Racine Post

August 12, 2010

Head of Downtown Racine says Park 6 rally is cancelled

Update: Devin Sutherland, executive director of Downtown Racine Corp., emailed city officials and Downtown business owners Friday evening to say the rally in support of Park 6 has been cancelled.

Here's the email from Sutherland:

I just got off the phone with Thomas Holmes. I tried to impress upon him my concern for people getting hurt or property being damaged during his march to City Hall after bar closing. He indicated he was not going to have the protest this weekend and that "he was going to move things around." I am certainly not naïve enough to believe I talked him out of having the protest but feel like it is good news regardless.

Thomas Holmes, owner of Park 6, did not answer his phone Friday night. So, for now, we're assuming the rally is off.

Original post: Supporters of a Downtown Racine bar in danger of losing its liquor license are planning a rally on Sixth Street at bar-closing time this weekend.

Park 6, a bar located at the corner of Park and Sixth streets in Downtown Racine, may have its liquor license revoked over a series of incidents, including fights, a shooting and underage drinking violations, in or near the bar. Some believe the city is unfairly targeting the bar.

A group is organizing a rally outside of Park 6 early Saturday morning. The crowd will then march to City Hall. Organizers are opposed to city efforts to revoke Park 6's liquor license, as well as the license for Ginger/Sticky Rice at 337 Main St. They're also upset over a city committee's decision to deny Joe Harris a liquor license for a jazz- and blues-theme bar at 1111 Washington Ave.

News media from Milwaukee are planning to cover the rally, which likely will be early Saturday morning around bar-closing time.

Organizers are meeting this evening to finalize plans. They're planning to make a public statement Friday.

And, just because it's a great song ...

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Should Racine have a dog beach?

Here's one from the rumor mill ... Racine officials may be considering a dog beach.

No one is saying much publicly on the topic - unless it's to remind people that dogs are not allowed on North or Zoo beaches - but it's an idea that some officials privately support. One even shared they've taken their dog down to one of the city's lesser-used beaches.

There's two early candidates for dog beach. One is Samuel Myers Beach where the Dragon Boat races are held every year. Never much of a human swimming beach, it could be a candidate for canines. There's certainly enough parking to support people bringing their dogs.

Another possibility is tiny Carrie-Hogel Park at the end of Main Street on the city's south side near 17th Street. It's a hidden gem of a park with a small beach that may be a good fit for dogs. Hard to say if there would be enough parking on crowded days, and it could draw a lot of attention to a neighborhood that's fairly quiet.

Water at both beaches is being tested. Reports on both are due back later this year.

Dogs are prohibited from North and Zoo beaches, in part, because of the poop issue. The city works hard to keep the beaches - and its neighboring water - clean. Poop can wash into the water and raise the level of unhealthy toxins. Plus, it's kinda gross.

No idea on what kind of rules would be enforced at a Racine dog beach, but other cities have worked them out. A big issue appears to be whether animals can be let off their leash to swim. Some cities require leashes at all times, while others require leashes only when a dog isn't swimming.

Should Racine have a dog beach? Post comments below.

And, just for fun ...

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Closer look at numbers driving debate over Racine's animal shelter

Want to help? P'Jamma needs a home.

At least 80 people gathered in Sturtevant Wednesday night to discuss alternatives to Countryside Humane Society in light of recent allegations of mistreatment of animals and the shelter issuing over 600 expired vaccinations to local pets. Beth over at Racine Uncovered was at the meeting last night and has a good write-up of what happened.

One small, but important, aspect of the story are the numbers flying around about how many animals Countryside euthanizes each year. After looking closely at 2009 data from Countryside, it appears most reports - including one on RacinePost - have been high.

Ald. Eric Marcus, who is leading efforts against Countryside, says the shelter euthanized 62% of the animals that came into its care last year from the city of Racine. If you look at the numbers, it's easy to see how you would arrive at that percentage.

One chart of "Field Activity" shows Countryside brought in 2,063 animals from the city in 2009. A second chart of "Outgoing Method" shows 1,281 city animals were euthanized. If you divide the two together, you get 62%.

