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.

Labor Day is Memorial Day

I’ll explain the picture in a moment. There’s still a little kid inside of me that dreads Labor Day. That’s because it always meant the start of another school year. However now it signals the end of summer, which is far too brief.

For years I always got my holidays confused, Labor Day and Memorial Day, not sure which unofficially started and ended summer. I’d actually like to see them switched. It doesn’t’ seem right that we pay tribute to our workers with a day off and then send them back, to begin the final leg of the year. I do enjoy the tribute to our veterans on Memorial Day, but some how feel it would be more appropriate towards the end of summer.

This year it feels a little more like Memorial Day around Labor Day because we recently lost a Fond du Lac area soldier in the war in Iraq. Captain Derek Dobogai was one of 14 soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in northern Iraq. I didn’t know him, but have spoken to a couple of his acquaintances including one of his best friends Adam Mueller. He has my sympathy.

No matter how you feel about the war you have to admire those who are willing to put their lives on the line. You know it’s interesting how we view war and how those who serve in wars do.

One of my first jobs out of college was as a dispatcher for the public safety department in my hometown of Manistique, Michigan. A majority of the police officers I worked with had military service. Most had served in Vietnam, one in Korea. They didn’t talk openly about their experiences. If they did it was in passing. One of the officers, who doubled as an EMT, was a medic in the Korean War. Another, who served in Vietnam, tried to make a joke of it when he talked about his experiences. It usually came off as nervous and awkward. If they wanted to talk about it they would.

A couple of my friends went into the military. One drowned in a training accident. Another became a first-rate soldier. I didn’t lose any friends or relatives that I know of to war. I’m lucky that way, so far. My two nephews are 9 and 12 years old this year. I hope if they ever have to serve in the military they come through unscathed.

For Derek Dobogai’s family Labor Day is Memorial Day. His funeral service is on Monday.

If you’d like to sign his guest book here’s the address:
http://legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=93219044&PageNo=1

Barney's Grocery

We recently ran a poll on the KFIZ.com website asking people how the closing of the Pick ‘N Save grocery store on West Scott Street in Fond du Lac would affect them. One of those who saw the poll e-mailed and suggested that we should have included an option that the question was stupid. Fair enough, I’m one of those who will be impacted by the decision to close the store. That’s not the reason for the poll however. Quite a few people commented to me that they too will now have to shop elsewhere. Roundy’s closed the Copps Foods store a couple years ago and I enjoyed shopping there as well. A lot of people are anticipating the opening of Festival Foods.

When I was a teenager two of the first three jobs I had involved working at grocery stores in my hometown of Manistique, Michigan. One was at the A & P store, which had a line of stores across the country that has since closed. Their store brand was the Ann Page line of groceries. The other job was at a Mom and Pop store known as Barney’s Grocery.

Working at Barney’s is still one of my fondest memories. It was a small store on Oak Street a stone’s throw from a Catholic School and only a couple blocks down from an Elementary School. Barney Johnson was the proprietor. He was probably in his late 60s to early 70s when I worked a couple days a week for him stocking shelves.

Barney’s was a good old-fashioned neighborhood grocery store. For the kids it was where you could pick up penny candies, though by that time most candy bars and candies ran you more. He had all the latest candy. I remember going through a caramel candy bar phase. Remember the Marathon Bar? Of course Barney was no fool he carried a line of grocery products and beer and wine for adults.

Somewhere along the line Barney got his 15 minutes of fame. He was written up in the local weekly paper (The Pioneer Tribune) because he’d been offering penny candies for more than 40 years and served generations of children. Imagine the patience needed for those momentous decisions kids with a few pennies and dimes agonized over in his store?

Eventually time marched on and Barney passed away. Thankfully the store fell into the hands of Jim Sangraw, another nice guy, who for years was also connected with the local golf course as well. I went to school with one of his kids. He kept Barney’s name on the sign outside the store.

Sadly the store went the way of many Mom and Pop operations and is no longer doing business. We lived a block down from Barney’s and it was part of my tween and teen years. I asked about it a few years back and some one told me that the people who owned it were basically using it for storage. A sad end to a sweet story!

8/26/07-P.S. Since originally writing this blog. I've found out through relatives and the Pioneer Tribune that the old Barney's Grocery store has been remodeled and is now being used as the local headquarters for Habitat for Humanity.

Oh Blog!

I probably will live to regret this, but here goes any way. During a recent blog I wrote that I have to start writing them on more of a regular basis. Of course by comparison I’m leagues ahead of my colleagues at KFIZ. One likes the Internet so much he hasn’t written one in over a year. Another who pushed us to write blogs to show listeners more of our personalities hasn’t penned one in nearly a year.

