Steve Wexler, Walker Recall - CYA

Steve Wexler, Vice President for Television and Radio Operations at the Journal Broadcast Group, and Vice President and General Manager, WTMJ-TV, was interviewed by Charlie Skyes on 620 WTMJ radio this morning.

Wexler was on to discuss the revelation that "several members of [the WTMJ TV and radio] staff signed recall petitions against Governor Walker. Some of those employees play a role in [the] news-gathering and editorial process."

No surprise that some Leftist employees of the Journal Broadcast Group would sign the petition to recall Governor Scott Walker. If you're surprised, then you haven't been paying attention.

I give Wexler credit for going on the air to comment on the journalistic integrity violations of his employees.

He said things to the effect that it was important to be transparent and to maintain the trust of the audience.

Wexler has a very fogged up definition of transparency.

Sykes asked Wexler, point-blank, to name the employees involved.

Wexler refused.

He kept repeating "I get it" and "I get that" as a response to questions asking for real transparency. Apparently, Wexler "gets it" that the audience wants to know the names. He just won't cooperate. He prefers to hide under the "it's an internal personnel matter" blanket.

I know Wexler isn't responsive when it comes to viewers' questions. He and his underlings don't respond unless they feel like it.

Examples: Here and here. Overview here.

In short, Wexler talks transparency but doesn't walk it. When it's time to shed light on the truth about his employees and the Walker recall petitions, he won't.

I thought it was strange that the statement posted online reads "several employees" signed against Walker. During the interview with Sykes, Wexler turned "several" into a "handful."

Wexler said audience members likely wouldn't recognize some of the names.

That doesn't line up with this: "Several of them also work on-air: One at TODAY'S TMJ4; four at Newsradio 620 WTMJ."

Repeatedly, Wexler said it was only "two or three."

What is that?

Was it two? Was it three? Come on.

The statement refers to FIVE on-air employees, among the others.

It was not too bright for Wexler to talk about only "two or three" when the statement cites more.

The real problem with Wexler's refusal to come clean is that it puts ALL the employees under a cloud of suspicion. That's not fair to the employees who perform their jobs with integrity.

Why would Wexler sacrifice the integrity of ALL to protect a few? He's not doing the Journal Broadcast Group and its reputation any favors.

I can only conclude that Wexler does not, in fact, "get it."

Now that Journal Broadcast Group has come forward with the admission that some/several/a handful of its employees involved in the "news-gathering and editorial process" engaged in PUBLIC political activity, I think it's time for other media outlets in southeastern Wisconsin to do the same.

At least, like the Journal Broadcast Group, they should be sort of, kind of, a little bit transparent, too.
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UPDATE:

In violation of her employer's policy, Trenni Kusnierek signed the petition to recall Governor Scott Walker.

More: Trenni Kusnierek and Politics

April 4, 2012 - Mark Belling links to Kusnierek's tweets about signing the recall petition:

@AaronSchiebel In my defense, I looked at this like voting. Was not meant to be a "statement". Having a unique name got me thrown under bus

— Trenni Kusnierek (@trenni) April 3, 2012

@AaronSchiebel I guess I felt as someone who doesn't follow politics or work in news, it wasn't a conflict of interest. (cont)

— Trenni Kusnierek (@trenni) April 3, 2012

Kusnierek didn't get thrown under the bus. SHE signed the petition. She threw herself under the bus when she chose to engage in PUBLIC political activity.

She says she "doesn't follow politics."

Does this sound like someone interested in signing a recall petition?

With all due respect, she sounds like an airhead.

Also reported by Belling, another employee who signed the Walker recall petition and Steve Wexler refused to name: Justin Metzger.
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UPDATE, April 5, 2012, from Mark Belling:

Shari Dunn, On-Air Milwaukee TV News Anchor, Signed Walker Recall Petition

CBS 58 Reporter Who Signed Recall Petition Reported Brazenly Biased Story On Recall

Mary Taylor, Diversified Building Maintenance, and Whitewater High School

UPDATE, MARCH 26, 2012: School Contractor Fired for Pro-Walker Bumper Sticker

Breitbart's Big Government picked up on Mary Taylor's story.

The more people enlightened about the anti-Scott Walker thugs terrorizing Wisconsinites the better.
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UPDATE, March 15, 2012: Open records request shows that three employees at Whitewater High School DID complain about Mary Taylor's pro-Scott Walker sign.

Whitewater District Administrator Eric Runez had said no one from the district pressured Diversified Building Maintenance to get Taylor to remove the sign.

Custodian supervisor at Whitewater High School, Cindy Wiedenhoeft, was involved in the effort to force Taylor to remove the sign.

Details, from Mark Belling.
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Mark Belling spent a significant portion of his radio program yesterday following up on a story he discussed last Friday.

