ALAC: Corvina's still needs work
Corvina's incidents
Police were called to Corvina's for seven incidents on six nights since the July 7 meeting of the Janesville Alcohol License Advisory Committee, Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said.
July 8: Police responded to two reports of marijuana use and/or sale but could not substantiate them.
July 11: Police responded to a report of civil dispute after Corvina's bouncers walked off the job, saying they hadn't been paid.
David Toles, Corvina's security chief, said Tuesday night all employees have been paid.
July 18: Police arrested a man on a disorderly conduct charge after the man allegedly got into an argument with a passing motorist outside the bar and punched the driver.
July 19: Toles reported an acquaintance at the bar punched him. Toles later asked police to drop the matter, Kopp said.
July 28: The building owner requested police presence while serving Corvina's owner Janelle Barlass with a five-day eviction notice. Barlass said Tuesday that she had been withholding rent because of maintenance issues.
Corvina's is caught up on rent, Toles said, and August's rent will be paid this weekend.
Sunday: A woman was arrested on a battery charge after allegedly hitting another woman with a beer bottle.
JANESVILLE — A deputy police chief said he's not alarmed by incidents at Corvina's in the last month.
The owner said she's improved security.
But the chairwoman of the Janesville Alcohol License Advisory Committee still isn't happy with operations at the bar, 123 E. Milwaukee St.
"I think you need to show a little bit more concern over this because I think this committee and the police department are serious that you've got to make things better," Chairwoman Carol Engebretson said.
The committee asked Corvina's owner Janelle Barlass to come to the committee meeting Tuesday after a stormy discussion last month in which Barlass accused police of racial profiling and harassment.
No such fireworks erupted Tuesday. The committee didn't take action but asked Barlass to give another update at the September meeting.
The committee first expressed concern about the hip-hop bar when it renewed the bar's license in May. It cited reports of large crowds gathering outside the bar, violent behavior and underage drinking.
On June 28, a fight outside the bar ended in the stabbing of a 20-year-old woman, police say.
Nothing like that has happened in the last month, Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said. Police were involved in seven incidents on six nights at the bar, including two unsubstantiated reports of drug use and several reports of battery.
A nearby business owner complained about Corvina's patrons urinating and vomiting in his entryway, Kopp said, though Barlass said she hadn't heard about it.
"There's nothing alarming here from police perspective," Kopp said. "If things continue along these lines, I would recommend the police department continue to monitor the activity, but probably no further action is required by the (committee) at this point."
Barlass contacted police two weeks after the last meeting about putting her staff through conflict-resolution training, and police hope to hold the training sometime in August, Kopp said.
On July 11, Corvina's bouncers walked off the job during a busy Saturday night because they hadn't been paid, Kopp said.
Barlass and David Toles, Corvina's security chief, arrived late to the meeting and missed Kopp's report. When Barlass asked what incidents the committee was referring to, member Yuri Rashkin told her she would know if she had arrived on time.
Toles said the business has hired new security since the walk-off. Eight bouncers watch the doors and dance floor. He hires some bouncers from outside the area so they don't have a lot of friends among the crowd and makes sure they're paid on time, he said.
Toles also has tried to address the crowds outside the bar. He makes sure people outside the bar stand along Parker Drive and don't block the sidewalk or entrance, he said.
"Everything's been going really well," Barlass said. "We've had a lot of compliments actually from the police officers on the third shift."
One problem is the lack of air conditioning at the bar, Rashkin said. Barlass said the owner of the building was supposed to help her install air conditioning but hasn't yet. She plans to have air conditioning next summer, she said.
Committee member Carrie Kulinski said she was pleased with Barlass' actions.
"You're doing a lot, more than I knew," she said.
But Engebretson said she was disappointed by the incidents reported by Kopp and the fact that it took Barlass two weeks to contact police after the last meeting. She's concerned that the training hasn't been scheduled yet.