But this isn't an accurate reflection of what's happening inside of Countryside. First, "Field Activity" does not account for all of the animals brought into Countryside. A chart of "Incoming Method" shows 2,403 city animals were brought into Countryside in 2009 - 340 more than the "Field Activity" chart shows. It's unclear why there is a discrepancy, but we'll go with the higher number because it is specifically broken down into categories of how animals were brought in (categories include: Abandoned, Rescued, Returned, Seized, Stray, Surrendered for Euthanasia, Surrendered).

Also, of the 1,281 city animals the shelter put down in 2009, 56 were wildlife and 213 were specifically surrendered for euthanasia. If you subtract those animals out, the number of euthanized animals drops to 1,012. (It's arguable whether animals surrendered for euthanasia should be included. The shelter lists 246 animals were surrendered for euthanasia, but only 213 were actually put down. It appears Countryside can still adopt out animals dropped off by owners to be euthanized.)

Using the adjusted numbers of 1,012 animals euthanized divided by the 2,403 city animals brought in, you get an euthanized rate of 42 percent. That's significantly lower than the number Marcus is citing and the 50% number we reported earlier.

It also puts Countryside's self-reported number of a 36 percent euthansia rate for all of Racine County within the realm of possibility. Presumably there are fewer abandoned, stray or mistreated animals outside of the city, which would reduce the number of animals the shelter puts down.

Lastly, using the Humane Society of the United States' formula for calculating a "live-release" rate for shelters, Countryside's rate is 66%, if you factor out animals dropped off for euthanasia.

A lot of these numbers are up for interpretation, and they certainly lead to questions for Countryside's staff (like why 246 animals were dropped off for euthansia, but only 213 were put down? Could more have been saved?) But it's safe to say Racine's animal shelter euthanizes less than half of city animals brought into its care, and, using nationally accepted standards, could be saving two-thirds of the adoptable animals that come under its care.

Check Countryside's data yourself here.

Here's a link to the "live-release" formula we used

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Mitchell falling behind in Kohl's $500,000 competition

With just three weeks to go in the Kohl's Cares $10 million school giveaway, Racine's Mitchell Middle School is falling behind.

Mitchell held its own at the beginning of the contest, in which the top 20 schools will each receive $500,000. But today it's in 30th place, ten away from the prize pool. Mitchell has 8,531 votes; the school now in 20th place, Hebrew Academy of Huntington Beach, CA, has 12,341. At the top of Kohl's leaderboard is Lake High School of Millbury, OH, with 32,303 votes.

Racine's other entry in the contest, Knapp Elementary School, has 624 votes, far off the pace of Kohl's listing of the top 100 schools.

To vote for Mitchell, go here.

To vote for Knapp, go here.

To add your voice to ours in suggesting to the powers-that-be at the Journal Times that they get behind these two Racine schools, go here.

An interesting sidelight to Mitchell's competition comes from former Racine native Dan Hammill, who now lives in Bellingham, WA. Dan writes that Kim Wendt, the Mitchell teacher who first won a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant for her school -- before moving on to the bigger challenge that Kohl's offers -- is helping and advising a non-profit effort in Washington State that is competing for a $10,000 Pepsi grant.

"Project Homeless Connect is a day when 550 service providers and volunteers help almost 700 homeless people get critical human services like dental, medical and vision care," Hamill writes. Actually, it is even more than that: Homeless Connect also provides mental health services, Washington State ID cards, housing information, legal and taxation services, haircuts and pet care, on the spot, and a free referral for follow-up care after the event.

"With Kim's help and advice, we are now in the top ten in the public voting grant process that ends Sept. 6."

For more on this project -- and a link to vote for it and others, go here.

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August 11, 2010

Development Drought: Racine hasn't issued new construction permit in two years

On Nov. 10, 2008 the City of Racine issued a permit to Bukacek Construction to build a 5,655-square-foot storage garage at Batten International Airport.

The $350,000 project was a nice addition to Racine's airport, but it holds added significance for the city. It's the last permit for new commercial construction issued in Racine. The city has not attracted, or approved, a new construction project in 22 months.

That's not to say construction has ground to a halt. The city has seen new homes built and significant renovations completed since November 2008. But officials, Realtors and developers have not lured a new construction project to the city.