Mary Taylor, an employee of Diversified Building Maintenance, wrote to Belling to bring attention to a problem.

Taylor works for DBM at Whitewater High School. The company provides custodial services for the Whitewater public schools. She has a pro-Scott Walker sign on her personal car.

Taylor was told by her employer that DBM was getting complaints about the sign and she had to remove it. When she refused, she was fired.

After Belling spoke about Taylor's plight, her supervisor offered her job back. Taylor accepted but is concerned for her safety.

The manager at DBM wrote to Belling, claiming that Taylor was never fired and the company doesn't push any political agenda. The manager said both DBM and Whitewater public schools agreed Taylor has the right to have the sign on her car.

Taylor says DBM's statement about the firing is a "blatant lie." She says they offered her unemployment compensation and assistance in finding another job. That's not something a company does unless an employee has been fired.

It certainly sounds like bullies at Whitewater pushed DBM to force Taylor, a custodial employee, to get rid of the sign. DBM took the easy road, probably never expecting Taylor to refuse to remove the sign. Then, upon firing her, the company probably never thought Taylor would contact the media.

Obviously, this is PR nightmare for DBM.

FIRING a woman for having a pro-Scott Walker sign on her personal vehicle is a big story.

So where is all the media coverage on this thuggery?

Is it in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel?

No.

However, JSOnline continues to cover and promote a guy who had his house egged for displaying a "Recall Walker" sign on his front lawn.

That incident received a dramatic write-up by the Journal Sentinel's Jim Stingl, February 17, 2012.

Belling highlighted the deafening silence from the mainstream media on Taylor's story.

So today, the Journal Sentinel tweets an update on the egging case:

First he's egged for an anti- @GovWalker sign. Now he's threatened if he doesn't have a pro-Walker sign. http://ow.ly/9u29Q

From WauwatosaNOW:

A Wauwatosa man received a letter in the mail last week threatening to break the windows on his home if he didn't put up a yard sign showing support for Gov. Scott Walker.

According to a Wauwatosa Police Department report:

The resident of Elm Spring Avenue had been featured a few weeks ago in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article about damage to his Recall Walker yard sign. He believes the letter came in direct response, with it addressed to "crybaby."

He took the letter to police at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday.

"You look pompous now. You need a Stand for Walker sign in your front yard by next week," the letter read. "Then no more problems. Otherwise your windows go."

I condemn vandalism. Is that clear?

Throwing eggs at a house is wrong. Threating letters are wrong. Totally unacceptable.

Interesting though that this latest threat just happened to occur after Belling exposed the abuse of Mary Taylor, a dramatically worse case than the egging. Losing one's job is far more than a nuisance.

I'm not saying it's a fabricated threat, but the timing is somewhat suspect.

After all, threatening to take out someone's windows is more frightening than broken eggs.

Without question, it's embarrassing for the media to make such a big deal out of some eggs being tossed at a house while completely ignoring the firing of Mary Taylor.

Maybe DBM is a Journal Sentinel sponsor or seen as a potential sponsor.

Whatever, Taylor's story makes the media look bad. It makes the Democrats look bad. It makes the Leftists look bad. It makes union members look bad.

I wonder if Graeme Zielinski has a stash of bricks. Just wondering. He frequently tosses verbal bricks.
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UPDATE: Mark Belling gave more details about Mary Taylor on his Tuesday program.

Taylor worked on Monday without incident.

She is 68 years old and works 2 part-time jobs. She works seven days a week.

Taylor, a single mother, raised several children, all grown now.

She's a conservative and supports Governor Walker.

Sixty-eight. What a remarkable woman!

I admire her strength and courage.

Instead of showing concern for Sandra Fluke, Georgetown law student pushing for religious institutions to provide insurance that covers contraception and other procedures in violation of their beliefs, Obama should be calling Mary Taylor.

What she did was truly courageous. Nevertheless, I don't think Mary Taylor will be invited on MSNBC and The View.

No one is calling Mary Taylor a hero.

Why haven't the media in southeastern Wisconsin covered this story?
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UPDATE, March 7, 2012: Woman says she was fired, rehired over Walker sign

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel FINALLY posted a story online, after being shamed into it.

Biden at Kopp's

Kopp's never disappoints.

I would love to have been there on Friday when Joe Biden and Russ Feingold showed up.

Scott Borkin, the manager of Kopp's had a great exchange with Biden. Like everything, it was caught on video and aired by Channel 12.

It's also on YouTube, linked by Drudge.

Priceless.

BIDEN: What do we owe you?

KOPP'S MANAGER: Don't worry. It's on us.

BIDEN: (Inaudible)

KOPP'S MANAGER: Lower our taxes and we'll call it even.

Look at Biden. He's pissed. He turns his back to the manager, walks away, and shoves the custard in his face, not saying a word.

