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When I was 30: Ted Perry$500 rent on the east side? YepBy Jim CrynsPosted: March 3, 2005When you see him anchoring the 5 and 10 o'clock news on Channel 6, you might say, "Hey, that guy looks like he could be my brother." That's one of the appealing things about Ted Perry. In addition to his razor wit and self-effacing mannerisms, he's a news guy you wouldn't mind having a beer with, and some of you probably have. After stints at news stations in Rochester, Minnesota and Chattanooga - Perry refers to those jobs as his "minor league" period - he arrived at WITI-TV on April 1, 1993 ("an April fool's joke on Milwaukee that went horribly wrong," he quipped). He was 29 and hired to be a reporter. "I've always liked Milwaukee, and I was thrilled when I arrived here. The market has a great reputation." A reputation established by people like Vince Gibbens, a WITI anchor at the time, who took Perry under his wing. "His motto was - if you look good, I look good," Perry said of Gibbens, who died of a heart attack in 1995. "(He) would do everything he could to help reporters and other anchors." Now it's Perry who's behind the anchor desk. He's been co-anchoring the 10 o'clock news with Joyce Garbaciak for six years, but he and his viewers are in for some changes with her departure. Garbaciak announced in January she'd be leaving after almost two decades as a WITI anchor; no word yet on her replacement. Thinking back on the Milwaukee of a decade ago, Perry admits that he wishes the city offered some of the opportunities it does now. "We have so many great restaurants, art galleries and theater. It's really changed. If you asked someone today whether they wanted to live in Chicago or Milwaukee, they'd really have to think about it." Lucky for us, it looks like Perry's happy to stick around his adopted city and his home at Fox 6 for a while. "I speak to high school kids now, and there's no way I can steer them into a career other than broadcasting," Perry said. "Sure, there are days when I say I should have studied to be a chef," he quipped. "But those days are few and far between. I can't imagine having more fun on a job." Who he is now Anchors the 5 and 10 o'clock news for WITI-TV (Channel 6). Age 40. Single. When he turned 30 April 29, 1994. "I honestly don't remember what I did. Turning 30 was no big deal. Turning 40, well, that's for another article." Who was he then? "I was simply a younger version of who I am now. I had just started as a general assignment reporter at TV 6. (We weren't even Fox then; we were CBS.) I remember trying to learn as much as I could from Vince Gibbens and Joyce Garbaciak and all these reporters who knew so much more than I did. I was probably a little more naive but a lot less cynical." What were you driving? "I was driving an '89 Honda Accord that lasted for several more years. She wasn't pretty but boy was she faithful. I had never even been on a motorcycle before I was 30. A lot has certainly changed since then." What was your apartment/house like at that point? "I had been in Milwaukee for a year at that point. I was living in a one-bedroom apartment on the east side. I paid about $500 a month in rent, including heat - not bad. These days my heating bill alone pushes $400." Did you have a significant other at the time? "I had just ended an engagement. Thanks for asking." Where did you go to eat? "I ate a lot at Ma Fischer's in those days. Also Hooligans and Real Chili. And when I wanted real pretentious service and mediocre food, I'd go to The Coffee Trader." What did you do for fun? "I'd see a lot of bands - Shank Hall, Eagles Club, The Rave. I don't do that as much as I like now, it's one drag of working nights." Who are/were some people you looked up to or respected in the Milwaukee/Midwest journalism scene? "I can honestly say I've learned something from every person I've worked with. I work with a lot of very talented people. Newsrooms are pretty interesting places to people-watch and sometimes you look at how someone does their job and you say, 'I've got to be more like them.' ... But I'll give you one name: Jim Wilson (a photojournalist at WITI-TV). He's a photojournalist with a national reputation that (he) is not capable of hiding the truth. He will tell you if your story was excellent, fair or lousy. Of all the people I try not to disappoint on a daily basis, he's on the top of the list." |
E-filing: A less taxing approach to taxes
By Jim Cryns
Posted: March 3, 2005
We've become spoiled. We use remote control and TiVo for our television, have books on tape in our cars, and now it seems most of us are filing income taxes online.
"I can't think of a downside to filing online," said Donna Migazzi, a representative for the Internal Revenue Service in Wisconsin. "Every year we have more (tax preparers) taking part, and they love the fact that it reduces their paperwork."
