WALKER OUT OF GOVERNOR RACE

In remarks emarrgoed for release until 6:30 p.m. this evening, Scott Walker announced he was withdrawing as a Republican candidate for Governor.
He gave as his reasons
1.) lack of money
2.) "God's will."
Which still leaves us with the tantalizing possibility that Nicholas Hurtgen might be singing to the feds.
--Michael Horne

WELL, I PROCLAIM!

GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION BORROWS
-- OR SHALL WE SAY, "STEALS" --
FROM MILWAUKEEWORLD.COM POSTING

By Michael Horne

Governor James E. Doyle, Jr. presented our friends at Glorioso Bros. Company Italian Foods with an official plaque in honor of the firm's longevity. If I flatter myself to think the wording was particularly melifluous, I trust you will excuse me, since it appears the governor's highly ethical and hardworking staff pretty much cut-and-pasted an item about Glorioso's that I wrote and posted here on Monday, February 13th.
[Note: italics below added for emphasis. -- Ed.]
The Governor's salutation begins, "February 14, 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of Glorioso Bros. Company Italian Foods, a landmark Milwaukee grocery store that opened February 14, 1946 and is still in business today."
I had begun my posting with, "Happy 60th birthday to Glorioso Bros. Co., the grocery store at 1020 E. Brady Street that opened February 14, 1946 and is still in business today."
The governor's proclamation mentioned that the store is "run by three brothers -- Joe, Eddie and Ted Glorioso -- who have worked side-by-side for six decades."
I had written, "three brothers -- Joe, Eddie and Ted Glorioso -- have been able to survive working with each other for six decades."
The governor wrote, "Glorioso's remained as anchor on Brady Street even during the steet's declining days and played a major role in the rejuvenation due in large part to their support and allegiance to the area which led other property owners to realize the hidden value of Milwaukee's lower East Side."
I had written: The Gloriosos stayed put even during Brady Street's declining days ... Indeed their support led other property owners to realize the hidden value of Milwaukee's lower East Side."
The governor wrote: "The brothers' success in working together for the last 60 years, despite disagreements in English and Sicilian -- with the latter adding undeniable flair to the debates -- has been based on their ability to forgive and get back to work."
I had quoted Eddie Glorioso saying about the interfraternal disputes: "we forget all about it and get back to work."
I had also written that "more complicated arguments, like 'who taught you how to stack persimmons?' tend to be held in Sicilian, which adds a certain buoyancy and flair to the debate."

As you know, Dear Reader, I write milwaukeeworld.com as a labor of love, and because you like to read my always original material. I haven't hit you up for money, or begged you for contributions.
Meanwhile, we the taxpayers are supporting a governor and his well-paid staff who find it necessary to steal the words of others because they lack the talent or energy to pen what is essentially a Hallmark greeting card on their own. They certainly lack the integrity to give credit where it is due.
On second thought, we know what the Governor sounds like when he writes his own material -- how boring and tiresome that can be. I suppose I should be flattered. But I'd rather be credited, and paid, and not have my words stolen by a Harvard Law School-educated son of a Federal Judge who is (for now) the governor of Wisconsin.

[For the complete text of the Proclamation, and an abridgement, properly credited, of the milwaukeeworld.com story about Glorioso Bros., please pick up a copy of The Italian Times, April, 2006 edition, available now.--Ed.]

[Update: March 28th 2006. I called the Governor's office yesterday and did not receive a response. I called again this morning and left a detailed message with Anne Lupardus of his staff.]

[Update: March 28th 2006 2:48 p.m. I spoke in person with Anne Lupardus who says she is looking into the matter and that I should expect somebody to get back to me.]

[Update: March 29th 2006 11:53 a.m. I spoke with Dan Leistikow, the Governor's Communications Director. He said he would send me a written response sometime today. When it is received, I will share it with you.]

[Closure: March 29th 2006 3:30 p.m. The governor's office has issued a statement crediting milwaukeeworld.com with the text of the governor's proclamation. The letter is posted above.]

