lac police officer had to use a taser on a man at the Fond du Lac County jail this week. The man caused a disturbance in front of a downtown bar after being kicked out for trying to pick fights. An officer gave him every chance advising him to just walk home, but he then decided to tease a police dog in the officer’s squad car by barking loudly at it. The officer advised him to stop because that’s a crime, but the man continued calling the dog profane names. Finally the officer said he was going to arrest the man and the man took off on foot. He was caught. Several times during his arrest he was told he would be tased when he wouldn’t get into a squad car. That didn’t happen, but later at the jail as the man was struggling with six officers, a taser was used not once but twice when he wouldn’t calm down.

I’m not sure how other departments handle it, but when a Fond du Lac police officer uses a taser the incident is reviewed to see if it was a necessary use of force. In this case it seemed it was. By the way because the man was struggling with six officers the officer had to look for a large muscle group to use the taser on. The only one open that fit that description for the first stun was the buttocks.

It’s unfortunate that civil disobedience and freedom of speech has evolved on campus in this particular instance into a national forum and political issue. Freedom of speech or free publicity, which was Andrew Meyer really seeking?

A Parent's Responsibility Never Ends!

I’m now convinced that no matter how old a parent gets they will always be responsible for a child. That’s a hard lesson for both parent and child to learn and unfortunately I recently saw examples of that in the Fond du Lac County court system.

I won’t use any names, but if you follow the news you’ll at least be able to figure out one case I’m referring to. Both were in court the same day before Judge Peter Grimm for initial hearings. A 30-year-old woman was there because she failed to make an appearance and was wanted on a warrant. She’d actually reached some type of agreement to pay a fine on a bad check writing charge. She told the judge she’d moved in with a man and didn’t have any way of getting to court from the part of the state she was living in. She also had no job and if I had to guess I’d say she either is very ditsy or has some type of substance abuse problem. Her grandmother was in court to pay her fine and get her out of hot water.

The other case was more serious. Another 30-year-old woman made her appearance via video from the jail. She’s been charged with drunken driving homicide for running into another car, which resulted in injuries to three others in the other vehicle including the death of a 7-month old child. Her parents were sitting in front of me and you could tell by their reaction that they were going to have a hard time making the $15,000 cash bond the judge set for her. After the hearing they both were out in a parking lot working cell phones to try and scrape together bail money. Apparently they were successful because she was out before the weekend was over.

Listening to a little of her history you could gather that she’d been through a divorce a few years ago and was trying to do her best as a single mom for her 11-year-old son. This is the sad thing about some drunken driving accidents that result in fatal injuries. It may be someone’s first mistake and you may be a good person, but you can’t take back what happened.

I’m not really picking on women here. A few years ago I was in court for a hearing involving a 55-year-old man. His elderly father, with portable oxygen tank by his side, sat and listened waiting to do what he had to so his son could get out of jail. While covering hearings in Dodge County court a few years back I heard about the worst decision by a young man in his 20’s. He’d driven drunk and hit a van containing a family on their way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The mother of the family was instantly killed; others were injured including a teenage girl who was left a paraplegic. His family put up their farm to make a half a million dollars cash bond. While he was out on bail he and his younger brother went to an underage drinking party violating his bail and he was caught. His parents forfeited their farm. I’m not sure if they got it back, but I know he was sent to prison.

Not all examples are restricted to courtrooms. One of my younger sisters ended up living at home the past year when she hit a rough patch. She got tired of hitting her head on the glass ceiling and decided to go out on her own, which worked for awhile. She’s bounced back since then, but again a parent chips in when they have to. Though my Mom complained about it I think she liked the company.

Sports briefs:

Being from Michigan I’m taking shots on how bad the Wolverines are playing this year. You have to take the bad with the good. I was happy to see the Green Bay Packers beat the Eagles on Sunday. It was far from a stunning success, but after five straight losses to Philadelphia it was nice to see the Packers win. And it’s nice to see the Milwaukee Brewers still in a pennant race this late in the season.