Good one. They keep streaming in!!!

uh huh. like the rock.

ms...sassy, looks like the puns are flying fast and furious.

LOL...gazettefan, you crack me up. My point was that the Halbachs didn't start the fire...more of a "if you build it, they will come" approach to business.

*heavy sigh*

sassy, I'm not a lyrics guy? where'd you get that?

As far as those lyrics go (googled) I have to lean toward the side that says: It's one of the worst songs ever written. Looks like Billy gave a good look at the indices of all those Books of the Year (50s and 60s) that used to come with sets of encyclopedias. Predating the ploy now used for rap songs: Rhyming dictionaries. But like a lot of rock songs with outrageously bad lyrics "Fire" is one snappy tune?!

I forgot what the whole point was.

it's ok, gazettefan, you aren't a "lyric guy". I'm getting that. Google it, if you feel the urge. It has been documented that it is both one of the best and one of the worst songs ever. You be the judge. I'm not a big fan of the song, itself, but the lyrics say volumes...

ms...sassy, I'm at a disadvantage not knowing the rest of the words to that song.

I think I hear "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel playing somewhere in the background....

I'm sorry gazettefan, I still think you're wrong on this one...

I think that billnewbie is right (*GASP*) on his comment: "Lawyers and D.A.'s deal like street merchants", although I would classify it more on the garage sale level...

If they haven't found enough evidence to prosecute by now, I highly doubt any charges will be made...I could be wrong (I've been wrong once or twice before, regarding the Rock County DA actions).

Either way, they are only responsible if they condone, encourage or otherwise allow illegal acts on their property.

"it was always burning since the world's been turning..."

Elly82 are you kidding? Drug dealers earn money selling drug, so lets leave them alone. Thieves make money stealing, so lets leave them alone. Prostitutes make money...oh wait you covered that. As I am writing this I have come to realize sarcasm was at play so...good one!!

Alot of people here seem concerned with jobs. Does no one realize that Halbach owns at least 8 seperate buisnesses and employs over 60 people between Beloit and the Dells, some of them being former GM employees. Not to mention all of the girls subcontracted as Dancers. If these allegations are true that is a lot of people out of work and a few less places for people to go and forget about their problems for a couple hours.

Duh tell me these owners didnt know this was happening. And if they didnt then this should teach them a lesson to be more incontact with their buisness instead of sitting back and collecting the check. I am happy that this place is getting brought down. Its a scum place i have had friends that worked there and they say the owners DID know. But they turned their head because it brought it more money.

+1 gazettefan. Ill bet big bucks Halbach had seen this coming for a while. Remember the last house of prostitution the city took down (on Milton Av) it took quite a while to put that case together. I do not believe the police are putting a case together for no reason, nah-sayers.

Thank you gazettefan. They are not as innocent as some people would think

Consider this: He knew of or suspected the "expected arrest" before it hit the news, so he made the announcement about trading the strip club for the liquour license to make the whole thing look like a conspiracy against him.

Two can play at that game.

I completely agree with the railroad comment. The problem is that Jim is not one to back down, especially when he has done nothing wrong.

billnewbie: GOOD point! I wouldn't be surprised! Of course, the creditability of those previously charged will certainly come into question.
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packerfan: OMG!! LMAO!! (re: false advertising).
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When the prostitution story first surfaced last year, I thought "how in the world can Jim and Rebecca NOT know what is going on in their establishments." However, with this latest development and announcement, I'm jumping aboard the "the city is trying to railroad him" bandwagon. Timing is everything in life and obviously the City knows that.
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My advice to the Halbach's: get a good lawyer and get out of Dodge.

First of all Freedom Fest provides better fireworks than the Jaycees, not to mention its family friendly and no drunks.

Secondly, before the fireworks comes the economy of Rock County and the current and upcoming jobless situation. Something needs to be done about that before the worry over the Jaycees and their beer tent.

Will Halbach's create hundreds of jobs? I highly doubt it.