BARRETT AT HEAD OF IMMIGRANT RALLY

On Thursday, March 23rd 2006, when I saw the Sixth Street Viaduct filled with a marching band of humanity, my first thought was, "oh boy, the Republicans won't like this."
My reasoning was that the over 10,000 Latinos and their supporters who marched from the south side to Zeidler Union Square downtown represented a voting bloc that republicans covet, but which democrats might rightly call their own -- if only they voted!
The mass rally, in support of immigrant rights and immigrant reform, had all the earmarks of earlier public demonstrations that had marked earlier generations. In fact, with the excellent organization of Voces de la Frontera, Wisconsin Peace Action and the League of United Latin American Citizens, not to mention the very professional conduct of the Milwaukee Police Department, the march may portend an era to come in which the public en masse regains an interest in politics by taking it to the streets.
Of course, certain elements in the media realm had a different take on the proceedings. Channel 58 news called the event a "Massive Protest," belying a prejudice and inexact choice of words that is hardly commendatory from a major news organization.
(Oh, strike the above comment -- it is unjust to apply the journalistic standards of a major news organization to Channel 58 local news.)
The Bill of Rights gives us a right to peacably assemble. Simply because we do so does not mean the gathering is a "protest." The word "massive" itself has connotations of something gone awry, which was certainly not the case. [There were no arrests made, according to police. Furthermore, within two hours of the end of the event, there was no sign of any litter whatsoever at Zeidler Union Square.]
I had a wonderful view of the event as it transpired from my offices high above the Marquette Interchange, and I grabbed a camera to record the activities.
Leading the parade, and included in the photograph I have attempted to attach to this document, was Mayor Tom Barrett, the guy on the right. He was accompanied by Rep. Pedro Colon (seen with papers), and Rep. Josh Zepnick, (seen in profile). [If the photograph does not appear, it is not for want of trying on my part.]
Now -- if only a fraction of the marchers registered to vote, got their friends to do so also, manned telephone banks on election day -- and voted, would this cause problems for Republicans?
This is a matter for time to tell. About 44 per cent of the Latino vote went to Bush in the last election, a far better showing than from the 1960 - 1972 election cycles when massive protests were the norm and Democratic presidential candidates averaged 84 per cent of the vote.
--Michael Horne

MILMAG LAUCHES APRIL ISSUE

The staff of Milwaukee Magazine held a "Launch Party" for its April issue with a reception at the Holiday House, 525 E. Menomonee St., and nearly 100 people showed up at the gig Wednesday evening, March 22, 2006.
Publisher Betty Quadracci was sunning in the Dominican Republic, and could not make the event, but the fort was well held down by editor Bruce Murphy along with colleagues Kurt Chandler and Mary Van De Camp Nohl.
Chandler has an item in the new issue that practically wrote itself, he said. He gathered four college fraternity brothers together after 50 years out in the real world and sat them down at Jake's Restaurant, where they reminisced. It sounds like pretty standard fare, until you realize the fabulous four consist of Sen. Herb Kohl, Steve Marcus, Commissioner of Major League Baseball Allen H. "Bud" Selig and Atty. Franklyn Gimbel.
The story that will probably get the most traction from this issue is an Eric Gunn profile of Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., the feisty republican representative from the North Shore and beyond. Gunn traces the political trajectory of the Kimberly Clark heir who now is chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
The article is accompanied by several unflattering photographs of the congressman, [there is no other kind] taken by Tom Bamberger.
Murphy said Sensenbrenner's handlers did whatever they could to stymie Bamberger's access to the great man for purposes of portraiture.
Bamberger, not one to be deterred, simply waited until Sensenbrenner held one of his signature listening sessions in a public library, and snapped away. The resulting images are classic photojournalism, and I am certain if Sensenbrenner had not put up such a fuss, Bamberger might have told him his collar was askew in every image.
Among the attendees who enjoyed complimentary wine (a California red, a German Gewurtraminer and a New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc) and beer (Trummer Pils) were such notables as H. Carl Mueller, Danae Davis, Judith Moriarty, who does a regular gossip feature for the magazine, photographer Peter DiAntoni, and others too numerous to mention.
-- Michael Horne