I like reading their thoughts, but haven’t been treated to any fresh ones in about three months, at the very least. I think this blogging thing is a good thing. It’s like buying a DVD of a movie, enjoying the film, and then finding out the cheapskates didn’t include any extras except the trailers you’d see in the movie theater any way.

Okay I got that out of my system now on to something different. There’s a benefit coming up for Kellan Henning this Saturday (August 18) at Taylor Park in Rosendale. There are activities for kids and adults from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Kellan was bicycling last month when he was hit by a car. He’s undergone a number of surgeries and his folks could use the help with medical bills. There are a lot of deserving benefits out there and I hate to just shed light on one, but there you go.

I liked Tommy Thompson as a Governor and felt some pride when he got a cabinet post in the Bush Administration, but to tell you the truth couldn’t really see him as a presidential candidate. The teflon coating isn’t holding up as well as it did years ago and I was fearful that as the campaign trail wore on we’d find out more about him than we really wanted to know.

As a reporter and fellow human being I’ve been disappointed with the way press conferences have been staged in the Utah Mine disaster. By the time they get up to the mikes and cameras officials have already informed the families of the progress they’ve made. So why prolong their agony and everybody elses with technical mumbo jumbo. Is there any sign of life, any thread of hope, have our prayers been answered?

Last, but not least. Ashland, Kentucky’s “Duct Tape Bandit.” What was he thinking?

Candles In a Coal Mine

One tragedy seems to replace another in a week-by-week succession this year. Okay that’s a shoot from the hip generality, but something that was brought up by a young lady just getting her feet wet in my profession.

After hearing about the I-35W Bridge collapse in Minnesota she wondered if we were reaching an apocalyptic stage in the world given similar collapses and steam venting over the last few months. I told her no it’s just that a lot of our nation’s infrastructure went through a building boom in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s and now it’s aging. Little did I know from talking to local officials how right I was.

Still it gets you to thinking about the collection of tragedies during the past few years. As I write there’s a search for six missing coal miners in Utah. We can hope and pray that turns out okay.

During the first day I was reporting on the bridge collapse my mind kept wondering back to a movie I saw a few months ago on television “The Mothman Prophecies.” It’s a sci-fi movie about a reporter investigating Mothman sightings and visions. Richard Gere is the reporter who has visions about a disaster along a river. It turns out to be a bridge collapse in which 37 people are killed. It was based in part on the real-life 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge that claimed 46 lives. Isn’t it ironic that the Minnesota I-35W Bridge was built that same year?

I talked about bridges in one of my earlier blogs. One I didn’t mention is the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, Michigan. That’s my hometown. Supposedly the bridge was once in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not newspaper segment. It’s supposedly engineered so that water helps support the weight of the bridge. You can look it up: http://hunts-upguide.com/manistique_siphon_bridge_and_water_tower.html .

We’ve got a little less than five months left in 2007. I’m wondering what catastrophe is next. That’s sort of like tempting fate asking and hopefully the answer can wait until 2008. I think we’ve seen enough this year. Meanwhile let’s light a collective candle for the families of those missing miners.

Writer's Blog

I really should be writing more in my blog. It's not as if I don't have enough ideas. Time is the key. Most work days are about 12 to 13 hours long. Writing something after that becomes a matter of mush mindedness. So I'll try to do better.

Some short thoughts. The next time Lindsay Lohan's family points fingers at why she's going through what she is, they should look up the name Barrymore. Drew survived being a child star, although she had some rough spots. However she overcame the family history of alcoholism to form her own production company and make some entertaining movies.

Barry Bonds. I don't know how to feel about him breaking Hank Aaron's record. The steroid allegations bother me. I admire Hank's record because while he was building toward it, the color of his skin and not the size of his muscles was the biggest obstacle to get around.

It's a shame that the usual reason someone breaks into a home or sticks up a gas station is no longer because they can't make ends meet, but because they can't feed their drug habit fast enough.

Would it be such a sacrifice for state lawmakers to do what's best for the residents of Wisconsin and not what's best for their party when it comes to putting together a two-year budget. A lot more people didn't vote than did when it came to elections and they need representation too!

Are the Milwaukee Brewer's playoff hopes sinking? Hit hard, run fast, score early and fade in the late innings is a habit they need to break.

I've been told outside actual news and sports stories that we can no longer refer to that professional football team from Green Bay solely as the ****ers without adding the line to go to NFL.com for more information. All I can say is I love my Green Bay ****ers. Remember that on Family Night.