And the crime begins

Yes kinda late of a post from the Journal Times but perhaps The City Administer   Tom Friedel needed to approve the story first but to the point the pitch to steal your money for a dead Racine has begun

From the Journal Times “…

YORKVILLE — At the end of Tuesday night’s meeting on funding options for the proposed Downtown arena, Mayor John Dickert drew on a piece of wisdom he said he learned from a nun during high school.

“Go out and make the world a better place,” he said. “That’s your job. I took that seriously.”..” http://journaltimes.com/news/local/arena-cost-share-proposed/article_e820a943-184c-52f5-97b6-8cd22a927e85.html

Wow the City needing to remove street lights and cut the Bus service to almost nothing wants to pay 2/3 of the cost  of a 40+ Million Arena. Well not the city so much as you the tax payer so the Downtown Racine bar owners can make more money, after all the Bar Owners have been good to Mayor Dickert (well the white bar owners the Black-Hispanic mostly being driven from the area)

As the County Board goes forward looking at this I do hope they look at the results of other City of Racine projects:

Porter’s:  Unknown amount spent site now empty

Delta Hawk Unknown Amount spent from City of Racine and State   100 + Jobs promised: Company sold to others unknown jobs no job numbers ever given in public

Machinery Row, Millions lent State Tax credits approved Federal/State Grants given:

Legal action between partners, Legal Action on former owner, Loan not repaid, no building going on at site no activity can be seen from street, Racine County web site appears to say that the project IS NOT PAYING TAXES

Strong rumor is that a State grant will be used to buy land given to Machinery Row by the City so the property tax bill is paid …?

And the Racine County Board is thinking of doing ANYTHING with the city of Racine that’s right its not their money its yours and the right folks will benefit and that is not you.

 

And the lies are spun

From the Journal Times  http://journaltimes.com/news/local/dickert-arena-proposal-would-bring-hundreds-of-jobs/article_8e143ead-e62d-5ca0-ba8a-250698a0a399.html  “…

While that’s been taking place, Mayor John Dickert has been working behind the scenes and in tandem with the county to make the project a reality.

“This is a community opportunity,” Dickert said. “This is not a city or county thing or anything else. This is all of us partnering together on an opportunity to create jobs.”

Those jobs are a vital benefit of the arena proposal, which was presented publicly for the first time to the County Board Tuesday. The $40 million events center would add more than 300 jobs as well as 450 construction jobs during the building process, according to Dickert. …”

Well now let just look at his track record on projects our fine Mayor has talked about

Team Porters   Number of Jobs 0  Site is now a field of grass

Delta Hawk Jobs promised 100 Jobs created ??  Business sold to another local company no report ever given that I am aware of, we were that if X jobs where not created the money given by the City of Racine would be “clawed back” no idea if that was ever stared nor occurred

Machinery Row a 60 Million project city loans given Grants received for the project

so far..

The loan not paid back talks to extend loan payments, from a review of city of Racine information on line not happening and from what I can find from the City and county of Racine the properties are behind on taxes! Yes Machinery Row is NOT paying taxes (gee I thought they would have to?). We are also told that work on the Brownfield issues are being done as I type this, however the most number of cars I have seen at this site is 3 so I can only think that no this is not happening.

From what I can see and read from pubic information is nothing is going on at the site and Machinery Row like Porters is well kinda dead

Of course we have the 800K “lost” loan from a building on Main st as you know from the Journal Times the paper work securing this loan kinda of sorta got lost not filed not done in the first place.

Damn Racine is good when it comes to doing/following up on  projects

Questions that should be ask include is the Brewhouse at Reef Point Marina paying rent yet?

How many “Boaters” outside the Zip code of Racine have come to Reef Point Marina? Is it covering its own costs?

How much money has Venue Works lost in running Festival Hall last report is 300K in the red. Gee how much money can they lose on this?

Our Mayor of course is saying what a great place a arena would be for the area you know the Jobs we have the folks coming to downtown Racine etc You know the lies we have been told for years and years but this time it will be different.

Of course it will be sure you know I got this great bridge for sale in New York

 

 

Let’s spend money we do not have

Does it hurt yet? Because you are going to learn to take it

From The Journal Times 8/24/16

“…

RACINE — A new study recommends a $40 million Downtown Racine events center attached to a 135-room hotel, though uncertainty about funding looms over discussions.

A conceptual plan presented Tuesday to the Racine County Board calls for a 3,800-seat arena to be built on vacant land at the southeast corner of Lake Avenue and Gas Light Drive.

In addition to the Milwaukee Bucks Developmental League team, officials say a United States Hockey League franchise has expressed interest in a Racine arena, which would also host concerts and other events.