Feingold did the same thing, as if he wasn't listening at all, ignoring the manager. Typical Russ "listening session" Feingold. "I didn't hear anything. What? Did you say something? Huh?"

You can tell Biden expected to be treated like royalty and was taken aback by a citizen daring to share his thoughts. Biden really needs to get out more.

According to the WISN report, Biden does address the manager a few minutes later.

BIDEN: Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the time? Say something nice.

Video.


SAY SOMETHING NICE? Biden just called the guy a smartass! That's not very nice. At least Biden didn't drop an F-bomb again.

That was such a great line from the manager. Biden handled it horribly, absolutely horribly. I think the manager was quite gracious considering Biden called him a derogatory name. Although Biden did whisper to the manager, "I'm just kidding," I think Biden should have said that loud and clear.

Anyway, what is wrong with a hard-working American telling the vice president he wants lower taxes? That's not out of line or disrespectful. How is that being a smartass?
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An aside, to TMJ4's Courtny Gerrish--

Courtny, did you see Biden scooping custard for customers? Did he wash his hands first? I didn't see Feingold wearing a hairnet.

Is this a potential "Dirty Dining" segment?
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Biden's glib remark propels Kopp's manager into spotlight

Kopp's manager says feedback has been positive

Ever since the vice president of the United States was caught on camera calling him a "smartass," Cedarburg resident Scott Borkin said his phone has been ringing and his Facebook page has filled with comments.

Monday morning, he's planning to head to Chicago to appear on the Fox News Network's "Fox & Friends" program.

"I've had a lot of people in shock, but not really that much in shock, because I guess he's been known to make those kinds of comments or put his foot in his mouth," said Borkin, 45, manager of the Kopp's Frozen Custard stand in Glendale where Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold stopped in on Friday.

Biden's remark that so shocked people was prompted by an exchange picked up by a television crew at Kopp's on Friday.

The television report shows Biden asking Borkin what he owes for the frozen custard.

"Don't worry, it's on the house," Borkin responds. "Lower our taxes and we'll call it even."

The vice president then appears to turn his back on Borkin and ignore him.

Then, Biden returns to Borkin and tells him, "Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the time."

Biden later whispered to Borkin, "I was just kidding," Borkin said, but the store manager was still surprised by the vice president's reaction.

"It didn't seem right, especially from someone in his position," he said.

Borkin said he's almost universally received positive comments from people since the Friday exchange, which was picked up on a number of blogs from the Los Angeles Times' Top of the Ticket to the Drudge Report.

"It was all just in fun," said Borkin, who called himself a Republican. "I was stating just a fact that everyone in America, Republican or Democrat, wants lower taxes."

No kidding.

If you pay taxes, you'd like to pay less. I don't know why Biden got so bent out of shape by Borkin's comment.

Doyle and Dirty Dishes

The quality of life in Wisconsin is taking a big hit.

Gov. Jim Doyle has signed a law that will likely leave Wisconsin dishes "encrusted with food, smeared with grease and too gross to use without rewashing them by hand."

How unappetizing!

It also sounds like a public health risk.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Starting in July, consumers will find automatic-dishwasher detergents in stores with lower levels of phosphorus - and likely less cleaning power - as detergent makers respond to state bans on the substance.

A law that limits phosphorus content to no more than 0.5% in automatic-dishwasher soap sold in Wisconsin was signed by Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday. The law will take effect July 1 to give retailers time to sell their current inventory of soap and switch to phosphorus-free detergent.

More than a dozen states have passed similar laws at the urging of environmentalists, and the July date has become the national benchmark for the switch to essentially phosphorus-free dishwasher detergent for home use. Commercial and industrial detergents are not included in the bans.

Washington was the first state to enact a ban, which took effect in the Spokane area in July 2008. After consumers there found that their dishes weren't getting as clean as they were in the past, many started crossing into areas without the ban to buy products with phosphates, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

A test of dishwasher detergents this year by Consumer Reports magazine found that products without phosphates tended to perform worst of all. Phosphates boost cleaning power by helping tie up water-hardness minerals so the minerals won't interfere with cleaning or leave deposits on surfaces, according to a report on the Web site of the Soap and Detergent Association, a manufacturers' trade group.

...Gloria Smith, a shopper at Pick 'n Save who had a bottle of Cascade in her cart, said she was unaware of the phosphate legislation.

"Right now, I'm happy with the way it works. I won't buy anything but Cascade," she said.

I'm like Gloria.

I only buy Cascade.

I WANT CLEAN DISHES.

If I have to, I will become a dishwasher detergent smuggler, like the ones in Spokane, Washington.