Migazzi admits that e-filing is a personal choice: Some folks just don't like relinquishing the perceived control of having documents in front of them, while others aren't sold on having their refund automatically deposited in their bank account.
"The fact is if you file electronically, you can get your refund within two weeks," Migazzi said, explaining that with automatic deposit, the refund can be nestled into your nest egg in as little as seven to 10 days.
Accuracy is a big selling point with e-filing. Migazzi noted that there is less than a 1 percent chance of making a mistake compared with 20 percent with handwritten returns.
"We're hoping everyone will file electronically one day. That's our goal," Migazzi said.
Don Mickelson of Mickelson Tax Service has been preparing taxes in Milwaukee for more than 25 years and e-filing for the past four years.
"It's not the benefit it's cracked up to be," Mickelson said. "I still have to prepare the taxes and enter the information into the computer. ... I think the benefit is mostly for the customer."
While Mickelson admits he saves paper and that e-filing tends to be more accurate, he is still not sold.
"There have been numerous reports of bad entries," he said. "Right now probably 70 percent of my clients' taxes are filed electronically."
Mickelson says clients like it because they don't have to worry about the physical mailing of the tax forms, and they don't have to sign it.
"I'd say in the future all people will file electronically, unless they owe money," he said. "If they owe the government, they'll still mail it in at the last possible moment."
Susan Bach, media coordinator with the Better Business Bureau in Milwaukee, notes that her office isn't aware of any complaints or problems from consumers who file taxes electronically. But she understands the trepidation people may have in disclosing all their personal information online.
"We're all aware of instances where people have had their identity stolen online," she said. "It's all a matter of personal choice, but as far as we know, people are happy with the service."
"It's fast and it's accurate," said Scott Zmudzinski, who prepares taxes with Liberty Tax Service in Milwaukee. "For us in the business, those are the two biggest things."
Zmudzinski says he doesn't see any downsides to filing electronically. The federal government and IRS "positively guarantee complete security with anti-theft programs and firewalls," he said. "Overall, I'd say 60 percent of clients are doing it now, and it's inching up every year."
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When I was 30: Peter Bonerz
Off camera, he was a family man
By Jim Cryns
Posted: Feb. 24, 2005
Peter Bonerz is one of those character actors you've seen hundreds of times, but you'd be hard-pressed to remember his name. Before landing his signature role as on-the-make bachelor dentist Jerry Robinson on "The Bob Newhart Show," Bonerz was slowly building a resume of film and TV appearances, a list that has kept him in the entertainment industry for more than three decades.
By the late 1960s, Bonerz, who was born in New Hampshire but raised in Milwaukee, appeared in films such as "Catch-22" and "Medium Cool" as well as earning guest spots on numerous TV series.
He graduated from Marquette High School and Marquette University before heading to the East Coast. Bonerz started doing stand-up comedy at The Duplex in New York, then worked as an improvisational actor in San Francisco. Soon he found work with roles on "The Addams Family" and "That Girl."
Today, he lives in Los Angeles and spends most of his time directing stage plays and TV sitcoms. He's also directed episodes of "Friends," "Just Shoot Me" and "Home Improvement."
When did you turn 30? Aug. 6, 1968.
How old are you now? 66
Who were you then? "I was a family man by then. I was acting in films and TV. The most interesting films were 'Catch-22' and 'Medium Cool.' The latter was directed by Haskell Wexler and was shot verit style on location in Chicago."
What were you driving? "We had a first generation Toyota. Red, four doors, manual, four cylinders. Also I had a Yamaha motorcycle, also red, customized as a cafe racer."
Where were you? "We were in L.A. but went on location to Chicago, Mexico and Rome. We visited Milwaukee while I was working in Chicago and made it a point to visit New York at least once a year - a habit we try to continue. We had a rental house in the Silver Lake district of L.A. It was the bottom of a large, red, brick duplex. Both our sons own their own homes in the same area now. We had a dog named Pokey."
Do you remember the rent in those days? "Probably around $300."
How did you two meet? "Roz and I had known each other since fourth grade at St. Catherine's (Congregation) school on 51st and Center. We continued to see each other as mere acquaintances throughout high school and college, but our romantic interest didn't develop until after I graduated from MU and moved to New York. That was '61. After serving involuntarily in the Army for two years (drafted), we were married in December '63."
