Not the retiring type, but Shelby will make it work

WCCO-TV's retirement announcement for anchorman Don Shelby should seem familiar to Green Bay Packers fans, said sports anchor Mark Rosen.

"Here's the bottom line: He's pulling a Brett Favre. He's really not retiring. Don retiring? Ain't gonna happen," said Rosen, as you can hear for yourself at startribune.com/video.

At the May sweeps announcement that Shelby's last day as an anchor will be Nov. 22 (though the employee of 32 years will still be on the payroll until Dec. 31), Don was holding himself together pretty well. His eyes looked intermittently watery while his co-anchor, Amelia Santaniello, could not contain the waterworks.

"She's not crying," Shelby said, despite video evidence to the contrary. At least she was a lot more dignified than the blubbering Favre the first time he retired. "She cries at the drop of a hat," Shelby said. "She cries if she hears a baby crying in one of our film pieces."

If neighbors should hear wailing from Chez Shelby, it'll probably be Don, not Barbara Shelby.

Does Barbara really want him around the house more?

"No," said Shelby. "After 35 years, she's learned how to be alone." (Not that alone: They raised three daughters.) "When a person is alone, they get their own schedules, their own routines. She has developed a very significant routine in her life. I'm an impediment whenever I'm around. The phrase that I most often hear is Don't you have some place to go? I will have to slowly work my way back into our relationship. Reintroduce myself to her and my children and my grandchildren. 'Hi, I'm your dad, your husband, and I'm going to be around for a little while.'"

Don's a real newsman, unlike too many people today who buy a computer, post a blog and think they're journalists. He's a great guy, and I expect to continue mixing it up with him because he's thick-skinned, has never ducked my calls and always taught me new stuff.

He gathers knowledge. He kind of has to, since you can't be a two-legged know-it-all (I'm reminded of the conversation that resulted in my according Shelby honorary black-guy status) without knowing what you're talking about most of the time.

Best to you, Don, and you too, Barbara -- although everybody knows you can take care of yourself.

A Swift turn as fan

Taylor Swift was apparently in the mood for a little Butch Walker after she finished her sold-out show at St. Paul's X last week.

"She did come down," confirmed David Mann, the Fine Line's "senior vice president in charge of international development and global expansion." (And clearly a man with the power to create his own business cards.) "When she stood up on the mezzanine, under really tight security -- and rightfully so -- she looked really beautiful and very young. She was rocking out. She really enjoyed the show. It was really cool to have her here since she chose to come after a long show" of her own.

"Yeah, she went down to the dressing room after and met with Butch Walker," said Mann. "They had met each other before. She was schmoozing. It's very nice to see when other artists actually like to go see other artists."

The fence lost

Posted bizarre startribune.com/video of a jackknifed 18-wheeler which apparently left Hwy. 169 near the Bren/Londonderry exit and plowed into a frontage road fence.

Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske said, "The driver claimed there was some kind of mechanical problem that caused her to lose control. At this point, we are having a commercial vehicle inspector [verify] if there is a mechanical problem with the truck. Depending on what the inspection turns up, a decision will be made if there are any tickets issued."