Here's the last seven new commercial construction projects in the city estimated values of over $1 million:

Greater Grace Temple, 600 N. Memorial Drive. Permit issued Jan. 10, 2006 for a $4 million, 41,800-square-foot community center. The project is still under construction. The church is raising money to complete work. The property is tax exempt.

McDonald's, 3037 Douglas Ave. The permit was issued March 30, 2006 for a $1.4 million, 4,973-square-foot building. Peter Schwabe Inc. was the contractor. This is one of two new McDonald's that received a construction permit in 2006. The property was assessed at $1.26 million in 2009, up from $950,000 in 2006. Owner Franchise Realty Intrst paid a property tax bill of $31,561.61 in 2009.

McDonald's, 2100 Lathrop Ave. The permit was issued Dec. 22, 2006 for a $2 million, 6,576-square-foot building. Peter Schwabe Inc. was the contractor. The second of two new McDonald's that received a new construction permit in 2006. The property was assessed at $1.635 million in 2009, up from $825,000 in 2006. Owner McDonald's Corporation paid a property tax bill of $38,652.86 in 2009.

BP station and Gus's Gyros, 2100 Douglas Ave. The permit was issued to Tom Tousis on Jan. 25, 2007 for a $1 million, 6,500-square-foot gas station, store and car wash. The property was assessed at $1.231 million in 2009, up from $529,000 in 2006. Tousis paid $31,450.73 in property taxes on the property in 2009.

Racine Zoo, 2131 N. Main St. The permit was issued Nov. 16, 2007 for a $1.576 million, 10,000-square-foot project that included new zoo buildings and remodeling an existing building. Seater Construction Co Inc. did the work. The zoo is tax exempt.

Israel of God's Church, 2017 Mead St. The permit was issued Feb. 25, 2008 for a $1.3 million, 8,189-square-foot church. Johnson Building Systems did the work. The church is tax exempt.

Project Honor, 1525 Howe St. The permit was issued May 19, 2008 for $39 million (though company officials said that was an early estimate of the project. They declined to release the actual value of the new building). The 60,345-square-foot project was built by Gilbane Building Company.

More Projects

Here's the additional commercial permits issued by the city since 2005, including estimated value of the projects:

Aug. 3, 2005 - 1813 Taylor Ave., Taylor Mart, 4,703-square-foot gas station, $150,000
Aug. 8, 2005 - 1813 Taylor Ave., Uni-Pump Inc., 68x24 canopy, $25,000
Aug. 27, 2005 - 2519 Northwestern Ave., Absolute Construction, 1,300-square-foot storage building, $55,000
Jan. 25, 2006 - 2932 Northwestern Ave., State Permits Inc., 20x20 cold storage building, $10,000
March 23, 2006 - 2000 Oakes Road, AW Oakes & Son, 9,975-square-foot cold storage building, $150,000
March 23, 2006 - 2000 Oakes Road, AW Oakes & Son, 13,066-square-foot office building, $45,000
June 7, 2006 - 6116 Regency West Drive, Catalyst Construction, strip mall, $570,000
Aug. 22, 2006 - 915 Romayne Ave., Roosevelt School, temporary classrooms, $30,000
Oct. 2, 2006 - 4 Gaslight Drive, New England Builder, Temporary Sales Trailer, $5,000
April 13, 2007 - 3502 Rapids Drive, Bravo Realty, 2,100-square-foot gas station and store, $300,000
May 17, 2007 - 2100 Douglas Ave., Oil Equipment Co., 3,600 square-foot gas station canopy, $23,000
April 29, 2008 - 2805 S Green Bay Road, Schuh Construction, 1,738-square-foot Starbucks Coffee Shop - shell only, $375,000
Sept. 29, 2008 - 3502 Rapids Drive, Uni-Pump Inc., 105x24 canopy, $40,000

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Countryside opponents talk alternatives at meeting

Update: We weren't able to cover the meeting tonight, but Beth over at Racine Uncovered was there and is planning a write-up for her site tomorrow. We'll link over there when she posts a story.

Original post: A meeting to discuss alternatives to Countryside Humane Society is scheduled for tonight at 7pm at Fountain Banquet Hall, 8505 Durand Ave.

Local residents concerned about the care Countryside provides to animals are hoping to develop a competing organization to take over local municipalities' animal control contracts. The City of Racine will pay over $200,000 to Countryside this year to take in stray and unwanted animals, and adopt them out or euthanize them.