BITS and PIECES
Milwaukee slumlord Tim Brophy Jr.'s Whitefish Bay Lake Drive mansion is for sale, as the real estate mogul faces continuing troubles over his properties and performance. A Brophy building at the southwest corner of N. Prospect Ave. and E. Brady St. is placarded and is unfit for habitation, according to the Department of Neighborhood Services, which has hundreds of outstanding orders against properties in the 50-building plus Brophy portfolio.
According to sources who have toured the Whitefish Bay home, which many of us recognize from its inappropriate beveled glass front door, even more horrors await within the structure, which Brophy refinished in Nouveau Riche Baron style, complete with dark wood, over-impressive fixtures and fittings, all installed, apparently, by $7 per hour carpenters. ... Dr. Enrique Figueroa was the moderator Thursday for the 4th Street Forum at Turner Hall. The topic of the day: "Who Owns Lake Michigan Water?" The answer: nobody. Water is too precious to own. According to panelist Doug Cherkauer, Ph.D., a researcher at the Great Lakes Institute of UWM, "water is dynamic, mobile and essential. It is not a commodity like oil or coal."
the panelists discussed the Annex 2001 agreement between the eight Great Lakes governors and two Canadian premiers. The agreement was signed in Milwaukee in December. According to environmental lawyer Melissa Scanlan, the founder and executive director of Midwest Environmental Associates, the agreement will permit diversion of water from the Great Lakes, provided it is done so in containers of 5.7 gallons or less. She opposes this portion of the agreement. Panelist Chris Ahmuty of the ACLU said we should be cautious about diverting water to Waukesha county, which he says is a separate economy from Milwaukee. Why should the poor of the city permit diversion of water to an area with hypersegregation? he asked. The forum was introduced by Julilly W. Kohler, its founder. Her sister Marie Kohler popped in for the discussion. It will be televised Friday at 10 p.m. and repeated Sunday at 3 p.m.on WMVT-Channel 36... There is a proposal to change zoning on N. Warren Ave. north of E. Brady Street from two-family to planned unit development to permit the construction of two three-story buildings somewhere on the east side of the street. I cannot think of any vacant lots in the area; and the common council file does not give an exact address of where this development is to be constructed. There is a vacant lot on the west side of N. Warren Ave. We'll have to figure this out later. ... The absentee ballots have been out for weeks, and where have you been? Apparently not voting. There is an election on April 4th, you know. Over at City hall downtown, fewer than 20 absentee ballots have been returned thus far, which is slow turnout for a super-slow turnout election. The clerk in Fox Point says she's had only three walk-in and less than 15 mailed-in ballots thus far.
Well, that's enough for now, I'll check back with you tomorrow.
Michael Horne

3 TIFS TO BE DISSOLVED

Three Milwaukee Tax Incremental Financing Districts [TIF] are scheduled to be dissolved because they now generate sufficient revenue to cover each district's remaining outstanding debt, according to legislation introduced to the Milwaukee Common Council today.
They include TIF No. 5; TIF No. 11 and TIF No.29.
TIF No. 5, established in 1985, is more commonly known as the Theater District. Number 11 is better known at the Historic Third Ward, and was established in 1988. The final TIF is known as "Park East II," and was established in 1995.
The combined incremental property value in the three districts, as of 2005, was $271,964,400. Upon dissolution, the tax base will become available for general levy purposes.
The resolution to dissolve the districts will also authorize distribution of $4,168,353 surplus funds to the City of Milwaukee and other taxing jurisdictions.
--Michael Horne

