C.J.: Ex-KSTP anchor Mark Suppelsa checks into rehab

The classy candor of former KSTP-TV anchor Mark Suppelsa was again on display Friday when he announced that he was entering Hazelden to begin treatment for alcohol.

In a note to his colleagues at Chicago's WGN-TV, Suppelsa wrote:

"I'm going to be blunt here because that's my nature and because we're in a business where we seek the truth and it would be wrong of me not to be frank at this moment. I'm driving soon with my family to Hazelden in Minnesota where they'll drop me off for a month-long alcohol recovery program. I have felt for some time that this would become necessary and I've now crossed a bridge in my life where I want and need to do this. It's my choice. No one is forcing me to do it. Simply put, I have been abusing alcohol at the end of my work day as my family slept. It was my secret and I became accomplished at hiding it. Thanks for absorbing this news which I'm sure will be a stunner for some or all. See you in June."

The Chicago Tribune reported that WGN's general manager, Marty Wilke, released a statement: "We are supportive of Mark's efforts to deal with this issue and look forward to his return."

KSTP got beaned in 1993 after playing hard ball with Suppelsa, who found himself a major league job in Chicago at WMAQ. He spent 10 years at WMAQ before joining Chicago's FOX station, where in 2008 he rejected an offer for a new four-year contract and went to work for WGN, where he can be seen anchoring the news on Twin Cities cable providers.

Mark, you know you've got my best wishes.

Hometown attraction

Oprah's favorite designer was the main attraction at the Talmud Torah of Minneapolis Annual Benefit. The former Minnesota resident is also an alumnus of Talmud Torah.

One of his classmates was Allison Kaplan, senior editor at Mpls.St.Paul magazine, who also served as emcee of the event bennie held at the synagogue.

She apparently does not make a lot of one facet of their friendship. "She was my girlfriend," Berkus told me. "She doesn't talk about that, but she was."

Berkus was wearing some extremely expensive socks for his speaking engagement. There'll be more about the socks, which I'm guessing are worth several millions, on Sunday when Berkus is featured in my Q&A.

And, yes, I touched Berkus' hair, but only because one of my copy editors instructed me to do so.

KFAN's Common Man is either onto something or the sports host is on something.

On his Monday program, Common ruminated about why we're not hearing about millions being chipped in by Minnesota's Fortune 500 companies to show their financial support for a new Vikings stadium.

"I thought having the Vikings here was good for business? Well, then, why don't the businesses step forward?" asked Common. "Think of how many more people would look at these companies and say, 'Hey, they saved the Vikings!' General Mills. I might buy a couple extra boxes of Cheerios this year! Or Hormel, I'm going to start buying hotdogs, [singing the company's old theme song] Hormel hotdogs. Why don't these companies step forward instead of sitting back in their boardrooms hoping it gets done? We'd make headlines everywhere: '20 of the Fortune 500 companies based in Minnesota step up with large donations to get Vikings stadium built.' Think they will?"

Someone on the show interjected that since the Gophers' new athletic director, Norwood Teague, is such a good fundraiser, and that he doesn't start his job for another month, why not have him shake those Fortune 500 money trees?

And then Common did some math: He multiplied 20 companies by $10 million, and then 20 companies by $20 million. Adds up nicely.

Coyote shopping

A need for more mangos took me to Costco, but I don't know what drew Ms. Wyleigh Coyote to the St. Louis Park location.

I was returning my shopping cart to one of the corrals when I noticed what looked like a mangy dog with an interesting prance. Turned out that was no dog -- that was a coyote. A Costco employee told me that it looked like the same coyote he had seen there Saturday (see startribune.com/video).

She had apparently walked past the front of the store, or the front parking lot, taking a circuitous route through the Home Depot parking lot and over to the lake before coming to rest at the Lakeside Learning Store.

I thought at first it was a Wile E. Coyote until I noticed some anatomical parts that made me wonder who was watching her pups -- and how long it would be before she pays a visit to some of the Canada goose goslings also seen crossing in this business district.