A proposal on how to fund it has not yet emerged. An arena would cost about $40 million, according to the study from Hunden Strategic Partners….”

Lets be bold here did you think that Hunden Strategic Partners was NOT going to say that this the idea of an arena was not going to be the best thing since White bread? If they did how many more studies would they be hired to do, after all how much money will be generated in Downtown Racine even if nothing is ever built?Think of the Grants that could be received for this project! Think of the paid trips the Mayor and his pals could go on! Think of the booze that could be sold! Think of the cash only income near by business could make the sets of books one could have!

Of course we are told that crowds will come from Milwaukee and Northern IL to see our worse then Farm teams play, the backers of this plan must have not heard of

The Bucks

The Blackhawks

The Cubs

The Milwaukee Admirals

The White Socks

The Wave

Get the point?  The number of sports teams to see without ever coming near the Racine exits?

Looking at our population we are told that we would be the base of support to for the teams (right sure of course)

We would be paying the 40+ Million that this would cost this being on top of the 200 Million debit we now have oh the joy of the City of the Racine.

Now word is that the Hockey Team in the Newspaper is NOT the only Hockey team to use this but an NHL team owner will offer to move a Farm team here (and Big Foot is coming too)

Word is too that a “Named Hotel Chain” wants to come to Racine and build the Hotel with no ” tax payer” funds (you heard about Big Foot right?)

I will be following this story closely

 

Are you ready Racine for what is coming?

Are you ready for what is coming? You know you want it after all you been fucked by :

Point Blue

Team Porters

Machinery Row ( Wait til you hear the new idea AND who will pay the bills)

From the Journal Times 8/21/16

“…

The Racine County Board on Tuesday will hear the results of a recent study centered on the possibility of constructing an arena in Racine.

Moreover, the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting mentions the possibility of a hotel in connection to the arena. On Friday, Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details about the hotel in advance of the meeting.  …”

As much as Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details (and why should he he only works for us but looks like he is controlled by Mayor John Dickert)

I will speculate:

1. The location is Downtown Racine thinking the old WE Energy site on Lake St
2. The hotel a long time goal of Mayor John Dickert and will include a convention center thinking this be the filled in 5th St Marina that the County can not sell nor has found any interest in. What better way to dispose of a White Elephant then sell it to the tax payers?
3. The Sports arena will include an indoor Ice rink something else a long time goal of the Downtown Racine crowd wants badly maybe something called for in the Root Works plan
4. The Ice rink we will be told would be used by An NHL farm team we will be told would be moved or started in Racine
5. That the convention center of course would be ran by the same company Venu Works that only loss 300K last year and has trouble filling the Festival Hall in Racine
6. the cost (about say 50 Million) would be split between The City of Racine County of Racine and forced loans I mean donations from the Racine Business community

That local Sport player (s) from Racine we will be told will buy naming rights, to honor another local sports hero.

That there are a few 100K in grants to kick the project off (and pay the developer?)

Of course the report will say  there is a HUGE need for a Sports Complex and Hotel/Convention center. We will be told that many from Chicago would come to Racine to see the Sports team Ice Skate then spend $$ in Downtown Racine, after all just go downtown and see all the cars from IL, and the line of cars coming to Racine on Hwy 11 to visit this Hell hole I mean great city.

Now how will Machinery Row impact this when new details on that project comes out?

Overall just know your not taxed enough and need to pay more to allow the pals of John Dickert to make money off you now be good and bend over because its coming

 

 

Who is allowed to own “bars” in Downtown Racine?

Who is allowed to own bars in Downtown Racine? Lets see what the Newspaper might tell us

From the Journal Times http://journaltimes.com/news/local/liquor-license-denied-for-proposed-gas-station/article_93cecea8-c3d3-545e-8885-0946ba26f32f.html

we have this “… Phesal Ckadan and Bashar Qedan, the father-son duo which runs Twins Food Mart, 1812 16th St., appeared in front of the Public Safety and Licensing Committee Monday with their developer, Eihab Atout, seeking to exceed the city’s Class A liquor license quota at the proposed central-city gas station. The proposed location, 930 Washington Ave., is within 1,000 feet of two other liquor-selling establishments; the committee unanimously denied their request. That means the gas station, if opened, will not be licensed to sell alcohol…”  this continues ..

“It’s a million-dollar investment,” Atout said. “We have to succeed.”

When Fifth District Alderman Steve Smetana questioned Atout further on why the liquor license was necessary, Atout compared the potential gas station to other local businesses.

“We want to do the same thing as Kwik Trip,” Atout said. “We want to do the same thing as Walgreens. We want to do the same thing as everybody else.”