BARRET TAPS LABOR NEGOTIATOR

Mayor Tom Barrett has announced his intention to appoint Troy M. Hamblin to be the City of Milwaukee's labor negotiator. The matter was brought to the Common Council today and is assigned to the Finance & Personnel Committee.
Hamblin, 39, is a resident of the East Village where he owns a home. He recently negotiated eight labor agreements for Milwaukee County, covering 5,500 employees. He also worked with the Department of Employee Relations of the State of Widsconsin. From 1998 to 2002 he served as the executive director of District #10, Wisconsin Education Association Council.
Hamblin would replace the retiring Dave Kwiatkowski in the post, which pays between $78,000 and $110,000 per annum.
-- Michael Horne

AG MUM ON CRONY AID(E)

AG MUM ON CRONY AID(E)

State Picks Up Bjork Legal Tab

By Michael Horne

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager issued a rather testy press release on Tuesday stating she “in 2003 convinced legislative leaders to agree to terminate funding of legal services when charged with a crime. The legislature has done just that. Not a penny has been spent on the legal fees of wrongdoers since the agreement was made. … There is no ‘loophole’ in the agreement, as has been alleged by some who apparently are unfamiliar with the agreement, the law, or both.”

(That last sentence was a slap at Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, who hopes to beat Lautenschlager in the September primary election.)

Although “not a penny has been spent,” certainly many thousands have been spent by the government defending three legislative aides implicated in the legislative caucus scandal – Tanya Bjork, Raghu Devaguptapu and Doug Burnett.

Bjork, a former aide to Sen. Brian Burke, received $24,128 in taxpayer-funded legal advice, and has not been required to reimburse the state.

I called Lautenschlager’s office twice to ask spokesperson Kelly Kennedy if the attorney general planned to seek repayment of fees from the trio, and received no reponse.

Maybe that’s because Lautenschlager is a wee bit too close to the characters involved.

Bjork is married to Scott Tyre, a Madison lobbyist who represents, among other clients, the American Petroleum Institute, General Motors Corporation, and Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI).

Tyre served as the head of Lautenschlager’s inaugural committee when she took office three years ago.

How convenient!

Brewer Babe has a new home

Happy Thursday guys and dolls. Just a quick note to all you Brewer fans that the Brewer Babe has a new home. My columns can now be found on Milwaukee Opinions. The first posting is already up. You can click here to check it out, or click on the link to the right. 10 days and counting!

WORST REFERENDUM EVER?

GAY MARRIAGE:

NOT THE WORST REFERENDUM EVER

<>By Michael Horne

Wisconsinites have been invited to vote in November on SJR 53, the anti-gay marriage referendum. The amendment reads: : "Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state."

Is this the most cynical and most discriminatory referendum Wisconsin voters have ever had to face?

No, it is not.

That dishonor belongs to two referenda of 1858 and 1865 which asked, “shall suffrage be extended to colored persons?”

In 1857, Wisconsin voters said, “no,” by a vote of 41,345 to 28,235. In 1865, after the close of the Civil War, voters again rejected suffrage for African Americans by a vote of 55,591 to 46,588.

What is it, besides the outcome, that marked these referenda as the most cynical and discriminatory in the state’s history?

That’s easy – the referenda were put on the ballot in response to an earlier referendum on colored suffrage which the voters passed in November 1849 by a vote of 5,265 to 4075.

The 1865 referendum so infuriated supporters of equal rights that such heroes as Sherman Booth and Edward D. Holton encouraged Milwaukeean Ezekiel Gillespie, a black man, to vote. Although blacks had voted in Wisconsin as early as 1835, when Solomon Juneau’s cook cast a vote, Gillespie was turned away. He brought suit, and the case quickly went to the state Supreme Court which ruled that the 1849 referendum had, in fact been ratified as of November 6, 1849, rendering the subsequent referenda moot.

Thus, the referenda of 1858 and 1865 must rank as the most cynical and politically-motivated in our state’s history, the anti-gay marriage amendment notwithstanding.

This leads us to the question, “Is the anti-gay marriage referendum the most cynical and politically-motivated Constitutional Amendment in the state’s history?”

For that question, the answer is definitely, “yes.”

For one thing, the “colored suffrage” referenda were on the ballot because the Wisconsin Constitution requires any extension of suffrage to be voted on by the electorate. The referendum of 1912 in which Wisconsin men voted 227,024 to 135,545 against extending the suffrage to women was another dark spot in our history.