People at tonight's meeting are invited to provide feedback and input regarding alternatives to Countryside. Also, a group may step forward to announce it will make a credible bid to takeover animal control services in Racine County.

Opposition to Countryside has grown in recent months after it was revealed the shelter issued expired vaccinations to over 600 local pets. The criticism recently reached Racine's City Council. Two aldermen - Aron Wisneski and Terry McCarthy - spoke openly in favor of replacing Countryside's management.

Countryside has responded to the criticism noting it's required, by law, to take in every homeless or unwanted animals regardless of the animals' physical and behavioral health. The shelter takes in far more animals than are adopted out, forcing it to euthanize animals.

Opponents of Countryside claim the shelter euthanizes too many animals, while the shelter says its rate for 2010 is 36 percent, well within the acceptable rate for shelters around the country. The shelter's 2009 data shows it euthanized about 50 percent of the animals that came under its care.

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August 10, 2010

City Notes: Health Board to review animal services contract in September; Obamacare won't help Racine health department

The federal law that will overhaul the nation's health care system will bring aid into Wisconsin, but none of the money will reach local health departments.

That's the word from the state's health officer, Racine Public Health Administrator Dottie-Kay Bowersox told the Board of Health Tuesday. The money will be used to increase opportunities for Medicaid and health care options, educate public health graduates, and to expand Federally Qualified Health Care Providers.

Bowersox said the outcome was frustrating because the federal and state governments will cut aid to local health departments.

COUNTRYSIDE: The Health Board will consider requirements for the city's animal control services at its September meeting. The city is seeking more providers to compete with Countryside Humane Society for the contract, which is required by the state. Countryside is under fire for giving out expired vaccinations and for allegations of underserving animals brought to their care.

LAUREL CLARK FOUNTAIN: City officials will meet with architects and engineers in the near future to plan needed renovations to the Laurel Clark Fountain. Marcia Fernholz, environmental health director for the city, said they were reviewing options to stop the fountain's pipes from corroding. That may include coating the interior of the pipes to stop the corrosion, or digging up the pipes and replacing them, Fernholz said. The fountain should be ready next year.

HEALTH GUIDELINES: The city is re-writing its health guidelines for festivals and public events. The process started when concerns were raised about illegal vendors selling food at the city's Fourth of July parade. It's grown to include all vendors and will streamline the requirements for people who want to sell at local events. Fernholz said every year several people in the city sell food out of potentially unsafe, and illegal, locations. For example, one person was running a restaurant out of an apartment on Jacato Drive. The new guidelines, which will eventually be an ordinance, should help people understand the steps needed to safely, and legally, sell food.

SHARED SERVICES: Racine health officials are meeting with the Mount Pleasant/Caledonia Health Department to explore areas where they can share services. Discussions are ongoing. Bowersox said she supported efforts to work with neighboring health departments. "Anywhere we can conoslidate services, we're better off," she told the Health Board.

BEACH INSPECTIONS: The city has done wonders cleaning up North Beach. Now it's looking at what needs to be done at some of its other beaches. Julie Kinzelman and her laboratory staff are testing the water at Samuel Myers Beach, Carrie-Hoeg Park (located at the end of Main St. near 17th St.), and near the Michigan Boulevard storm water out fall. Once the results are in the city will have data to determine if the beaches are safe for swimming, and what can be done to improve the water quality.

FRESHWATER SCIENCES: The Racine Health Department already has a working relationship with the new Freshwater Sciences School in Milwaukee, Kinzelman said. An intern in the department will be part of the school's inaugural class, and the city is already partnering with the school on a grant. The School of Freshwater Sciences is part of UW-Milwaukee.

WINGSPREAD: Racine hosted an international conference at Winspread on July 26 on "rapid-detection methods" for testing water quality. Kinzelman, an expert in the development of tests that can quickly determine if water is unsafe for human use, and other city officials took part in the conference. Bowersox called the conference a "feather in the cap for the city."

INTERNS: The city is hosting 10 graduate and undergraduate interns in its lab this summer to work on various projects, Kinzelman said. Not only are the students testing water in the Root River and at Racine beaches, they're also collecting samples from Kenosha, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee and other Lake Michigan beaches in southeastern Wisconsin. The data may be used to make needed environmental improvements along the lake.