Mind you the owners of this Station are black and own stores in the inner city my understanding is the owners do a lot for the area that Twins is in in the inner City of Racine

but read what the City has to say .., ”

Deputy City Attorney Nicole Larsen told the committee that, in her opinion, the application to exceed the quota didn’t meet the four conditions necessary for approval outlined in the city’s ordinances. Those four conditions are: the submission of petition that outlines a business plan and relevant experiences; proof of ownership; evidence that the business will have “greater economic impact;” and evidence that the business will substantially improve the tax base.

“The ordinance sets out very clearly the requirement that you need to meet,” Larsen said. “It’s your obligation to show the committee that you can meet those requirements.”…”

Of course they weere unable to do so and FYI  the owners of Twins are Minorities

On the other side we have this, Right off the top we have this line that speaks volumes to me “…

From the Racine Journal Times  http://journaltimes.com/business/local/downtown-building-sold/article_bd8af615-018e-52f3-adb8-633df1d66e63.html

RACINE – Downtown tavern owner Doug Nicholson has bought the long-vacant 311 Main St. and said rehabbing it “will be our biggest project yet.”

is the owner of three Downtown businesses: Ivanhoe Pub & Eatery, 231 Main St.; Envi Ultra Lounge, 316 Main St.; and Carriage House Liquor Co., 220 State St…”

Word on the street is that this Building will be turned into a large Brew Pub

All three bars (if you can drink at a counter to me its a bar)

All three are within 1000′ of  other bars in the areas of Downtown Racine

So why can he keep getting more bars under his control in Downtown Racine what is different here?

Might it be that be because Nicholson is a long time pal of Mayor Dickert of Racine, who has worked on Dicker Campaigns and serves on the powerful Redevelopment Committee (who serving on this refused to vote on issues with Machinery Row conflict of interests perhaps?)

Might in be because unlike the Owners of Twins who sought to open a liquor store as part of their proposed Gas Station (and got turned down) is White, that Nicholson is allowed to open/buy Bar after bar in Racine?

This will be a very interesting story to follow, and time to look into past meetings of the RDA to see if past meetings of that group might shed light into this.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you lose 800K

From the Racine Journal Times 8/6/16  link http://journaltimes.com/news/local/mayor-aldermen-discuss-k-loan-in-closed-session/article_bb6b4cb7-a371-5659-81b3-0414b556c72a.html

… “RACINE — The City of Racine’s Executive Committee met in closed session Thursday evening, at least in part to discuss an $800,000 loan the city proposed writing off in June.

The Executive Committee includes Mayor John Dickert and five aldermen — Dennis Wiser, Q.A. Shakoor II, Melissa Lemke, Jeff Coe and Terry McCarthy. Dickert said Friday that the meeting was called to keep the aldermen informed on the latest with the loan, made to the now-defunct Main-Lake LLC, between 1993 and 1995 to fund housing at 419-425 Main St.

“It was really just advising the council as to what’s going on,” the mayor said. “A lot of council members have been asking about it so we just wanted to say this is where we’re at.”

State law allows city officials to meet in closed session to discuss strategy with legal counsel. Dickert couldn’t comment on the exact progress made on evaluating the loan. …

when last we read the City of Racine was going to write off the 800K loan made in the 1990’s for the building had been sold twice (if not three times) and if I understand right a lean was never placed on this building and as the story,

… “According to the June release, Elaine Ekes, the city’s consulting attorney, determined that the city would be unable to recoup the loan because the Main-Lake enterprise has dissolved. There was also no collection agreement with Main-Lake’s former parent company, The Alexander Company Inc., a Madison-based real estate developer, or any sort of mortgage taken out on the loan.

The Alexander Company’s president, Joe Alexander, said his company ceased involvement in Main-Lake in late 1997.”

Strong word on the street is that the City of Racine is going to sue to recover the loan.

Who would they sue? The current owner has a clean title, as my guess is the lat owner did, as we will find, all owners did, So then who will the City sue?

How do you not follow what must be SOP anytime  the city makes a loan THAT big?

Or maybe something else might explain what I can only call gross misconduct.

What do you think happened?

Begs the question what is going on with Machinery Row, after all  been three months and no word on what is going on with the loan the City gave on this. Why?

 

 

 

Save the Racine Public Library From Mayor John Dickert! My view

 

Full discloser I worded for the Racine  Library sometime ago

Libraries are critical what others have said

I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it’s better than college. People should educate themselves – you can get a complete education for no money. At the end of 10 years, I had read every book in the library and I’d written a thousand stories.

Ray Bradbury

Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find the answers. And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open.