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The quest for squeaky-clean dishes has turned some law-abiding people in Spokane into dishwater-detergent smugglers. They are bringing Cascade or Electrasol in from out of state because the eco-friendly varieties required under Washington state law don't work as well. Spokane County became the launch pad last July for the nation's strictest ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates, a measure aimed at reducing water pollution. The ban will be expanded statewide in July 2010, the same time similar laws take effect in several other states.

But it's not easy to get sparkling dishes when you go green.

Many people were shocked to find that products like Seventh Generation, Ecover and Trader Joe's left their dishes encrusted with food, smeared with grease and too gross to use without rewashing them by hand. The culprit was hard water, which is mineral-rich and resistant to soap.

No.

No way.

If going green means having dishes "encrusted with food, smeared with grease and too gross to use without rewashing them by hand," I don't want to be green.

I want to keep my family healthy. I want them to have clean dishes.

I will gladly use green detergents if they work as well as the ones with phosphates.

If not, I'll give the government my Cascade when it takes it from my cold, clean hands.

Under Doyle's legislation, TMJ 4's Courtny Gerrish will have a field day. The entire state will be a "Dirty Dining" hot spot.

Wisconsin will need a new tourism slogan.

"Visit Wisconsin. Our dishes are dirty."

Obama Health Care: Government-Run Restaurant

This video explains the consequences of ObamaCare by using a government-run restaurant to illustrate.



ObamaCare is the dirtiest of "Dirty Dining."

Dirty Dining: Gyros West

"Courtny Gerrish exposes Dirty Dining."



This week's target by TMJ4: Gyros West on Moreland Blvd. in Waukesha.

It was a return visit for the Dirty Dining Squad. Gerrish was there last year. Alas, this time around the restaurant had some of the same problems in the kitchen.

She said, "Some call their gyros the best in town, but inspectors found a cooler kept too warm. The temperature of the food inside could make people sick."

Gyro Meat - 64 degrees
Deli Turkey - 56 degrees
Raw Burger Patty - 51 degrees

Gerrish said, "Last year, inspectors found the same problem, a cooler at 59 degrees."

The owner, Leo Haidemenos, appeared on camera last year. Gerrish included a few seconds from last year's report, showing Haidemenos.

This year, he spoke with Gerrish by phone. He says everything has been cleaned up.

There were problems like raw burgers stored next to lettuce and tomatoes -- a cross contamination risk, sliced potatoes sitting out at the wrong temperature, no expiration dates on prepared food, and packaged bread on the ground.

Gerrish said, "The follow-up inspection report does show Gyros West has been cleaned up. We'll watch for the restaurant's next inspection to see if those same problems come up again."

The owner could easily avoid all this scrutiny by TMJ4.

Be a sponsor of TMJ4 or 620 WTMJ. Put an ad in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Very simple.

Dirty Dining: Chicago Sub

Chicago Sub on 37th and Burleigh is not a sponsor of any Journal Broadcast Group stations.

TMJ4's Courtny Gerrish wouldn't have targeted the place for Thursday's "Dirty Dining" segment if advertising dollars were involved.

You can be sure that no money is on the line. Chicago Sub won't threaten to pull out as a sponsor.

That's what bugs me about "Dirty Dining," this alleged "NEWS" feature. Journal Broadcast Group sponsors are protected.

Being a sponsor shouldn't impact what TMJ4 covers as "NEWS," but it does.

That's why the Brookfield Perkins with several health inspection violations was granted the special treatment it received.

That's wrong. I don't think TMJ4 should be selling favors.

Dirty Dining: Blue Ribbon Awards, June 11

On TMJ4's June 11 "Dirty Dining" feature, Courtny Gerrish handed out Blue Ribbon Awards -- again.

Maybe the segment should be renamed if cleanliness and a job well done is going to be the focus so often.

The restaurants selected for recognition: Chinese Chef on 78th and Appleton, and Glass Nickel Pizza Co., the Brookfield location.

It's interesting that a Chinese restaurant actually was highlighted for doing something right. Usually Gerrish likes to harass the ethnic establishments.

Glass Nickel Pizza Co. has locations in Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Oshkosh, and Green Bay, as well as Brookfield.

I've never heard or seen any ads for the place on Journal Broadcast Group operations, but I suppose the potential is high that Glass Nickel Pizza Co. will be a sponsor.

TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" Corruption Update: Zaffiro's Pizza

Just before noon, I was listening to 620 WTMJ, a part of the Journal Broadcast Group.

I heard an ad that I never heard on the air before. It was for Zaffiro's Pizza, in Mequon.

What's the significance?

It's significant because the Zaffiro's on Farwell was featured on Courtny Gerrish's TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" segment on May 28.

Zaffiro's was NOT cited for a poor health inspection. Nooooooo. Of course not.

TMJ4, part of the Journal Broadcast Group, gave the restaurant a Blue Ribbon Award.

What a coinkydink!