The anti-gay marriage referendum, however, is in the form of a Constitutional amendment – which is a type of referendum, and is the 193^rd amendment submitted to the electorate. It is by far the worst one. [Check for yourself ]

It is the only amendment designed to limit the rights of a class of people; it is the only amendment offered to solve a non-existent problem; it is the only amendment to place, in the constitution, a law that already exists on the books; it is the only referendum designed to prohibit legislative activity; it is the only referendum to embrace a religious viewpoint and it is the only referendum designed to encourage citizens to go to the polls to vote – for governor.

So is the anti-gay marriage referendum the worst referendum ever – no. Is it the worst constitutional amendment ever offered to the people of this state? Yes. Vote “no” in November.

CALLING ALL GAY RELATIVES OF REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS

Milwaukeeworld.com has begun contacting the republican legislators who supported the anti-gay referendum to ask this question: “Do you have any gay relatives?” So far, there has been no response from Sen. Alberta Darling and Sen. Scott Fitzgerald. We’ll continue to contact other supporters of the bill, to see if they have any gay relatives, but there is only so much time in the day.

We singled out Alberta since she is from River Hills, and even represents a portion of the sophisticated east side of the City of Milwaukee where lots of gays live and is therefore presumed to possess some degree of social and political sophistication. There is nothing in her background to suggest she is anti-gay. Fitzgerald was chosen because he is the sponsor of the bill, and as such, must of necessity be as pure as Caesar’s wife. Certainly no man with a family history of homosexuality would dare sponsor an anti-gay amendment.

Of course, there is a likelihood that these representatives will not get back to us.

So, in the interest of efficiency and information, let’s pose the question another way: “Dear Reader – are you the gay relative of a Republican legislator?” If you are, kindly drop a note to horne@milwaukeeworld.com and we will help you get in touch with your long lost (spiritually and emotionally lost) republican legislator relative. It’s time for fireworks!

[Update: March 23rd 2006, 1:45 p.m. Tom Petrie of Sen. Darling's office called to say that the senator "would decline comment on this question and any other question" regarding the defense of marriage act, as he called it. The senator's office would be happy to share her voting record on the issue. Call 1-800-863-1113 to speak to Sen. Darling's staff. --Ed.]

--Michael Horne

BATTER UP! Who Will Lead Brew Crew at Opener?

Dear Reader --
Since a number of us are scheduled to catch the flu at around 11:30 a.m. on April 3rd, our friend the Brewer Babe, Tamra Reynolds, tells us what to expect when the first pitch is thrown on opening day at Miller Park.
Got any comments? Give us a shout out here at milwaukeeworld, and we'll share your thoughts with the world.
Thanks for dropping by,
Michael Horne
Editor / Publisher
1 414 978-8039

BREWER BABE

By Tamra Reynolds

March 22 -- Hello again Brewer fans. Opening Day is getting closer and closer, so I thought I’d give you a summary of the news coming out of Spring Training Camp.

It looks like Ben Sheets will start the 2006 season the same way he ended 2005 – on the disabled list. The latest reports say that Sheets will be a long shot to pitch the opener against Pittsburgh, due to soreness associated with his injured latissimus dorsi muscle from last season. He’s pitched a total of 2.1 innings in camp this year, and already is on the DL? What’s wrong with this picture? This guy stands to make over $11 million this season and he can’t even stay healthy through spring training.

I guess it’s lucky his contract is insured, meaning that the Brewers won’t be on the hook for the entire amount, should Big Ben not be able to perform for a large part of the season. The question is, what exactly does this insurance cover, what is provided, and for how long does he have to be out before it kicks in? Sheets was out for about 3 months last season with two different injuries. Calls to the Milwaukee Brewers to verify the specifics of his contract and insurance are as yet unreturned.

