The venerable Johnny's Yellow Rose has finally hit the road. The tavern, at 2325 S. 13th St., has for years irked neighbors over noise, fights, drug dealing and a general nose-thumbing attitude by owner Juan Sendejo Sr.

Even Sendejo's son was busted for selling drugs in the bar. Last year the city pulled Sendejo's dance license, yet neighbors testified that he continued to have bands and dances at the joint. The tavern license was also suspended last year for 20 days. "Ongoing misery," is how one neighbor described the scene.

Sendejo sat in front of the Licenses Committee saying little and claiming not to have known the rules -- a tactic he apparently uses regularly. He also promised a new business plan to address concerns of the Lincoln Avenue business association and to fix up the decrepit outside of his building.

"Johnny has learned from the past," said a friend of Sendejo.

"You were operating illegally and that's the facts," said Ald. Willie Wade. "There's going to be a price to pay for that."

Led by Ald. Jim Witkowiak, no one was buying that line. He acknowledged that he's known Sendejo for some time, calling him a "personal friend. ... I think he's a great guy."

But he added that Sendejo didn't pay attention to the warning signs. "The majority of people around there have spoken that they don't want this sort of activity."

Sendejo also owns Johnny's Club Carnival on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View, which has been the site of after hours hijinks and other nefarious activities. That license will likely be considered again by the committee this year.

Eggtoberfest: It wasn't all fun and games during "Biketoberfest," an annual ritual where folks ride bikes from bar to bar in Bay View and St. Francis imbibing at will. Some revelers perhaps had too much revelry and began to egg cars as they went on their route.

Twisted Logic: Not even the National Rifle Association has this much cajones -- politicizing the Crandon murder rampage where six people were killed. In a statement from its Greenfield headquarters, the Libertarian Party said that the state law barring people under the age of 21 from buying guns should be changed. The law says that only police officers can buy guns under age 21. The victims in Crandon were all under 21.

"How can the Legislature justify that only the police should carry firearms when the latest atrocity was carried out by a police officer?" asks state Libertarian Party Chair Linda Sturtzen.

"It would be encouraging to learn that the citizen who shot the mass murderer was a civilian, perhaps a public-spirited resident of the North Woods who put his hunting rifle to its best use, protecting the innocent. After all, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Amendment to the Wisconsin constitution was intended to ensure that law-abiding citizens have the means to defend themselves and others from anyone who may attack or threaten the innocent."

Meat Mayhem: The Patrick Cudahy meat plant held a disaster drill this week, simulating an ammonia spill. The meat maker has its own fire department on site and also works with City of Cudahy emergency teams. It comes a year after the plant had a highly publicized fire. Earlier this year another accident swept under the rug. An explosion in the plant this summer was quietly handled by company personnel. The weekend accident could have killed workers had it happened when full shifts were working.

Also this year, SCS of Wisconsin, a Menomonee Falls demolition company was fined $58,735 for shortcuts it took in removing asbestos from the plant.

Recalling the Recalls: They've been pretty quiet around these parts these days, which is probably why the recall maniacs of the Citizens for Responsible Government took their show on the road to Milwaukee.

Calling it a "recall boot camp," local CRG leader Chris Kleismet claims credit for organizing recall efforts against 10 Michigan lawmakers after its legislature passed a state budget calling for big tax increases. The CRG Web site, which is pretty much all Kleismet all the time, lists no activity for the group in the past year, and its commentaries are essentially out of date, still talking about the group's effort to recall former County Executive Tom Ament, some five years ago. CRG threatens to bring the boot camp to Wisconsin if taxes are increased.

Staying on the Bus: County Board Chair Lee Holloway promises bus routes will not be cut next year.

"The County Executive made a political decision to cut certain segments of routes. While his decision was not based on usage, I actually looked at the numbers," states Holloway. "My decision to restore these routes was based on ridership, not politics. Helping county residents get to work, school, church, the doctor and shopping should be one of our top priorities."

Holloway's plan would retain service on several routes, including:
• Route 12 north of Florist Avenue.
• Route 23 north and west of 91st and Mill Road.
• Route 31, west of 76th Street.
• Route 67, south of Connell on 84th and 92nd Streets.
• Routes 19/20, south of Layton.
• Route 15 .

The Cut on Cuts: It shows that too much obsession with budget cutting can cost even more money -- and pain for the less fortunate. Milwaukee County stands to lose some $700,000 in federal aid because it can't process requests for low-income housing assistance. An under-funded and under-staffed office is backlogged with 6,000 requests for help that it can't process fast enough. The county will lose the money at the end of the year if it can't address the requests.

Slowing the Secretary: One strange twist to a bill changing the way the state chooses its secretary of the Department of Natural Resources is that the change wouldn't be made until 2011, which happens to be the year Gov. Jim Doyle ends his second term.

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson liked to consolidate power when heading the state house and got he Republican-controlled state Legislature to change how the DNR chief is selected and give him the power. Before that the secretary was selected by the non-partisan Natural Resources Board, which protected the post from partisan politics, usually a smart thing to do when it comes to the environment.

State Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) wonders why the delay. It likely has to do with the Democratic-controlled Senate. His amendment, though, was rejected by a Senate committee.

"If supporters believe this change is necessary and critical, then it should be done immediately rather than in 2011," the senator says.