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Racine's North Beach gets more national attention

Racine's North Beach is prominently featured in a national report on water quality at vacation beaches.

The National Resources Defense Council twice references North Beach as a model for other communities. It notes city efforts to transform the beach into a swimming area that was closed more than half the time into 2000 into a beach that is rarely closed. The change has had a major economic impact. Racine is now able to attract national events to its beach front that bring millions of dollars into the city. The report says:

Once water quality improved, summer weekday attendance at North Beach soared, increasing from an average of 126 people in 2005 to 641 people in 2008. Holiday and weekend visitors frequently numbered in the thousands. The increase in steady customers has resulted in the creation of a number small-business opportunities, such as cabana, beach chair, and kayak rentals.

The report also noted a stormwater treatment system in Racine that was instrumental in reducing pollution at North Beach. The report includes three pictures of a re-engineered stormwater outfall and says the system is "pleasing to the eye in addition to being a very effective means of improving beachwater quality."

The report lists other methods Racine used to control stormwater runoff including:

Development of a series of dune ridges to intercept stormwater from the parking area
Altered beach grooming to kill bacteria
Adding additional trash cans so garbage doesn't overflow and attract seagulls, which pollute the water with their poop
Solar-powered trash compactors
Enacting and ordinance and posting signs prohibiting the feeding of seagulls

Racine's inclusion in the NRDC's annual report is another coup for Racine's remarkable recovery of North Beach. It's another sign that communities around the world are looking at Racine as a success story for what can happen if you take care of a natural resource.

It's also further proof that North Beach is a remarkable treasure for the community, both for recreation and economic development.

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All Saints' decline in patients may be a good thing, official says

All Saints has seen a decline in patients and total patient days over the past year, but that may be a good thing.

Racine's hospital has had a 12.4 percent decline in admissions and nearly 9 percent decline in patient days from June 2009 to June 2010, according to Wisconsin Hospital Association Data. Both declines were more than three-times larger than the average of all hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin.

Susan Boland, All Saints' senior vice president and chief operating officer, said the data was not sophisticated enough to measure what was really happening in area hospitals. For example, All Saints is making a concerted effort to provide follow-up treatment to 300 patients with congestive heart failure who are prone to frequent stays in the hospital. The program is working, which means fewer hospital admissions and patient days.

In another example, Boland said All Saints is helping some patients improve their health by improving their basic life situation. The hospital provides assistance to help people get food, prescription drugs and even pay their rent. That, in turn, reduces the chance they'll need to be checked back into the hospital.

And in a third, she said All Saints' surgeons are using new technology and techniques that reduce the amount of time required to stay in the hospital. Surgeries that a few years ago required an overnight stay are now done in a day. That cuts down on people's need to stay in a hospital bed, and gives them an opportunity to convalesce at home.

These programs, and several others, are designed to reduce the numbers of admissions and patients days at All Saints, Boland said. "Those are the right kind of drops," she said.

Boland also noted the economy affects the use of the health care system. If people are unemployed, or worried about losing their job, they'll put off getting a knee looked at or their carpal tunnel fixed.

"People are asking, 'Can I afford to be out of work?'" Boland said. "That plays a substantial role in the numbers."

Of course, nearly every hospital in southeastern Wisconsin is working under the same conditions and trying to implement similar changes. So why did All Saints' admissions and patient days drop more than three times the average for hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin?

One theory Boland ruled out: People are leaving All Saints for Wheaton-Franciscan's new hospital in Franklin. While the Franklin hospital saw a 30.9 percent increase in admission and 65.9 percent increase in patient days, most of those patients came from Milwaukee County.

Boland said the Franklin hospital, which has one-tenth the number of beds as All Saints, was built to fill a niche in the market, not to replace any of Wheaton's hospitals.

So what caused the drop in admissions and patient days? Boland said it was All Saints "aligning" its services to become more efficient and effective.

She added All Saints did see a slight increase - less than 1 percent - in use of its Emergency Department, which was ranked among the top 5 percent in the country. Racine's ED will get a new service this fall when it adds an around-the-clock "pediatric hospitalist" to work with children in the hospital. It's a rare position for any emergency department, Boland said.