At the time, I wrote:

The station recognizes clean establishments with awards, a framed certificate.

I think that's sort of weird. Shouldn't cleanliness and no health violations be the norm and not worthy of an award?

I don't know that special praise should be dished out for meeting expectations.

It makes perfect sense why a Zaffiro's location was chosen to be highlighted on the TMJ4 10:00 PM NEWSCAST and given a Blue Ribbon Award.

Zaffiro's in Mequon is an advertiser with the Journal Broadcast Group.

I know that the "Dirty Dining" feature is corrupted by advertising dollars and what TMJ4 deems newsworthy can be bought.

A place with a poor health inspection, like the Perkins in Brookfield, was granted special privileges by TMJ4 because it's a sponsor.

I wasn't aware that the Blue Ribbon Awards were tainted, too. Here's an instance of an advertiser being rewarded with some positive exposure on the NEWS.

Shameless.

The "Dirty Dining" feature is a joke. Actually, it's more of a disgrace than a joke.
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CLARIFICATION and UPDATE, June 8, 2009: The Zaffiro's location that received the Blue Ribbon Award is on Farwell.

According to an anonymous commenter, the ad that aired on 620 WTMJ was not for that Zaffiro's.

I'm not a fan of the Dirty Dining segment, but what you're writing is not true. The Blue Ribbon Award went to Zaffiro's on the East Side of Milwaukee. The commercial you heard was for the NEW Zaffiro's Pizzeria and Bar in Mequon at the North Shore Cinema.

Regarding the commercial, I disagree with the anonymous commenter. The restaurants are not treated as separate entities.

OK. The ad was for the NEW Zaffiro's, BUT it's not as if that Zaffiro's location has no connection whatsoever with the east side Zaffiro's.

IN FACT, THE AD SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THE ORIGINAL ZAFFIRO'S AND NAMES THE OWNERS.

(The ad aired just before 2:00 PM, June 8, on 620 WTMJ.)

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The Mequon location represents the Zaffiro's prototype for Marcus Investment. But it actually is the third restaurant in the Milwaukee area with the Zaffiro's name.

The original Zaffiro's Pizza opened in 1954, and is still operated by the Zaffiro family at 1724 N. Farwell Ave., near E. Brady St. David Marcus has frequently dined there, and thought of Zaffiro's when he was considering a way for Marcus Investments to get into the restaurant business.

"My goal was to find a restaurant concept that had a fanatic following," he said.

The Farwell Ave. Zaffiro's draws a lot of repeat customers partly because of its longevity, and its location on the densely populated east side, said co-owner Michael Zaffiro, whose father, Bobby, started the business.

But the biggest factor, he said, is the high quality of the restaurant's best-known product.

"It's a really good pizza. And we've never changed it," Zaffiro said about the pizza, which is known for its crispy crust. The restaurant's décor includes several awards from local publications for having the best pizza.

In 2007, when Marcus Theatres opened Majestic Cinemas in the Town of Brookfield, it included a Zaffiro's Pizza cafe, with a limited menu and a small number of seats, operated under a license granted by the Zaffiro family. Its success showed that the Zaffiro's concept could be reproduced consistently in other locations, Marcus said.

So Marcus Investments bought the Zaffiro's brand name and recipes from the Zaffiro family. The Mequon location is operated by Marcus Theatres under a license granted by Marcus Investments.

In my opinion, it's quite a coincidence that out of all the Milwaukee area restaurants that passed their health inspections, TMJ4 just happened to choose a Zaffiro's for a Blue Ribbon Award.

Granted, the distinction between the locations is there; but listeners and viewers, like myself, hear "Zaffiro's."

The benefit to a Journal Broadcast Group sponsor remains, regardless of the location. The restaurants have the same name, same brand, same recipes.

In the ad, there is a concerted effort to CONNECT the restaurants. That is undeniable.

I see the Blue Ribbon Award "NEWS" feature as a perk granted to a Journal Broadcast Group sponsor in this case.

There's no question that there's positive commercial promotion for Zaffiro's being sold to viewers as "NEWS" by TMJ4.

Dirty Dining: TMJ4 Harassing Restaurant Employees

Last week, TMJ4's "Dirty Dining" wasn't about dirtiness in food service. Instead, clean restaurants were recognized with Blue Ribbon Awards.

This week, however, Courtny Gerrish was back doing her Mike Wallace routine, dragging a camera into the targeted restaurant and harassing an employee.

Once again, Gerrish's target was a small ethnic place.

From TMJ4:

A Puerto Rican restaurant in Walker's Point is written up by health inspectors for violations in the kitchen.

Quimera on 6th and National. A cooler in the kitchen was not keeping food cold enough. Owner Olga Ramirez told me it's been fixed. Inspectors also found a gallon of orange juice stored in the drink ice at the bar. Apparently a waitress left it there by mistake.