Laura Bush

Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest.

Lady Bird Johnson

Most would agree that libraries are critical to get kids interested  in reading to instill the love of learning and that knowlage we gain can not be taken away from you.

Best there is no end of what might be learned from the act of going to the Library.

When I was a child in Baraboo WI my Mom and Dad made a point of making sure did I not learn how to read they read to me at a young age and my Dad taught me how to read when I was about 4 .

Early on, I discovered  all the cool books I could get from the Baraboo Library.

Oh the world of Books the information!

After the Army I discovered  the U.W. Madison Library system with more information then I could think of ….

Even in my early days recovering from Alcoholism the  Library was a place of refuge.

Today I go to the Racine Library a few times each month.

Yes things have changed far more then just books  can be found there from programing to engage youth, DVD’s, and public Computers can be found there they can and are being used by many from Facebook to others using You Tube to discover this big world we live in.

Per $$ spent I  think there is no better investment that any City can make then the public Library.

So then why the hate from Mayor Dickert with the Cut backs?

Mayor Dickert at a City meeting on Downtown Racine?

Is it to save $$ I cant think that if we can spend millions on Rootworks a million on City Hall (and his pal making Bank with the Bathrooms) could not cuts come from that? Or is there an another plan?

Why Yes Young Jedi there just might be.

I am thinking that our Real Estate maybe looking to find room for a Hotel/Convention Center where the Racine Public  Library/YMCA stand now.

Lets take a look at a map

Why look in the upper left hand corner we have the YMCA!

What would they ever do with that Empty Building? Why of course sell in to the City or a pal of our Mayor to start this hotel/center

Yet IMHO they need more room the Library would provide this added room.

and then we have this

From the Racine Journal Times

Urban Pioneer – October 22, 2014 11:55 amIt is time for the Library to address the reality of the 21st century. Close and sell the land on Lake Michigan shoreline..It makes ZERO sense to maintain a tax dollars consuming property on land that could easily b rebuilt as a tax PRODUCING property if it was developed by the private sector. Second sell the land on Spring and Neumann Rd. Then take the combined monies and the Library’s reserve fund (Which I believe is around 10 million dollars. and build a new library on the property of the WesTowne theater. Ohio and Washington Ave. Its centrally located, and easy access for most of Racines low income students and families, and everyone else as well. Also easy access for Caledonia and Mt Pleasant users. Plenty of room for free parking. Close to shopping, groceries, the Post Office etc. This is a win-win for the entire community. Both the users and the non-users of the library system. Finally we can start collecting taxes from a high rise hotel or Condo development on the current library property and the YMCA on the lakefront land.

Looks to me that this poster does not understand that:

1) There is no real Bus system for anyone to use anyone and Minority Kids can get to this (Current) location vs most others, if ANYONE should have access to  a library its the minorities kids

2) Unless/until the Downtown becomes a gated community Minorities will coming to Downtown Racine.

3) Perhaps the library users do not shop downtown is what the heck is there to youth to shop at?  Bars and more Bars. Should we allow 12 year old kids to start drinking?

IMHO I see this attack on our  Racine  library as nothing more then the first step to building a Hotel/Center were once again Mayor John Dickert will use City $$ to have his pals make bank. That the story in the J-T and the post suggesting a move was just testing the waters for a push my our Mayor to get our beloved library to move

Thinking we need a good library far more then RootWorks or more City Contracts to our Mayor’s pals

 Please call the Mayor’s Office and your Alderman and tell them to fully fund the library.

In fact the Inter Governmental fund was to be used for that very thing NOT BS like Team Porter’s and what happened to that idea?

The Police State of John Dickert

 

But first

http://www.cbs58.com/news/local-news/Racketeering-lawsuit-against-the-City-of-Racine-heads-to-federal-court–277051611.html

 

Racine hits the big time from the story but it gets better

Mr. X came by this A.M. had me talk with him away from the phone, told me of the most interesting story of yesterday’s Executive Committee held at City Hall

Not so much of who was there and what Alderman where NOT there (Stress Ball’s may not be helping)  but what was said.

My Understanding is that City Hall is on Lock Down, the leak to the Bloggers/Black Bar Owners will be found (and dealt with I guess)  that our Mayor and City paid Lawyers said that all efforts to include phone and computer records would be used to find the leaks.  Alderman better i other words shut the fuck up and toe the John Dickert line or else!

I found chilling was the idea that words of the effect of the City (Via RPD?) to find out who is saying what.

Else what? Alderman go to jail for asking questions about the RICO suit?  Will I or others who have reported on the RICO and other events in Racine “disappear” will our cars blow up? Will we be targeted by the UNIT?  Will our property be vandalized as has been alleged happen to Black Bar Owners in the RICO Case?