"Our emergency department is not just local and easy to get to," Boland said. "It's a place where you can have an exceptional outcome."

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Racine doctor: New All Saints' leadership is a 'huge improvement'

Racine's hospital was in a state of revolt earlier this year, but appears calmer now.

A group of 50 doctors threatened to leave All Saints Healthcare over general dissatisfaction with the hospital's management and forced a series of meetings with high-level officials to air their grievances. The revolt had an impact. Dr. Loren Meyer was reassigned as head of the Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group's "South Region" and resigned in July from Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.

Meyer was replaced by the well-liked Ken Buser, who had run All Saints before being promoted when Wheaton bought All Saints.

Here's an update from an All Saints doctor with knowledge of the ongoing discussions:

The new physician leadership structure is a huge improvement and I think the docs on the whole are optimistic that they will have more input and control over big things like electronic medical records, patient billing and collection, staffing etc. Physician compensation is still an issue for some of them depending on speciality and discussions are ongoing. The new management council, executive team, site leaders (a complicated flow chart for sure!) etc should be fully operational in August and by the end of the year the docs will know if the decision to stay and demand a reorganization was worth it. Obviously the rest of the WFMG docs up in the Milwaukee markets saw what happened down here and insisted that similar changes be implemented up there. Hence the elimination of Loren Meyer's position. He will not be missed.

Orthopedic docs were not part of the discussions and planning over the last several months and it is still rumored that the group is leaving WFMG. Unclear as to what their major issues are, although I suspect compensation is one. Administration is pretty tight lipped on this topic.

So things aren't entirely settled, but they've calmed from earlier this year.

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Racine Unified summit to address achievement gap

In an effort to address the achievement gap in Racine, the Racine Unified School District will hold an event called the Empowerment for Students Summit on Thursday, Aug. 12 from 6-7:15 p.m. in the Park High School auditorium.

Local families and community members will have the opportunity to learn about creating culturally relevant schools, the academic achievement of African American students and why it has become a civil rights matter. Thursday's session will be led by Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The event is being coordinated by RUSD administration, Board members and the NAACP. It is the first in a series of events that will encourage community involvement and support of the District's efforts to close achievement gaps.

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Racine Gang Task Force receives national awards

The Greater Racine Gang Task Force was recognized by the F.B.I. Safe Streets Violent Gang Initiative Conference in Austin, Texas on July 29.

The National Safe Streets Initiative and the F.B.I. identified the top 30 violent gang investigations from across the country for 2009 and selected The Greater Racine Gang Task Force 11th among the 30 investigations. The F.B.I. also ranked the Greater Racine Gang Task Force No. 2 in the North Central Region, which includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The Greater Racine Gang Task Force conducted an investigation targeting gang members who had been involved in violent crimes (aggravated assault, firearms violations, robbery, attempted murder and murder). This investigation began in 2007 and concluded in 2009. The investigation resulted in 57 gang members being arrested and federally prosecuted. The result of this effort has been a significant drop in violent crime and homicides in the Racine.

The recognized investigations identified, disrupted and dismantled violent street gangs, prison gangs or outlaw motorcycle gangs. The investigations were sustained, proactive and coordinated investigations resulting in successful prosecutions.

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August 9, 2010

City will try to take Ginger's liquor license; Bar attached to Sticky Rice under scrutiny

The city is trying to take away another Downtown bar's liquor license.

The Public Safety and Licensing Committee voted Monday night to take Sticky Rice/Ginger's lounge to a due process hearing. That means the committee will attempt to build a case against the bar at 337 S. Main St. to remove their ability to sell alcohol.

Monday's action followed a lengthy discussion with owner Pythaphone Khampane over an underage drinking violation and fights in the bar. Khampone said the underager was the sister of a bartender who vouched for the girl. The bartender has since been fired. But he didn't have a clear answer for the fights reported in his bar.

The committee asked about Khampone about incidents at Ginger's showing up on the Downtown Racine Corp.'s monthly reports. Khampone said he's tried to ease crowding in the bar with a new layout. The bar also hires security staff on weekends. He added that most of the problems come with a young crowd that's prone to fights over a guy hitting on another guy's girl, or girls getting into fights.