When did you start working regularly in television? "In 1970, I worked on 'Paul Sill's Story Theater.' We, the actors, using improvisatory methods, developed a stage adaptation of various folk tales - Grimms, Aesop, etc. - under the direction of Paul Sills. It ran for eight weeks in L.A. before having a successful Broadway engagement and a season on NBC and Canadian TV. I also founded and directed a version of same for the L.A. school district."
Where did you eat? "In Milwaukee, we used to go to the Clock Steak House, Sally's Steak House and John Ernst."
What did you do for fun? "My work, acting and directing was always the most fun. At the time, I played tennis and went fishing with Eric and Eli, our sons."
How often do you get back here? "I return at least once a year to see family, friends, play golf and eat at Coquette (Cafe)."
What new projects are you up to? "Still directing TV, most recently a Fran Drescher show for WB. Also, I'm working on a film project with fellow Milwaukeean Fred Barzyk. I teach directing one semester a year at USC film school."
The Muscle Man
Tommy White, 47, co-owner of Aloha Automotive Service, Port Washington
There's an old song that says you can't put your arms around a memory.
But Tommy White doesn't want to hear about that. He's in the business of putting some meat on the bones of memories. And in a lot of cases, adding some muscle, too.
White is the co-owner - along with his wife, Tina - of Aloha Automotive Service in Port Washington, which specializes in restoring classic cars, usually cars that are pure engine with just a couple of seats and four wheels added.
"It's a great business to be involved with muscle cars," White said. "(Customers) often times treat them like children. They develop an emotional tie to these cars."
Aloha Automotive, which has been in business for nearly six years, specializes on high-end restorations of Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Challengers.
"We do a lot of work on GMs and Chryslers, virtually all muscle and sports cars," White said. "Chryslers have the most value in the car world."
And White and his team don't stop at making the car look like it did the day it came off the assembly line.
"Lots of times the car was a piece of crap when it was new," White said. "We do what we call 'over-restoring.' It's better now than it was when it was new. The paint is now like glass. There are no exhaust leaks, no wind leaks. We take the time to build it over again."
Rebuilding a car like that can take between 1,200 to 1,500 hours, which can rack up serious dollars. In fact, many of Aloha's clients drop between $85,000 and $100,000 on restorations.
"Owners of these muscle cars will invest in the auto rather than playing the stock market," White said.
So, what's the appeal of the muscle car that makes customers spend so much?
"It's a different experience when you're riding and driving in these cars. I call it a raw horsepower, kind of an exciting discomfort," White explains. "It's a thrill and you're connected to it."
Of course, it helps that some of White's customers have money to burn. Some of the big-name customers White has done business with include Kid Rock and Jay Leno.
Another client of White's owns 65 cars worth more than $50 million.
"I try to separate what they do professionally from what I do," White said. "I'm here to satisfy their craving for their hobby, which is to take care of their cars. This should be a joy, not a hindrance or headache."
- Jim Cryns
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When I was 30: Bob GreenstreetAcross the pond and not looking backBy Jim CrynsPosted: Feb. 10, 2005Milwaukee had not yet entered its era of metamorphosis when Bob Greenstreet landed at General Mitchell Field fresh from England in the summer of 1982. As a metropolis, Milwaukee was still the collective butt of jokes on late-night TV monologues. "We were in the dull classical era," Greenstreet recalls. He and his wife, Karen, had just moved from Oxford, England, so he could take a job as an assistant professor of architecture at UW-Milwaukee and Karen could teach law at Marquette University. Greenstreet says UWM had an international reputation for having a young and aggressive faculty. In one of his roles, Greenstreet, 52, is dean of the School of Architecture at UWM. He also served as the school's interim chancellor after the departure of Nancy Zimpher. In addition, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett tapped the talented professor last year and named him the city's architect and planner. "When I came here in 1982, the preservation community had started to jell. As a result, these days it's harder to plow down a heritage building," Greenstreet said. But he said the city wasn't without its share of problems, including relying too heavily on out-of-state firms for design and infrastructure. "We had some good buildings, but the Calatrava effect should not be underestimated as far as its impact on the growth of this city," he said. Greenstreet grew up in South London and trained at Oxford Brookes University. Friends describe him as having a quick sense of humor and an amiable personality that allows him to enter and succeed at various echelons of society, as well as the stratosphere of politics. When