Sheets’ negative prognosis for opening day could bode well for Doug Davis. Davis is the next logical choice to open the season, although Davis was quoted as saying he’d rather earn the spot than get it because of injury. Davis was scheduled to pitch in a minor league game on Monday, while the rest of the team enjoyed a day off. Ned Yost is expected to make an announcement sometime this week regarding the Opening Day starting pitcher.

In other pitching news, word out of Maryvale is that Dave Bush, the 26-year-old right-hander acquired in the Lyle Overbay trade, seems to be a lock for the 5^th starting position. He’s competing for that 5^th spot against veteran Rick Helling, and Dana Eveland. Rather, he was competing against Eveland. Eveland reported to camp a little heavier than Yost would have liked, and has struggled with his control. He pitched in four games, and got severely knocked around, posting an ERA of 15.75 before getting optioned to AAA Nashville. So that left just Bush and Helling.

Helling has been sidelined for most of camp with elbow soreness, and has pitched in only one game. He was impressive in that one game, allowing only one hit, walking one and striking out one in the two innings he pitched. Unfortunately for Helling, that one game was back on March 3, and it’s hard to win a starting spot if the managers don’t see you pitch. Time is running out for Helling to show Yost what he can do. If not the starting spot, Helling still has a good chance to earn a spot in the bullpen pitching long relief.

A check of the Brewers website this morning found Adam McCalvy answering questions about the Brewer lineup, minus Ben Sheets. Adam seemed to think that Sheets will not open the season on the DL, and also went so far as to discuss how Yost could work with only four starting pitchers until April 17. The pitchers mentioned were Davis, Capuano, Ohka and Bush. Wonder if Adam knows something we don’t, or if he’s just assuming Bush will win that coveted 5^th starter spot? The way the days off fall in the first two weeks of the schedule, these four pitchers could handle every start, and still manage to get in their required days off. This could be very convenient for keeping Sheets off of the DL, while still allowing him time to fully recover. Adam also mentioned that Sheets had finally thrown some curveballs off the mound. This was the pitch that snapped that muscle last season, and from which Sheets has shied away during spring training.

I really haven’t heard anything coming out of camp about Chris Capuano, so I’m taking that as no news is good news. The only thing I’ve heard is that Chris is trying to master the cut fastball that seems to work so well for Doug Davis and Tomo Ohka.

Brady Clark is out to prove he’s not a one-hit wonder. As of Sunday the 19^th, he has hit safely in 6 straight games. He’s also improved his base stealing abilities, getting the best of Mike Piazza three times in Saturday’s game against San Diego. That brings his spring training total up to 6, and he’s been caught only twice so far.

JJ Hardy is looking to be 100% by Opening Day. He was sidelined for a week by back spasms, but he’s thinking if he can get in two weeks before April 3, he should be just fine.

The outlook isn’t so good for Rickie Weeks right now. As of Sunday, he was saying he’s still not close to 100%. He’s been out with a strained oblique muscle.

The rest of the team seems to be in good spirits and good shape, and anticipating Opening Day, as am I. I will have a little spy in camp this weekend, so I’ll be able to get some first hand information for you all. Until then, only 12 more days! Go Brewers!

THE TREASURER'S REPORT

One Million Wisconsin Accounts are"Abandoned"
$300 Million Held by State Treasurer
By Michael Horne

“Mind Your Pennies, and the Dollars will Take Care of Themselves”

-- Proverb.

Jack C. Voight, the Wisconsin State Treasurer, received lots of ink in newspapers across the state on Sunday, March 19, 2006. His name appeared in capital letters in bold reverse type on the top of 28 pages of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel alone in a special paid section, published annually, consisting of the “legal notice of names of persons and businesses appearing to be owners of abandoned property.”

An estimated 25,000 such accounts exist in Milwaukee County alone; the entire searchable statewide list is available by clicking here .

The print edition lists names and addresses of those who have property lying about. The internet version allows the reader to find out where the money is from. In neither case is the sum involved mentioned, but the amounts can be prodigious: in 2005, a total of 27,000 claimants received $19 million in property. In addition, 248,000 shares of stock with a total value of $4 million were repatriated with owners and heirs.

