This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Week-ends
A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...
HEROES OF THE WEEK
Charlie Sykes and his entire family for what they've had to endure this week.
The jurors who came back with a verdict in just 22 minutes in this case.
Also, George.
VILLAIN OF THE WEEK
Michael McGee Sr.
McGee has no regrets. Click the play button on the video to see the Channel 6 report.
Here’s the Channel 12 video.
You can hear the complete audio of McGee’s vile comments, courtesy of our colleague Patrick at BadgerBlogger.com.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"I'm the reliable conservative. I vetoed 1,900 things. I reduced taxes by $16.5 billion. I'm from Wisconsin, a blue state, and I won four consecutive times. I still have a very high popularity appeal. And I'm the one that started welfare reform, reduced the welfare caseload in the United States and the state of Wisconsin by 93 percent. And I believe that kind of a record will attract Democrats and independents, if you stand up and start talking on principles and ideas."
Tommy Thompson at a debate Thursday night featuring Republican Presidential candidates.
“He is going to pay, and he will die."
Mitt Romney on Osama bin Laden at the Republican Presidential candidate debate.
"I'll follow him to the gates of hell."
John McCain on bin Laden, at the same debate.
" Governor Thompson, If a private employer finds homosexuality immoral, should he be allowed to fire a gay worker?”
GOP debate moderator Chris Matthews, posing a question to Tommy Thompson.
“I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be.”
Tommy Thompson’s response to Matthews’ question.
"I made a mistake. I misinterpreted the question. I didn't hear the question properly and I apologize. It's not my position. There should be no discrimination in the workplace."
Tommy Thompson explaining that he misspoke when he answered Chris Matthews’ question. Thompson lost most of his hearing in one ear several years ago.
”As governor, he signed into law more anti-discrimination provisions that protected the rights of gays and lesbians than any governor in Wisconsin history. He never to my knowledge stood in the way of a major piece of legislation."
Former state Representative David Clarenbach, a Democrat, on Tommy Thompson. Clarenbach spent 18 years in the Legislature and wrote Wisconsin's 1982 Fair Employment Law. It was the first state law in the nation banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Clarenbach says Thompson made sure the bill got through the Legislature.
"This makes no sense to me whatsoever. Deadbeat parents will be laughing all the way to the grocery store on this one."
State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford), during Joint Finance Committee debate over Governor Doyle’s budget provision to repeal current law and allow parents who fail to pay child support to receive food stamps. The Committee vote was 8-8, so the provision stays in the budget for now.
“After hearing what Senate Democrats believe should be the legislative agenda for this session, I’ve had a change of heart on the value of a ‘Do-Nothing’ Senate. In fact, doing nothing in the Senate may be the best thing for the taxpayers of Wisconsin!”
State Senator Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn).
"If (a sex offender) has paid back his debt to society, is gainfully employed and has the support of family and friends, it's the best way to prevent a recurrence."
Allouez Trustee Bill Sweasy, asking the Allouez Village Board to take an official stance opposing Assembly Bill 260, which allows employers to fire or refuse to hire people convicted of violent or sex crimes. The move to oppose the Assembly bill failed on a 3-3 vote.
OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK
Michael McGee Sr.’s despicable comments about Charlie Sykes and his mother who died in a fire.
MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK
MPS School Board member Jennifer Morales’ flip-flop on her vote on the handcuff policy at MPS. First she voted for it, then was threatened with a recall, and when the School Board took up the issue a second time, she voted against it.
Usually when an elected official flip-flops, it’s big news, the official comes under heavy scrutiny and has a lot of explaining to do. Just ask George Petak.
Not so in the case of Jennifer "flip-flop" Morales.
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK
Brittany Spears apparently is having a comeback……
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK
From the Janesville Gazette:
OWNER LAY DEAD WHILE PAIR TOURED HER HOME
By Shelly Birkelo
Gazette staff
A Janesville real estate agent can't believe she didn't realize that a form on the bed at a house she showed Monday night was a woman who apparently had been dead for two weeks.
"I've smelled death. I know what death smells like," she said. "I can't believe my sinuses were that bad."
Linda Chabucos-Galow, a realtor with Shorewest, was showing the east side house at 1160 N. Claremont Drive to Justin and Colleen McKeen.
Chabucos-Galow stood in the dining room while the couple walked through the house. She heard Colleen scream as the couple stood at the doorway of the front bedroom.
"I thought, 'What's wrong?' Maybe it was a dead mouse or something," Chabucos-Galow said.
But when Chabucos-Galow peered into the bedroom, she saw what looked like a dummy on the bed.
"It looked like a Halloween prop,'' Chabucos-Galow said.
It wasn't.
It was the body of Linda L. O'Leary, 55, the owner of the home.
The small, uncovered body was wearing dark shorts. Chabucos-Galow said the legs were wrapped in material that appeared similar to cheesecloth or support hose.
"If we spent five minutes in there, I'd be stretching it. 'We need to leave. This is not right. We need to get out of here,'" Chabucos-Galow said she told the couple.
She thought it was a hoax, she said.
Rock County Coroner Jenifer Keach this morning confirmed that she pronounced O'Leary dead at 11 p.m. Monday.
The police department's overnight log lists the incident as a sudden death, which Capt. Dan Davis said indicates to him that there was no foul play.
Keach would not comment on whether the death was suspicious or if foul play was involved, but she did say an autopsy had "not been scheduled yet."
A patrol supervisor at the police department said this morning that the coroner called to the scene estimated the homeowner had been dead for two weeks.
Gale Kent, the Coldwell Banker First United Realty agent who listed the house, said the property has been for sale "for awhile," but she declined to say how many times the home had been shown in recent weeks.
"I don't want to say anything because I haven't talked to the police yet," Kent said.
Chabucos-Galow set up the Monday evening showing without knowing the homeowner's identity. After entering the house, she noticed a faint odor but thought it was from the mess in the house or the countertop full of dishes. She saw unopened mail.
"It was just very untidy. I thought that was odd,'' Chabucos-Galow said.
Justin McKeen encouraged Chabucos-Galow to call someone. She called Kent.
McKeen notified police later Monday night.
Responding officers found the body, a police sergeant said.
REMEMBER: Your suggestions/nominations for any of these categories every week are welcome, especially for HEROES OF THE WEEK. If you know of anyone in the community deserving of recognition, please e-mail me.
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