Ald. Jim Kaplan noted the bar is closing a half hour later than it was a year ago, and Khampone said that last half hour is important. When they had last call at 1 a.m. they weren't meeting their expenses, he said. Last call at 1:30 a.m. helped bring in more money, Khampone said.

Khampone then told the committee he never received a letter to appear before the Public Safety and Licensing Committee on Monday night. He said he only knew to appear at the meeting because Keith Fair called to let him know he was on the meeting's agenda.

Ald. Eric Marcus asked if there were problem at Ginger's in the last two weeks. Khampone said there were minor incidents that his bar staff was able to address. But Marcus said it looked to him like the bar's crowd was out of hand and needed to be reigned in.

Following the discussion, the committee voted to send Ginger's to the due process hearing. The committee is also holding a due process hearing for Park 6, a bar at the corner of Park and Sixth streets, in Downtown Racine.

The committee is getting increasingly tough on bars in the city. It recently led efforts to revoke a liquor license from the Blind Alligator, a bar on Taylor Avenue, and turned down a man's request Monday to open a bar on Washington Avenue at the former location of the Salt & Pepper Lounge.

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Gateway, UW-Parkside split $520,000 to aid students

Half a million dollars in federal funds have been awarded to Gateway and Parkside, their portion of more than $7 million in grants to help first generation, low-income and disabled Wisconsin students succeed in college.

The TRIO Student Support Services grants went to 22 state colleges and universities, according to Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold.

UW-Parkside received $300,038 and Gateway Technical College's three campuses will divide up $219,957.

The program aids students with tutoring and mentoring. The Department of Education said the programs must provide academic tutoring; guidance in course selection; assistance with financial aid programs and scholarships; financial and economic literacy counseling; help with admission to graduate and professional programs; and enrollment assistance for students transitioning from two-year institutions to four-year programs.

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City Notes: Coasters getting a beer garden

Notes from Monday night's committee meetings ...

COASTERS: Coasters Pub, 1301 N. Main St., is planning to build an outdoor beer garden behind the bar along Main St. Owner Michael Kurhajec appeared before the Public Safety and Licensing Committee to change the bar's "premises description." The 23x32-foot patio passed unanimously.

MAGNOLIA ROOM: Kristina Christensen, owner of The Pink Magnolia, 240B Main St., had the liquor license for the former Granger Lounge to her name. Christensen replaces Robb Granger as holder of the liquor license. Granger was removed from the business. The business is now named "Magnolias on Main" with "The Pink Magnolia" as the restaurant inside.

TOBACCO VIOLATIONS: The following businesses were called in for "non-compliance of tobacco sales":

Quik Market, 4303 Sixteenth Street
Taylor Mart, 1813 Taylor Avenue
Speedway, 4620 Washington Avenue

CLAIM: If a city tree falls on your car, don't expect the city to pay for it. The Finance and Personnel Committee rejected three claims Monday night involving trees or tree branches that fell on cars during a storm on June 18. In all three cases Assistant City Attorney Nicole Loop said there was no evidence that the trees were in poor health or uncared for. The claims were for $665, $1,036 and $1,836.61.

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Committee rejects jazz and blues club on Washington Ave.

Update: We left an important piece of backstory to this story. Monday night was the second time Bourbon Street Blues and Jazz came before the committee. On July 26 the committee deferred action on the proposal after it was revealed that Joe Harris was applying for the license with Leslie Rogers, even though Rogers reached an agreement with the city in 1999 to never apply for a liquor license again. Rogers is the former owner of Leslie's Continental Club, which was the site of a murder in 1999.

During the meeting, it was clear Rogers would be a significant, if not lead, partner in the new Bourbon Street Blues and Jazz. That concerned the committee given Rogers' previous agreement with the city. Harris appeared along Monday night before the Public Safety and Licensing Committee and rewrote his plan to exclude Rogers, but Rogers initial inclusion factored into the committee's decision.

Original post: City officials voted down a New Orleans-themed jazz and blues club at the corner of Washington Avenue and Racine Street.

Joe Harris appeared before the Public Safety and Licensing Committee Monday night to apply for a liquor license for Bourbon Street Blues & Jazz at 1111 Washington Ave., the former Salt & Pepper Lounge.