Altogether, the treasurer says $300 million, belonging to 1 million Wisconsin residents and businesses, is being held by his office.

That’s an average of $300 per claim, so it is worthwhile to check your name and those of friends, neighbors and relatives to see if they have money coming.

Very often the money consists of insurance policies, refunds, dividend checks, etc. of recently-deceased individuals whose assets have not been completely identified. The treasurer’s list provides an inestimable service for personal representatives. Also the elderly, and those with mental and or medical conditions, often leave assets unclaimed, perhaps as contents of safety deposit boxes. These human events are understandable, and tragic in some instances.

However, it is amazing some money ever gets lost, since some of the biggest players in this town have a habit of abandoning their property – even individuals and firms that we expect to know how to deal with big bucks

A good place to begin looking is under the letter “U.”

Milwaukee’s Uihlein family has been loaded for generations. They’ve owned oil wells since before the automobile was invented. The family even operates its own office to handle the money that flows to the heirs of the former Schlitz brewing empire. Still, not everything makes its way to the proper Uihlein. J.C., for example, has some money coming from Milwaukee Pershing, LLC, which happens to be a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual Life, the region’s single largest pile of assets.

This leads us to NML itself, which has been dilatory about picking up a number of checks and securities, including those from American Greetings Corp., Tyco International [sure, the stock’s tanked, but it’s not worthless!], Gemstar/TV Guide and Travelers Insurance, which itself is owed money according to the treasurer’s list.

Folks from many walks of life are joined in the brotherhood of unclaimed property. There’s a fellow doing 5 years in Waupun for habitual criminality who might like the assistance of a jailhouse lawyer to claim four checks he’s got coming to him. On the other side of the spectrum, the entirely respectable Dr. Hermann Viets, the president of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, has several surprises waiting for him from Unisys Corp.

St. Luke’s Medical Center has money awaiting it, which might balance its woes from patients who cannot afford their bills.

Some derelict property gives a hint of the interests and passions of its owner. Bruce D. Schrimpf, an assistant city attorney in the city of Milwaukee, is a railroad buff, and it is his miniature locomotive that circles the base of the Holiday Christmas tree in the rotunda of city hall. Wouldn’t you know it, he’s got some money coming from Burlington Northern / Santa Fe Railroad.

A family named Morrison has some thirty accounts overflowing with cash, apparently refunds of some sort from WE Energies.

Pabst Brewing Co., which has long since abandoned 807 W. Juneau Ave., has some money waiting for it. Amazing this ever got by the trustees of the Kalmanovitz estate!

Somebody should tell the folks at General Electric that Marquette Electronics, which it bought during the last century, has many accounts due it, including sums from Advocate Health and Hospitals Corp., Sun Microsystems [5 separate checks] and an entity misspelled as “CE Capital Inforamtion Technology Solutions, Inc.”

Marquette University has some funds due it, too, but it’s not the only college in that position.

The Medical College of Wisconsin has ten accounts floating around out there. It has abandoned property due it from the University of Houston Health Science Center [great – hospitals sending money to each other!], Aetna Life, American Family, Employers Mutual – insurance companies all, and pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Astrazeneca. T. Michael Bolger – what do you do all day?

Restaurants appear to be cavalier about some of their receivables. Just ask “Chuck E. Cheese,” and Wilmer and Dolores Coerper.

Banks themselves are not immune to leaving money on the table, as unimaginable as that may seem – even those departments of banks whose function is specifically to see that checks get cashed. Just ask the folks at the Bank of New York Clearing Service, which moved out of 111 E. Kilbourn Ave. and apparently can’t be located at their New York City address, which just happens to be 1 Wall Street.

Finally, if you had to guess which Milwaukee – the City or the County – had unclaimed property, what would you venture?

If you said “Milwaukee County,” you’re right.

Fiscal watchdog Scott Walker should download a form right now to claim account 1053489 on behalf of “Milw Cnty Parks,” which has money coming to it from WE Energies.