Ok, someone said the city was against them from the beginning ? Why was that? BACK up your words with proof,don't just spoo garbage. Should they arrest every bar owner who knew there was illegal activity at their bar, yes.
The halbachs knew the police took hour after hour of video that they found at their place of business's and their personal homes. Quit the crap they knew . Good people don't break the law and then think they are above it.

If what I read is true about the city saying they would give him a liquor license, and then didn't. It's called live and learn. He should have put a bid in on the building with the condition the liquor license is approved. Thats what we did. He should have known better as one person or a group can not give approval for something like that with out a official meeting and recommendations.

The Halbachs need to run for office. They are good people who would make way better decisions than the clowns who run J-ville now

The halbachs originaly bought the strip club to open a bar he approached the city and asked them if he bought it would they grant him a liquer license the city said sure so he bought the derilect building applied for the license and the city turned him down after he bought the building so the city just wanted to pawn the building off on some one and they did,Thats when the strip club idea popped in his head cause at the time janesville had no ordinance on IN TOWN strip clubs so in effect all jim did was slapped the city in the face for double crossing him , How does biscuit know this you ask? I worked for him when all this started and I got to read the citys double cross so if you think jim is a bad person just remember he didnt start the fight

B

Keeping a place of prostitution is a class H felony in Wisconsin. The Halbachs could be in line for charges there, being the owners. I would doubt the DA would charge that, unless at least some of the prior prostitution arrests result in convictions for prostitution, not a plea bargained lessor offense. I am not aware of any convictions thus far.

Our DA is not one to bring frivolous charges, so time will tell there.

mruglyhands:
y ur hands b uglee???????

Early today I thought about another time Halbach was turned down for a liquor license... The liquor store on Center ave. was for sale ,he made a offer the guy took it. Halbach went to the city and asked to turn it into a bar a BIG NO!!! There again car lot on one side ,gas station across the street and auto body repair across street.Someone said it would upset their quite neighborhood.The owner of the liquor store said if he would of known who Halbach was that he never would of made the deal with him.But yet Halbachs money was good at the time.I'm not sure if the liquor store ever sold,does anyone know ? I really think the city has it out for him.

Iowa???!!! Cleveland gets a bad rap!!!

I want to let everyone know that I work at the club. I did not get into trouble. I know for a fact that the owner and manager did not have anything to do with the prostitution. I know for a fact that if a girl was caught doing an act that is illegal the manager booted her immediatly. I also know that each girl that got in trouble is a grown adult. I really think that they should be held accountable for their own actions. I also know that the clubs in Iowa allow alot more than most of the girls were doing here. I am not ashamed of what I do or the club that I dance at. I know what people think of dancers but this is a free country and everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions. One thing people dont remember is that there is always two sides to every story.

If all those charges against the women are dropped, could that be in exchange for testimony? Lawyers and D.A.'s deal like street merchants.

I think Moore's comments were wholly appropriate. Otherwise you might have had the liquor advisory committee voting on Halbach's suitability to hold a liquor license, not knowing a major event that may affect that suitability was in the offing. Halbach is always around, not like he'd leave the area to avoid arrest, hence no damage done with the early announcement.

Moore didn't go to the press. The reporter was at the ALC meeting when Moore made the request. It's in the story.

That's a really good point localboy! Why the heck would they go to the press prior to an arrest? They are supposed to be above politics, but maybe not in Janesville. Really good point.

Why would you go to the press to announce you anticipate arresting a person? Why not just announce we plan a drug raid at such and such address? Talk about giving a guy a chance to prepare himself. I hope if I ever am in a position to be arrested, that the police chief will give me a 30 day notice in the local newspaper first. But, I am sure that won't happen either way.

Call it Operation Save Janesville - creates a sense of urgency so the other business owners would feel it was their duty to contribute.

Get Forward Janesville behind it. First come up with a design and then market it - free rent for 2 years or something. Get Doyle to give a grant for the whole thing. It's a little work, but if it were successful it could really give Janesville that needed boost in 2009.

Mruglyhands: Hey, I like your manufacturing mall idea. Forming the idea is Step 1. What is Step 2?