The committee voted 3-1 against the "Class B" liquor license, citing concerns that the bar would be too close to the children's homeless shelter Safe Haven and to a child care center.

Alds. David Maack, Eric Marcus and Aron Wisneski voted against. Ald. Jim Kaplan voted in favor.

Harris' request for a license now goes to the full Common Council for a final vote. The council could overrule the committee.

Harris argued his business would replace an existing bar that co-existed peacefully with Safe Haven, the child care center and other surrounding businesses.

In addition to concerns about the location, Marcus pointed out inconsistencies on Harris' business plan submitted to the committee and some old battery and disorderly conduct charges against Harris.

Wisneski said he wasn't concerned about Harris' ability to run a bar, but said the location wasn't a good place for a bar.

Kaplan argued in favor of Harris' application. He said the jazz and blues theme was a good fit for the area.

The committee disagreed, and now Harris' only chance to open the business rests with the full council.

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Racine PD looking to apply for child sexual predator grant

The Racine Police Department is seeking a nearly $300,000 grant to better track child sexual predators.

Assistant Chief Tom Christensen presented the grant to the Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee Monday night. There was brief discussion on the committee about a requirement to use investigators to staff the city's Child Advocacy Center for 20 yours per week. The requirement would extend an existing program within the police department.

The grant itself would create a training program that would connect with other law enforcement agencies and help track child sex predators in real-time.

The committee unanimously agreed to allow the Police Department to apply for the grant, which is competitive. Christensen said the city was invited to apply for the grant, which is a good sign for its chances.

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Annual 'bike jam' at Pershing Park is Sept. 4

Kuko Padilla's annual bike jam at Pershing Park will be Sept. 4 from noon to 10 p.m.

Padilla has been the lead volunteer at Racine's skateboard park for the past decade. Every year he holds a bike jam to mark the end of the summer season and give everyone who uses the park one more chance before school starts to get together. The event features food, bands and lots of riding.

The city is acknowledging Padilla's efforts to maintain the skate park by waiving the $385 rental fee for the park. They consider the fee offset by the work and materials Padilla donates throughout the spring and summer to keep the park running. The Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee approved waiving the fee with little discussion. It heads to the full council for final consideration next week.

Here's our story from last year on Padilla's work.

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At Countryside's heart: A Beagle hoping for a new home

In all the controversy swirling around the Countryside Humane Society -- some of it real (the expired vaccines) and some of it not so real (arguments about euthanasia percentages) -- one issue has been over-shadowed: the fact that many, many abandoned animals find good homes every year through the animal shelter's efforts.

So let's step back for a moment and focus on the animals, like P'Jamma here, a five-year-old female Beagle.

P'Jamma came to Countryside as a stray on May 29, and is still hoping to find a new home. She is an older girl who likes her peace and quiet, and would be well-suited to a family whose children, if any, are 12 years old or older.

You can see her, and other dogs and cats looking for good homes at the Countryside Humane Society, 2706 Chicory Road. Or call (262) 554-6699 for more information.

P.S. I know it's wrong to anthropomorphise (Is that even a word? Well, you know what I mean.), but isn't that a sweet face? How can you resist those sad eyes?

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Uptown getting a mosaic park, piece by piece

Uptown is getting a mosaic park.

The vacant at lot at 1341 Washington Ave., owned by Linea Anthony and Cliff Goodenough, is undergoing a transformation. It started two years ago when famed mosaic artist Isiah Zagar designed and led a group of community volunteers in creating two mosaic walls on either side of the lot.

Now, Goodenough is working to cover a new brick fence along Washington Avenue with colorful mosaics of birds, turtles, berries and other designs. Goodenough was out working Friday. It'd taken him about two weeks to get halfway through the walls, he figures he has another week left, if the weather cooperates. He can't work in the rain because the glue he uses to attach tiles, plates, mirrors, and other collected objects doesn't hold up when wet.

Goodenough and Anthony plan to turn the lot into a park with native plants and a small pond.

Here's some snapshots of Goodenough's mosaic work ...

Goodenough cuts a mirror to glue to his mosaic wall. He admitted it was enjoyable, but tough,
work. He jokingly described the project as Racine's "wailing wall" because of the painstaking
effort its taken him to cover the fence along Washington Avenue.