...Ramirez says everything's been cleaned up, and she's just waiting for the re inspection.

From the televised report:

COURTNY GERRISH: Is there someone I can talk to about the health inspection report?

EMPLOYEE (heard off camera): Health inspection?

GERRISH: Yeah, and the violations.

GERRISH (voice over): This employee was hiding from our camera. The owner was not available when we stopped by.

I don't like these tactics, ambushing employees. What's the point?

The fact is restaurant employees and owners have nothing to fear if their establishments advertise on TMJ4. The Journal Broadcast Group won't allow their sponsors to be ambushed. It won't stand to have TMJ4 plaster negative reports about their advertisers on the Internet.

For example, the poor health inspection report at the Brookfield Perkins, a TMJ4 sponsor, was no longer considered news by TMJ4. Its website was scrubbed.

Small places, ones that don't support TMJ4 with advertising dollars, aren't so lucky. They have reason to be concerned about becoming a "Dirty Dining" target if they have health violations.

Advertisers, of course, are let off the hook. They can relax.

This is no way to determine what's "news" and what is not.

Ellen Gabler: Courtny Gerrish Wannabe

Is there so little happening in southeastern Wisconsin that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has taken to copying TMJ4's Thursday "Dirty Dining" segment by Courtny Gerrish?

Again, Ellen Gabler runs down a list of restaurants and even cafeterias in hospitals and schools that have been cited for health violations.

She also points out a very few clean places.

Gabler writes:

About 57% of establishments in Milwaukee passed the Health Department’s inspection without any critical violations. That’s a slightly lower percentage of establishments that had no violations compared with last month.

A critical violation is one that is serious enough to increase a patron’s risk of getting sick from a food-borne illness.

...From mid-April to mid-May, the Milwaukee Health Department inspected about 530 restaurants, bars, cafeterias and other places where food is served.

Public Investigator found that about 18% of establishments had three or more critical violations.

What's the point?

Only "57% of establishments in Milwaukee passed the Health Department’s inspection without any CRITICAL violations."

That's not good.

Conclusion: Don't eat out in Milwaukee. There's an over 40 percent chance that you'll be eating at a place with a CRITICAL violation.

Very unappetizing.

I hear you loud and clear, Journal Sentinel. Message received.

Don't eat out in Milwaukee.

That is the point, isn't it?

Dirty Dining: Blue Ribbon Awards, May 28

It's been weeks since TMJ4's Courtny Gerrish bestowed Blue Ribbon Awards on area restaurants. The station recognizes clean establishments with awards, a framed certificate.

I think that's sort of weird. Shouldn't cleanliness and no health violations be the norm and not worthy of an award?

I don't know that special praise should be dished out for meeting expectations.

Anyway...

And the Blue Ribbon Awards go to: Zaffiro's on Farwell and Mr. B's Steakhouse on Capitol Drive in Brookfield.

I don't think the Perkins in Brookfield, past TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" featured restaurant, ever got a Blue Ribbon Award. Maybe someday.

Dirty Dining: Bombay Sweets, Not a TMJ4 Sponsor

And this week's unlucky target of Courtny Gerrish's TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" segment is... Bombay Sweets.

It's an Indian restaurant, 19555 W. Bluemound Rd. in Waukesha. This follows TMJ4's pattern of choosing small ethnic establishments to highlight.

Bombay Sweets' buffet was a problem.

Hot food wasn't hot enough, and cold food wasn't cold enough.

The restaurant also had violations that involved cross-contamination risks. In addition, food was stored uncovered on the floor of a cooler. Employees in the kitchen were not wearing hairnets or caps.

When Gerrish showed up at the restaurant with her camera crew, employees wouldn't talk with her, claiming they didn't speak English well enough.

Gerrish said the language problems contradict information from the health inspectors.

This restaurant was on the verge of being fined due to its violations. When it was inspected, Bombay Sweets scored a 73. Waukesha County slaps restaurants with fines when they score less than 70.

Not good.

TMJ4 took no risk by reporting on Bombay Sweets in its "Dirty Dining" feature. Advertising revenue wasn't on the line. If it had been, the results of Bombay Sweets' inspection wouldn't be news.

That reminds me. Yesterday, I saw a Perkins commercial run on TMJ4's 10:00 PM newscast. I think it was yesterday. Maybe it was the day before. Maybe it was both. In any event, because Perkins is a TMJ4 sponsor, it had the leverage to make negative reports on the Brookfield location vanish from TMJ4's website.

Bombay Sweets can't count on the preferential treatment that sponsors like Perkins get.

And don't expect Gerrish to do an update on the violations at the Brookfield Perkins.

I'm sure TMJ4 wants all traces of that story to go away.

