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
Frank Fabiano
Strangers at a soccer game
Oscar Pistorius........future Olympian?
Jennifer Sharpe
VILLAINS OF THE WEEK
Roy Jackson
Deadbeat parents
Bus driver attacker
Charles Williamson
Jamar Hornsby
Bakery burglars
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"The United States pulling out of Iraq or pulling out of the Middle East or not maintaining a forward presence would send all kinds of signals throughout the Middle East. And it would shake everybody's nerves, and it would embolden the very same people that we're trying to defeat.”
President Bush, in an interview published in politico.com.
“Why is it tough sledding for Republicans? Public revulsion at GOP scandals was a large factor in the party's 2006 congressional defeat. Some brand damage remains, as does the downward pull of the president's approval ratings. But the principal elements are the Iraq war and a struggling economy.”
Former senior adviser to President Bush, Karl Rove, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece.
"I have some news for Senator Obama. Talking, not even with soaring rhetoric, in unconditional meetings with the man who calls Israel a stinking corpse, and arms terrorists who kill Americans will not convince Iran to give up its nuclear program. It is reckless to suggest that unconditional meetings will advance our interests. You know it would be a wonderful thing if we lived in a world where we don't have enemies. But that's not the world we live in. And until senator Obama understands that reality, the American people have every reason to doubt whether he has the strength, judgment and determination to keep us safe."
Senator John McCain, speaking to a conference of the National Rifle Association in Louisville.
"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is –- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."
President Bush, speaking before the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's statehood.
"After almost eight years, I did not think I could be surprised by almost anything George Bush says. He accused me and other Democrats of wanting to negotiate with terrorists and said we were appeasers no different than people who appeased the *** before World War II."
Senator Barack Obama at a campaign event in South Dakota.
(Note: This website will not print a certain word from Obama's quote. The word refers to Hitler's Party)
" The more people they get on, the better."
Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin co-president Sandy Maher-Johnson, on GPS tracking of sex offenders.
"You have been reported to DOR as a person who recently purchased cigarettes where the cigarette use taxes and sales taxes . . . due may not have been paid.”
From a warning letter sent from the state Department of Revenue Department to more than 1,000 Wisconsin smokers who bought cigarettes from Internet vendors, telling them to either stop buying them that way or pay the $1.77-per-pack state tax that took effect January 1.
"We can (and must) act quickly and decisively to support programs that work, replace those that don't, bring proven and promising solutions to scale, sustain them long enough to gain traction and provide them with sufficient resources to get the job done.”
Philanthropist Joseph Zilber, announcing he will give $50 million over the next 10 years to poor city of Milwaukee neighborhoods.
“Only a handful of black leaders move away from racial demagoguery to challenge their communities. Bill Cosby is one of them. In a recent speech at an Atlanta high school, Cosby ripped the apathy that grips many blacks when it comes to the devastation in their own communities:
"The mother’s on crack cocaine. Pass the salt. That girl’s baby has no father. Pass the salt. Oh, he shot him in the head? Pass the salt. We look at failure, and we’re like, ‘Pass the salt.’" So said Cosby before going on to blast other blacks who tell him to stop speaking of these things. "That’s crazy," he said. "There are black people who have to walk around this dirty laundry."
In Milwaukee, there is no equivalent of Cosby. Here we have Junior McGee. The leading black newspaper columnist is terrified of confronting black sociopathy. The only Milwaukee black leader ever heard to confront problems of criminality and family instability is Sheriff David Clarke, and his comments are often criticized.
How is Joe Zilber’s $50 million going to be spent? On more basketball courts? Social workers? Condom giveaways?”
WISN’s Mark Belling, on Joseph Zilber’s announced gift of $50 million to city of Milwaukee neighborhoods.
“Just once, when the state is facing a deficit, we'd like to hear someone — anyone — say, ‘OK, to fill this deficit honestly, these are some things we'd have to consider cutting. If we cut this and this and this and this, that'll get us to $500 million, not just for this budget but hereafter, too.’ Just to see what that would look like.”
The Appleton Post-Crescent, ripping the state budget repair bill.
“Legal or illegal? That's the question I'm currently wondering about in regards to the closed session votes taken by both Franklin and Oak Creek on March 18th, 2008.
I'll also note that Franklin's Common Council voted UNANIMOUSLY on the name in closed session as well on March 18th, 2008. Therefore, if the Journal Sentinel and Mark Belling state that Oak Creek violated the law, then Franklin officials did as well. Some residents I've spoken to have told me that State law provides reasoning for votes in closed session if (and ONLY if) coming out into open session would have made the closed session discussion pointless. Ultimately, I think this deserves to be decided on by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office. I'm simply no longer comfortable sitting here and having credible sources on both sides defend their spots. In cases like this, that is why there is a District Attorney...to sort out the junk and make decisions.”
FranklinNOW blogger Greg Kowalski in some of his blogs this week, reporting that the Franklin Common Council voted in closed session on the nickname, “Boomgaard” for the 27th Street Corridor.
“I think he (Kevin) wants to know if a vote was taken,” (Franklin City Attorney Jesse) Wesolowski said to (Franklin Alderman Steve) Olson. Olson replied immediately that he had no trouble answering that question. “No vote was ever taken,” said Olson on "Boomgaard" or anything else.
From my blog Thursday, relating a teleconference I had with both Wesolowski and Olson on whether the Franklin Common Council had voted behind closed doors as Greg Kowalski charged several times on his blogs. Kowalski’s opinion wasn’t fact. Kowalski was wrong. Bringing in the DA wasn’t necessary. All it took was a few phone calls to get to the truth.
OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK
On Thursday, California’s Supreme Court on a 4-3 ruling legalized gay marriage in the state. The ruling trumped a state law, known as Propsotion 22, declaring that only marriages between men and women were legal. In 2000, 61% of voters in California approved Proposition 22. This week, 4 judicial activists supplanted their view for the will of the majority of California voters. If they want to legislate, these guys should take off their robes, get off the bench, and run for the state Legislature.
MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK
The Associated Press reported this week:
"The budget balancing plan the Senate passed Tuesday would still leave the state nearly $1.7 billion short three years from now. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau delivered that news to Republican state lawmakers in two separate briefings just before the Democratic-controlled Senate voted 17-16 along largely partisan lines to pass it. Only state Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, broke party ranks to vote no."
Then why did this fiscally irresponsible plan even come up for a vote? And why did so many legislators vote in favor?
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK
The Dream Ticket, Obama and Clinton?
Not gonna happen.
STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK
Pampering cows is good for business.
Talk about cutting back on gas.....this guy is really sacrificing.
Next time, just steal some bags of peanuts
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.