Are you kidding me? It has been at least a year. If they had any little thing on Halbach, they would have jumped by now

mymaro, now that you put it this way, it doesn't sound so bad:

"Just because some nasty girls that couldnt get a boyfriend if they tried were selling there nasty selves to scumbags just as nasty as them..."

Hey rlms - yeah there will be fireworks with or without Jim Halbach because a church that is trying to promote themselves will be doing a show on the other side of town. The fireworks are meant to promote freedom, liberty, victory and our personal and national independence.

I read the story - there is nothing that has been reported that suggests that the Halbach's were aware of or even less took part in prostitution. If they are guilty of pimping then I guess the principals of the high schools are guilty of drug dealing since there are some kids in the Janesville schools who are smoking pot.
In regards to the liquor license - why the heck not? There are two bars right around the corner and another in both directions on Jackson a block away. Why discriminate this location to this guy? Maybe its because he's handicapped. Bigots.
I'm a young entrepreneur? Nah - just a working schmo like the rest. I'd just turn the whole thing into a mall of manufacturing allowing several companies to share employees and facilities and produce various products. It'd be a quick turnaround and draw a lot of press as an innovation. Additionally, if one company shut down, you just rent the manufacturing space out to another one. We have to cut taxes too. Property taxes are out of line in Janesville. Why would a manager want to move to Janesville when he could open a factory around Rockford and pay less on his property tax?
Back to Jim - he's a more philanthropic person than any other Janesvillian I know. Who cares about the fireworks? I do. It's a national tradition. It's a Janesville tradition. We've had fireworks through many other hard times, the closure of GM won't even be the worst thing we've ever gone through in America. The Jaycees do a great job each year and each year it's been Jim Halbach who has saved the Jaycees so they could do it again next year. Not the GM Employees. The guy's a freaking Patriot and the Janesville bosses want to throw him in the slammer.

I am sorry there will be fireworks with or without these people who broke the law. They knew what was going on, they knew there was illegal activity. They should not get a liquor license they can not be trusted. Good people my xxxx

This is just a way for the city to say no to his liquor license,he will have charges pending against him.Jim Halbach is being made to look like the bad guy here ! If the city ,police and liquor advisory board really cared about the activity that goes on in bars then they should CLOSE the bar that ALLOWS drug use in the open !!Do you really think that the 20 year old arrested with all the heroin wasn't headed to the bar ?? Give me a break !I wonder if his parents are still going to hold a fundraiser to help pay for his legal fees ??

Jim and Becky are good people. I hope the city just drops this nonsense and gives them the liquor liscence.

Now why shouldn't they be arrested ? They are very much aware as to what is going on in their business. If I were running a business and their is illegal activity then guess
what i am also charged.. It is my responsibility as owner to know what is going on. If your kid unbuckles his belt while you are driving you are held accountable and given a ticket though you cannot see it happen....

Are you joking ?? The city DROPS MOST of the charges on the girls and NOW they are going to arrest Halbach and his manager ! Is this because he wants a liquor license ?? People wonder WHY we can't get new buisness to come to Janesville. When is Steves' last day ? As far as I'm concern not soon enough !!!

What ever happened to the Casino project in Beloit? Oh, that's right. Too many people against gambling.

We do need a lot of jobs to make up for the closing, honestly we do. What are the other ideas to bring more revenue into the city and to bring more work to those people who are going to be put out? Have we forgotten that GILMAN is also closing their doors and relocating? What is going to become of Janesville and area living for people.

Fireworks??, I'd rather know that we have jobs in the area than fireworks, let work on getting jobs here. Come on mruglyhands, you're a young creative entreprenuer, what are your thoughts to create/bring in jobs???

I love you mruglyhands! You know I know who you are and we have known each other for a while! Well said about the support for the fireworks! You rock!!

mruglyhands: WELL SAID!!!

Why would he need a liquor license now??? The whole idea was to serve the GM crowd after shift change. The naked lady club was just a slap in the face. I highly doubt that Jim Halbach needs to be a pimp. lol.

If you throw him in the slammer and tell all of the GM folks they're fired - WHO IN THE HECK IS GOING TO PAY THE JAYCEES FOR THE FIREWORKS????