"I know things don't happen overnight, but it's been a month," she said after the meeting.
Aug 9, 2009 at 1:35 a.m.
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Nothing happened. People are making stuff up.
Aug 8, 2009 at 11:13 a.m.
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anyone else see everyone be kicked out of Corvinas last night around 1:30am by the police? Something big happened...
Aug 7, 2009 at 10:47 p.m.
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I think most of the comments everyone is posting on this site is what you would find in chat rooms - go back there
Aug 6, 2009 at 9:12 p.m.
Aug 6, 2009 at 7:49 p.m.
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Joke-I have not made one racist comment. You can't even do better than that?? You really are lame. If you wanted to make a point, you need help. All you do is make my point more valid when you respond with comments that don't even make any sense. Moron.
Aug 6, 2009 at 5:20 p.m.
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If you want to think the CRIMINAL behavior is about race, I can't make you think any differently, Joker (and others who seem to think the problems are about skin color)...all I can contribute to this story is that where there are CRIMINALS there will be police and public outcry. Now, if there is no criminal activity at an establishment where there are diverse populations, GREAT! No police, no articles in the Gazette, no problem. I saw a number of people at the Rock County 4-H fair who were of a different race than I. I don't remember much of a problem or reading articles of public outcry that the diversity was out of control. It's not that this bar has minorities that enter, it's that the people who enter aren't playing well in the sandbox. Those who can't play in the sandbox go home (or to jail) and if it keeps going on, the "sandbox" goes away.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.
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Can some of you read? Seriously, it's pretty alarming that you don't get it by simply reading the facts and events that have occurred. Put down the Kool-aid.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:52 p.m.
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If there is a crowd of white people standing outside a bar, nobody thinks much about it. If there is a crowd of African-American people standing outside a bar, everybody freaks out.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:50 p.m.
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Joker - I pointed that out to show you that the bar has obviously had a lot of problems that have required the police, so obviously they are going to be monitored. It was also to show you that it has nothing to do with racism. It has to do with a bar that has problems. Good for them that they are cleaning up, but we'll see how long it lasts. Still isn't about racism.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.
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Spark, the article points out that things have been better the past month. "Nothing like that has happened in the past month" So I am not sure why you are pointing out this part of teh article.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:34 p.m.
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Joker - Let me copy something from the article to highlight.
It cited reports of large crowds gathering outside the bar, violent behavior and underage drinking.
On June 28, a fight outside the bar ended in the stabbing of a 20-year-old woman, police say.
Nothing like that has happened in the last month, Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said. Police were involved in seven incidents on six nights at the bar, including two unsubstantiated reports of drug use and several reports of battery.
A nearby business owner complained about Corvina's patrons urinating and vomiting in his entryway, Kopp said, though Barlass said she hadn't heard about it.
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It doesn't matter what bar or who is visiting it. These are all problems that need to be addressed. In no way, shape or form, does this have anything to do with racism. If it wasn't for these incidents, there wouldn't be any issues. It's pretty simple.
Aug 6, 2009 at 4:17 p.m.
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Hannah, please try to write in complete sentences. Will help the reader to better understand exactly what you are trying to say.
Your logic is comical. "There aren't any racist comments here. We are talking about her bar and ther(sic) trouble that is caused there" That is like saying when talking about the Ku Klux Klan, "we are not talking about racist people, we are really talking about a social and fraternal organization that is concerned about the future of their community."
Duh, of course you are talking about race. Race, yes, race, is a big part of this story. The people involved are all about race, the problems at this bar are about race. How can I make this any clear to you?!
Leo, I keep on repeating myself because you and others continue to make such racist and ignorant comments.
Opinions for free, what an original comment. I can't wait until you start 5th grade next month. And Gazettefan, you once again make no sense. I suggest you check your grammar and sentence structure before you post.
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:53 p.m.
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:20 p.m.
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Karaoke there tonight . Should be a good night to visit ! NOT .....
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:15 p.m.