Dirty Dining: Sala da Pranzo, Not a TMJ4 Sponsor

Here we go again -- a TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" update.

The lucky restaurant this week was Sala da Pranzo near Downer Ave. by UWM.

There were the usual problems for which the restaurants are so often cited: mouse and rat droppings, employees handling food customers are about to eat with bare hands, no expiration dates on some foods, debris on the slicer, slimy soda guns, and a dirty, greasy floor.

Courtny Gerrish showed up with the camera crew during the busy lunch hour. Co-owner Teresa Balistreri didn't want to talk then, telling Gerrish to return later. They ended up talking on the phone.

If advertising dollars were at stake for TMJ4 or other media connected with Journal Broadcast Group, you can be sure that Sala da Pranzo would not have been featured.

When will these places learn that to avoid the bad publicity they have to advertise with TMJ4?

That's how the Brookfield Perkins did it.

Money decides the "news."

Dirty Dining: Red Dot, Not a TMJ4 Sponsor

"Dirty Dining" on TMJ4 -- a sign that the weekend is almost here.

You must be wondering which Milwaukee area restaurtant TMJ4 chose to target this week.

No?

Well, I'll tell you anyway. (I always do.)

Of course, you know it's not Perkins. That's a given.

Last night I saw a Perkins commercial on TMJ4. I'm sure I didn't see it during the 10:00PM news because I watched FOX 6 last night. The commercial may have aired during Jay Leno or Jimmy Fallon. I'm not sure, but I was reminded that TMJ4 gave the Brookfield Perkins very special treatment after Courtny Gerrish and those involved with the feature screwed up by highlighting the restaurant's health violations on a "Dirty Dining" segment.

TMJ4 doesn't want to slam its sponsors.

The TMJ4 news is corrupted by advertising dollars. Its "news" coverage can be bought.

Read more here.

Thursday's featured DIRTY establishment was Red Dot on Milwaukee's east side, 2498 N. Bartlett St.

As usual, the violations were disgusting -- mold growth in the soda holsters, improper cooling of food, old dried food debris on the meat slicer, cross-contamination risks, filth caked on the floor, etc.

Nasty stuff.

Bar manager Mike Rebers told Gerrish that all the problems were cleaned up the next day.

It's too bad for Red Dot that it doesn't advertise on TMJ4. If it did, TMJ4 never would have brought the violations to the public's attention.

Dirty Dining: Super No. 1 Chinese, Not a TMJ4 Sponsor

If it's Thursday, it's "Dirty Dining" night on TMJ4.

Even hyping the swine flu and panicking the public doesn't bump the "Dirty Dining" segment.

This week, Super No. 1 Chinese on 20th and Layton was Courtny Gerrish's target.

The violations were pretty bad.

Employees were also using a drill as a mixer.

That is not good.

Watch the report.



Naturally, Super No. 1 Chinese doesn't advertise on TMJ4.

On last night's segment, Gerrish did a follow-up on La Hacienda. The place still hasn't cleaned up its act, even after two more inspections and $230 in fines.

The health department is now working with La Hacienda training the owner and employees in health safety.

If this grocery story/deli has two more unsatisfactory inspections, it will be shut down.

The health department certainly is cutting La Hacienda a lot of slack. The public is at risk in the meantime.

Of course, TMJ4 has nothing to lose by shining the spotlight on La Hacienda and Super No. 1 Chinese to expose their health violations. No advertising dollars are on the line for TMJ4.

It was a different story with the Brookfield Perkins.

Gerrish never did a follow-up report on Perkins' violations. So much for keeping the public informed.

Dirty Dining: Best Buffet, Not a TMJ4 Sponsor

Courtny Gerrish has returned to form, targeting another ethnic restaurant for TMJ4's "Dirty Dining" feature.

The segment was even posted on the TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" web page in a timely fashion.

That, of course, means that Best Buffet has no leverage with the Journal Broadcast Group. It's not an advertiser. Doing the story and posting it on the website poses no problems for TMJ4.

It's not like the story on the Brookfield Perkins that TMJ4 scrubbed from its website. TMJ4 doesn't have to worry about losing ad revenue from Best Buffet.

Best Buffet, a Chinese restaurant on 85th and Brown Deer Road, had a load of violations.

Gerrish took the cameras to the place, wanting to question the owner about the violations. But there was a problem. The owner doesn't speak English.

So this was an even more one-sided segment than the usual "Dirty Dining" spots.

Gerrish did note that an employee called later to say that the restaurant's staff had corrected the sanitary issues and they were taking steps to take care of the other violations.

Why are these smaller ethnic places so often the subject of TMJ4's "Dirty Dining" feature?

It's not a coincidence. No advertising dollars are at stake.

The bottom line is money. This isn't news.