Will the actions of Mayor Dickert in this lead to more court actions? Oh what fun this will be to write about! To Podcast on! I thinking that  Racine Community Media will be posting MORE you tube show for the world to see and get an idea of the Police State Mayor John Dickert is creating in Racine

Most interesting is why, not why the effort to find the leaks but what set this off in the first place why the effort to remove the Black Bars in Racine as some see happening?

The Shakedowns as talked of in the RICO filings?

What is/was the point? A bit of cash? A bit of local power? Hot Women? Or something far more in the long term able to enrich folks willing to do interesting things to create a political base

Control of  Fresh Clean Water?

 

Terms to know

ACLU

Burner Phone

One time codes

PGP

Counter surveillance

If I have to play James Bond can I get a hot Co Star?

 

Oh I now think that this RICO suit will lead to jail time for members of local Goverment thinking that the IRS is getting very interested in the efforts on the Root River. Please make sure if your a 501 (c) 3 your paperwork is good to go

 

 

 

 

 

Unionized Labor is dead in Racine Mayor Dickert killed it

 

 

 

Back not so long ago we had each year a labor event on the Lake Front, the local Union folks show up do the song and dance shake hands talk about how great union are eat eat some more drink a bit then go on their way.

Today 9/1/14 we will not have an event in the City of Racine under the friend of Union Labor Mayor John Dickert, you know the man who had his sheep in the Racine City Council voted to end the SIGNED CONTACTS with the City Unions, and of course the City Unions did not strike (they did sue and win) why?  Well the”leadership” have no balls and the leadership got theirs I am sure.

Strikes are so hard to manage and do we the folks living in Racine even care? I think not.

Of course during Act 10 some made noise but that is about it.Unions have no power in Racine and the Union Leadership knows this.

So why not Laborfest at the Lake Front or perhaps our Labor Center?

Might our Great Festhall be too expensive for the Unions to use? ( Yet the Union Members are paying high property taxes to keep the site open) Maybe in Franksville so the low turn out of what little union members are  here can be covered up!

Now on this happy day how many union members will get jobs from Machinery Row? In fact will Union Shops even be able to bid on that project?

Or will this man be in charge of  who gets the jobs in Machinery Row?

 

Have You Read the New RICO Filing? You should.

 

 

 

 

Diehl Vs Dickert My view

 

As you may know Ed Diehl Alderman of the 15 is running for Mayor of the City of Racine this would be of course Mayor John Dickert.

I was there the night he spoke to say he was going to run, I myself had just a few hours notice as others did so Diehl’s speech was given to a small number of folks was interesting to see who did manage to make to the event.

Afterword I have spoke to many and agree that this race will not be an easy one to win in Dickert’s favor we have:

An Incumbent

More money in the Bank

Easy to raise more

The cost of this race could top 75,0000 easy

The Dickert Machine being the Journal Times, The Radio of Zombies WRJN none that will print/report anything other then what the Mayor wants them to.

The 1St Dem C.D. to include the Knock and drag team + Dirty Tricks Boys

The Downtown Crowd to include folks who will vote for anyone as long as the City keeps dumping $$$$ into Downtown

Members of the GOP who I thought would be leading the charge to get rid of our Mayor but more interested in the gravy train called Reef point Marina

Under Mayor Dickert:

We have dropped in Bond Rating

Loss Court Cases from City Unions, Tax Payers seeking and winning money to be returned and resentment  costing at least 400K with perhaps more to come

#1 or #2 in Unemployment in the State

Team Porters a Big Fail

DeltaHawk employing how many?

The Ending of CAR 25 with yet more money being spent then was costing the city to do so in house

A great record to run on

 

Ed Diehl has on his side that he is smart and an honest man. one might say you cant win on that.

I think that is far more powerful then it looks at first glance.

Ed Diehl has not sued his own City

Ed Diehl is not being sued under RICO

Ed Diehl is respected by 90% of them who have met him

Ed Diehl fears no man alive

Ed Diehl:

understands Social Media and what it can and can’t do

will run a clean race

Now unlike Mayor Dickert Mr. Diehl will have others like it or not come to his aid, my guess is City Union Members will help in some way, information Dickert like kept on the Q.T. will given to others best able to use it.

The Big thing is: THE RICO CASE

 

By Winter should be in Discovery who knows what information comes out or maybe just maybe what happens if Mayor Dickert is charged in a Federal Court under RICO?

I must say this it will be a very very nasty race unlike any we have seen before.

 

Odds as of Today 8/29/14 Dickert 3:1