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:54 p.m.
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Yeah, just close the place. It is pulling resources from other areas.
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:51 p.m.
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Oh ya, the cops are totally out of control...
"There's nothing alarming here from police perspective," Kopp said.
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:36 p.m.
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It's not about race, at all; it's about an out-of-control police that have too much time on their hands. I know, I know if one doesn't cooperate with the police -- that is, allow them to monitor, harrass, and intimidate your patrons -- you're a problem bar.
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:30 p.m.
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All of you stop picking on Joker. You're being racist :)
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:05 p.m.
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The great majority of minority parents agree with the anti-violent comments on this blog. These parents work hard everyday and some of them even pray that their children do not get involved in the kind of behavior that is important to the subject of these stories.
Joker reveals his racism by implying with his rants of racism that the behavior in the stories is representative of a minority group and is therefore a matter of diversity.
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:32 p.m.
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Joker is a tool that should have stayed in school
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:18 p.m.
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Joker doesn't get it that this isn't about RACE. It's about a bar owner that can't keep control of her bar. He hasn't got anything else to say that makes any sense and so all he can do is keep repeating himself. He is wrong.
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:43 a.m.
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Come on people. Enough of the hateful and racist comments.
Aug 6, 2009 at 10:51 a.m.
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Well with all the budget cuts that the Gazette has done this is a cheap story to run. Just send the reporter across the street. Heck even King Angus could go cover this!
Aug 6, 2009 at 9:54 a.m.
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Wonder what tomorrow's Corvina article will cover?
Aug 6, 2009 at 9:44 a.m.
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if they close all the jerks can go back to the wolfden and sell there drugs and listen to the hip hop crap.
Aug 6, 2009 at 9:41 a.m.
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just close the dump and be done with it.
Aug 6, 2009 at 9:28 a.m.
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I can tell this bar wont make till next year. I predict a closed sign on the door before the end of the year. I'll be happy to read that sign when it does appear on the door
Aug 6, 2009 at 8:52 a.m.
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Another story about this bar? I bet it's another story printed by Friday morning. This newspaper didn't even do this many articles on the Keop murders!
Aug 6, 2009 at 8:40 a.m.
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Wow...SLOW news week in Janesville, Wisconsin huh?
Aug 6, 2009 at 8:35 a.m.
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It doesn't play well when you have issues within your own establishment with nonpayment. Nice. How do you then settle the issues with customers if you have issues with your employees?
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Has this building always been without a/c even when operating as other businesses?? Just wondering.
Aug 6, 2009 at 7:40 a.m.
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Maybe we could put screemin meemies in there
Aug 6, 2009 at 6:47 a.m.
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You have to admit this is a big turn around from her, since her last meeting. At least she is making an effort. Actions speak louder than words, and if she is serious about her business, she will comply fully as she has agreed to.
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:02 a.m.
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This article reports on something that actually happened, the ALAC meeting. As an ongoing situation that has not been resolved, it would appear likely to be the subject of still more articles. I suggest canceling your subscription now so that this burden will not trouble you so much.
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:21 p.m.
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See previous article on this story..
Aug 5, 2009 at 7:56 p.m.
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shagcarpet.....they will keep running articles because people keep commenting. Ranting and raving about racism.
Aug 5, 2009 at 7:27 p.m.
Aug 5, 2009 at 7:04 p.m.
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Is this the Carol Engebretson who is executive officer with the South Central WI Builders Association that is located within a block or two of this bar?
Aug 5, 2009 at 6:29 p.m.
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It sounds like they just don't have the money to provide for everything a tavern needs. They were not serving Budweiser products one night because they owed them as well. They have a large crowd there every Thursday through Sunday. Where's this money going? Maybe they should sell the limo out front or host rap battles for money. Yea problem solved.
Aug 5, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.
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Obviously too many.
Aug 5, 2009 at 4:18 p.m.
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How many articles are you going to run on this place?!
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