Public Investigator Blog: Milwaukee's Dirty Restaurants

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is getting in on the "Dirty Dining" act again.

Last January, the Public Investigator Blog went "Behind the scenes at your local restaurants." Apparently, this is a monthly exercise.

The January piece highlighted a number of the same establishments that had been hit by TMJ4 and Courtny Gerrish in their "Dirty Dining" features.

Ellen Gabler and Raquel Rutledge of the Journal Sentinel seem to be Gerrish wannabes.

They claim to "take tips, chase leads, and solve problems" through their "search for clean and not-so-clean Milwaukee restaurants."

Dirty knives shouldn’t be placed back on their magnetic strip without first being cleaned. Having hand soap in the meat department is very important. So is washing your hands after touching raw meat.

Those were lessons learned this month in Milwaukee restaurants, schools, grocery stores and other spots where food is served.

While plenty of establishments needed to be reminded about basic cleanliness requirements, health inspectors found good news in about 60% of 445 places they inspected in the past four weeks.

Those 267 spots didn’t have any major health code violations, according to electronic records from the city health department. Restaurants that inspectors found in tip-top shape include Little Caesars on S.Chase Ave., Turner Hall on 4th St., the popular Palomino Bar in Bay View, The Dogg Haus on Wells St. and Alterra Coffee on 777 E. Wisconsin Ave, just to name a few.

That’s a peek into our monthly update of restaurant inspections for the City of Milwaukee. You can take a detailed look at every establishment inspected since the beginning of 2008 by visiting our searchable database online.

But before you head off to search for yourself, take a look at what else we found:

La Hacienda on S. Chavez Drive had the most major violations, with 11, in the past month. In late March, an inspector cited the grocery store for moldy vegetables and outdated sour cream. Pans and cutting boards were being stored on the floor, and an inspector noted mouse droppings by shelves near the back door.

The store was reminded to keep soap at the meat department sink and make sure raw meat is not in close contact with ready-to-eat food.

Juan Villalobos, who said he was a manager or owner of the store, said everything has since been fixed.

Again, Gabler and Rutledge have chosen to highlight one of Gerrish's targets, La Hacienda.

If 40 percent of the places inspected had violations, I don't know why there's this overlap again. What are the odds of citing the same establishments?

In any event, you can bet that places mentioned by Gabler and Rutledge don't advertise in the Journal Sentinel.

Dirty Dining: MORE Blue Ribbon Awards

For the second week in a row, TMJ4's "Dirty Dining" segment wasn't about dirty dining in the Milwaukee area.

Once again, Courtny Gerrish gave out Blue Ribbon Awards to two restaurants.

The first went to Meze Cafe & Lounge on Jefferson St. in Milwaukee.

The second went to Conway's Smokin' Bar & Grill on Wells St. in Milwaukee.

The Blue Ribbon Awards are sort of strange. Why would a newscast recognize restaurants for having health inspections with no violations?

Are dirty restaurants the norm, so the clean ones are newsworthy?

How are the award winners chosen?

Who chooses them?

Are restaurants with good inspections contacting Gerrish, asking to be featured?

I could understand why. It's free advertising.

Maybe the names are picked out of a hat.

I wonder if the Brookfield Perkins, in TMJ4's spotlight on December 11, 2008, as a dirty "Dirty Dining" restaurant, has taken care of all its health violations yet. Will it ask to be recognized for cleanliness?

It's strange that TMJ4's "Dirty Dining" web page has been updated to include Blue Ribbon Award winners, but the recent Thursday segments featuring restaurants with violations haven't been posted.

Weird.

I think it's time for TMJ4 to ditch the feature altogether.

Dirty Dining: Blue Ribbon Awards

On Thursday, the TMJ4 "Dirty Dining" segment didn't feature a dirty restaurant.

This week, Courtny Gerrish bestowed Blue Ribbon Awards on two clean establishments.

It's all about clean dining this time around. A place known for its finger licking chicken and a popular family restaurant.

The Chancery on 27th and Layton. Our camera rolled on a very clean kitchen. Darla Mezera tells us, "I've worked here for 23 and a half years, and we take a lot of pride in our kitchen. The cleanliness, the sanitation."

The restaurant's latest health inspection turned up no violations. They get our first Blue Ribbon Award.

Over on 27th and North another Blue Ribbon winner. Gold Rush Chicken. The owners were happy to accept our award but didn't want to be on camera. Inspectors found a clean kitchen, and that's what we saw when we stopped by.

Gold Rush Chicken gets our second Blue Ribbon Award.

I wonder if the Brookfield Perkins deserves a Blue Ribbon Award. Did the restaurant clean up its act after it was cited with numerous violations?

Who knows?

I don't expect to see any Perkins featured on TMJ4. Being a sponsor, there's a conflict of interest. That gets messy.