he turned 30 June 8, 1982 Who he was then Married to his wife, Karen. Fresh off the plane from England and accepting a new job at UWM. Who he is now Dean of the School of Architecture and professor at UWM; planner and architect for the City of Milwaukee. He and Karen have a 14-year-old son. What he did for fun "I tried cross-country skiing and fell over a lot. Read a lot of English authors. There was some pretty good theater in town, and we went all the time. Milwaukee was a pretty good place to see aging English rock stars such as Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Yes, The Who, Emerson, Lake and Palmer." Favorite places to eat "It was Beans and Barley then, and it still is. I went there last night. When it burned down, a friend of mine redesigned it, and we started going again. ... We used to go to Kalt's on Oakland, the place with the meat cleavers as door handles. I always thought that said a lot about the establishment." First house "We've lived on Hackett and Shepard. Our first house was a rental where we paid about $200 a month. The first house we bought was on Summit, and in 1985 we paid around $80,000 for the place." On Milwaukee's significant structures "The extension to the art museum (or 'The Calatrava' as it's commonly known - I know of no other architect whose name has become a noun) is the single-most important building in the last 100 years. It has really raised the bar for design in Milwaukee. The City Hall still remains one of the great buildings in the state though, with one of the best atrium spaces anywhere." On architectural "tragedies" "In hindsight, a lot of our great buildings and streets were destroyed before Milwaukee's historic preservation movement really kicked in. Too much of our architectural heritage was lost to new, often indifferent development." On the Park East Freeway corridor development "It's a great opportunity to reweave the city fabric, which was ripped apart by the intrusion of a less-than-useful freeway, to reintroduce streets, Riverwalk access and public open space between high-quality, mixed-use development. Good development will increase the tax base of the city and create a vibrant, new area close to the downtown. I can't wait." |
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Profile: Eric JensenRadio veteran juggles producer duties with gig as Bucks' announcerBy Jim CrynsPosted: Feb. 10, 2005Eric Jensen has made a career of being heard, not seen. If you've ever been to a Milwaukee Bucks game, it's his voice that echoes "Count it!" - his signature line - in an "and one" foul situation. And when DJs Bob and Brian go on vacation, Jensen's tones fill the weekday mornings at WLZR-FM (102.9). He's also the show's longtime producer. It's a vocation that Jensen came to in the early 1990s when he had a mosh-pit view of the world of local rock radio. As an intern at WQFM-FM (93.3) - then a 50,000-watt rock radio giant - the Brookfield native found himself among a pack of gnarled and grizzly broadcast vets in downtown Milwaukee. "The first time I realized I could use my voice for announcing was while I was interning at WQFM," Jensen said. "It was a great start working at a heritage rock station. I had the opportunity to work with some experienced jocks." At 35, Jensen has survived in radio for more than 14 years, and he has parlayed his perseverance into being "the voice" for some of Milwaukee's sports teams. He's currently in his fifth season as announcer for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he has worked as public-address announcer for the Milwaukee Wave and the defunct Milwaukee Mustangs. "Working for the Bucks has been an unbelievable experience," he said. "It was a bit nerve-racking in the beginning. Learning on the job in the NBA is a bit stressful. But after the first few games, I settled in, and now I am completely relaxed and confident with my ability and knowledge of the job." His time with the Bucks has been filled with plenty of excitement: a trip to the Eastern Conference finals during his second year on the job. Marriage to wife, Mary Ann. The birth of his first child (the second one is due in May). "My son was born during the semifinal series with (the) Charlotte (Hornets in 2001)," Jensen said. "I actually worked the game the night my son was born. I got the call from the doctor at halftime and made it to the hospital in plenty of time." All this, and the Bucks position isn't even his day job. As producer of WLZR's "Bob & Brian Mornings," Jensen is a jack-of-all-trades. "Everything is on a day-to-day basis," he said of his duties. "When people ask Bob what I do, he says it's not something you can wrap up in a few words. I take care of what comes up, whether it's the equipment, tracking down a guest that's fallen through the cracks. Things you might not expect - and putting out a lot of fires. "I guess I'm in a pretty good space," he added. "Bob and Brian both get a kick out of my work with the Bucks. We've got a cut on our 'Best of' CD where they are spoofing on me and my announcing work." |
It’s about voice, and it’s about his sense of production and timing. He has a great understanding of what makes a good show, whether it’s on the radio or on the floor of the Bradley Center. He has a great energy. 