WLIP K-Town Rewind 1/25/19

A local nightclub owner plans to sue the city of Kenosha after his establishment’s cabaret license was revoked last night. Red Zone Sports Bar and Grill, in the 48-hundred block of Sheridan Road, will no longer be able to host live music or DJs after the Kenosha City Council voted 14-2 to deny the license. The owner believes that Red Zone was targeted by the city because of the hip hop music played there and the clientele that music attracts. Kenosha Police have responded over 20 times in the past two months for complaints at the bar, but Red Zone did not receive any demerit points against its license. Alderman John Fox, who represents the neighborhood, says that residents around the bar do not feel safe. Alderman David Bogdala, one of the two dissenting votes, says that the city should have found a way to work with the owner. The owner rejected a possible compromise-to extend the bar’s probationary license.The owner is expected to file a civil rights suit against the city.

The Kenosha Unified School Board voted to implement a pay raise for the district’s teachers. At its meeting this week, the board voted 5-0 on a 1-point-25 percent base wage increase for teachers. A bargaining session between KUSD officials and the Kenosha Education Association failed to reach an agreement as to the amount of the raise. Under Act 10 districts can unilaterally implement a raise based on the consumer price index and that was the provision the board invoked in passing the raise the other night. The board also voted 3-2 to eliminate a long time program aimed at helping pregnant teens and student mothers. The so called infant lab employed a teacher and five educational support staff, but only served six babies and 11 students this year, according to district records. The cost of the program is in excess of 300-thousand dollars. A motion to delay the vote failed.

Kenosha police are investigating a bank robbery that happened Wednesday morning. Authorities were called around 11:20 AM at the Uptown Brass TCF Bank on 63rd street. According to police reports, two men disguised with masks and gloves and armed with handguns stole an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects fled on foot behind a nearby home; the ensuing search didn’t find them. No one is custody. If you have any information on the case, contact Kenosha police.

A Fond Du Lac woman who allegedly crashed into a state trooper while intoxicated on I-94 in Kenosha last month faces additional charges. 31 year old Yessica Trevino was initially charged with, among others, injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle. The additional charges are three counts of neglecting a child causing great bodily harm. Reports say that Trevino’s car allegedly slid out of control while traveling at a high rate of speed, hitting the squad car and pushing it into a nearby tow truck. The officer and tow truck were there after an earlier accident. Trevino’s children-aged 3 and one year old, were reportedly not strapped in properly. An 11 year old was ejected from the vehicle and was severely injured. Empty beer cans and marijuana were found in the car. Trevino is in jail on 15-thousand dollars bond.

The renovation of the former Barden’s Store is one step closer to reality. After acquiring the vacant building at 6th avenue and 58th street downtown for 200-thousand dollars in 2017, the city of Kenosha struck a deal with Witico Development Corp for one dollar as part of a proposed 3-point-5 million dollar renovation deal. The plan calls for the first floor to become a brewery and the second floor will become a banquet hall. Public Craft Brewery will move into the ground floor from its current downtown location, while Culinary Infusion will operate the hall on second floor. Work on the project is set to get underway October 1st and be completed in 2021. The building has been vacant since 2006.

Foxconn Technology Group didn’t create enough Wisconsin jobs in 2018 to immediately claim state tax credits. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the company finished 2018 with 178 full-time employees, 82 short of the minimum required to claim job-creation tax credits. Foxconn can still earn credit for 2018 job creation by making up the shortfall in future years. The company eventually could earn $1.5 billion in credits as part of a $4 billion total public incentives package. The company said in a letter Thursday to state economic development officials that it remains committed to creating 13-thousand jobs but has adjusted recruiting and hiring timelines so it can adjust to global economic conditions. The letter didn’t elaborate.