Ktown Connects

Enjoy this week’s conversation with Laura Gregorski of Visit Kenosha. For your essential guide to everything fun to do in our hometown – bookmark Visit Kenosha here! This episode was recorded on  Monday, July 19th, 2021 at Luigi’s Pizza Kitchen, 7531 39th Avenue . Big thanks to our sponsors: Faded Barbershop for Men, 2227 63rd St Down Town R Saloon, 707 56th St   Captain Mike’s, 5118 Sixth Ave. Lu...

This week we get to sit down with 4/5 of one of our favorite local bands – Donoma!  Find more information about the band on the website here! Listen to their latest album American Rust on Spotify here! Here is video footage of Donoma performing Rustbelt Tragedy in our Ktown Connects studio! They stuck around and did another song from their new album – Maria – click here! This episode was recorded...

From the teenager on the skim board running out to the beach, to your favorite male bartender at Scotty’s tavern, to the current man on the scooter with his own candle company, BLOW CO. Candles – we sit down and get personal with Baron Leaf Olsen. Visit the Blow Co Candle website here! Like the Blow Co Candles Facebook page here! This episode was recorded on  Monday, July 5th, 2021 at Luigi’s Pizz...

“I’ve Been Everywhere” is a song by Johnny Cash that you might hear on your next visit to Hill’s Hotrod Hideout, 4327 17th Ave. But the song can also be the unofficial theme for our guest, Hill Wozniel. We sit down and get Hill’s interesting story of the many paths he took which led him to own the coolest rockabilly joint in town!  Be sure to like Hill’s Hotrod Hideout here! This episode was recor...

From his early beginnings of racing around in grocery carts doing wheelies in the old Piggly Wiggly to keeping the neighborhood kids from climbing on his fire truck/pizza kitchen and everything in between we talk with Kenosha’s own Riki Tagliapietra.  Currently Riki is the president of Downtown Kenosha, Inc., click here to learn more. He is also a contributor to Kenosha.com – read his latest here...

At the age of 12, Rob Greskoviak came to Kenosha with his mother and her new husband, a man who owned a local pizzeria in town. That man was Carl Ruffalo, and he started his Villa D’Carlo home of Carl’s Pizza back in 1957, originally in the Columbus Park neighborhood, before moving to its Sixth Avenue location in 1962. Rob grew up in the business and talks all about pizza, his side-gig in real est...

Although many might know him from his work in the Sauerkraut Five, Lou Rugani has been the distinctive voice of AM1050 WLIP for 29 years. You can hear his show Remembering Kenosha weekdays from 3-5pm on your radio dial or streaming at wlip.com – and on the same network Sunday morning with Music With The Stars from 7-11am.  This episode was recorded on June 7th, 2021 at Luigi’s Pizza Kitchen, 7531...

In the middle of a pandemic, Aimee and Danny Crucianelli took over as operators of Fusion – a performing arts venue located at 5014 Seventh Ave. They have had their fair share of struggles, but they have fought on and the future is looking bright! Follow Fusion on Facebook for the latest updates! This might be their main gig right now, but Aimee and Danny are one of the busiest couples in town. In...

This week, we style it up with Sarai Gilmore, longtime hairstylist in Kenosha and owner of Salon on Sixth, an Aveda concept salon, 5040 Sixth Ave. For more contact info, like them on Facebook here. This episode was recorded on  May 24th, 2021 at Luigi’s Pizza Kitchen, 7531 39th Avenue . - Big thanks to our sponsors: Captain Mike’s, 5118 Sixth Ave. Blue Collar Tavern, 2627 63rd St Union Park Tavern...

We did something a bit different this week, we brought back two of our past guests for a game of music trivia! We welcome Sarah Kovach of Wink Beauty Boutique and Jake "The Weather Guy" Hoey click here to find out how you can become a PATREON supporter and get all the great bonus stuff!

Andy Berg is a local politician, social justice activist, community volunteer, and veteran. He is the man behind The Garden of Eatin’ – a local community service project which has been providing food for the local food pantries for the past 8 years. Visit the Garden of Eatin’ website here for more information! Andy has also gone to the extremes lately to get his voice heard on social and political...

Growing up in the Columbus Park neighborhood gave John Collins a rich appreciation for his hometown. Today we talk to John about his life and the many avenues his life has taken including paperboy, Wilson Elementary School teacher, and the tribulations he took on as the Kenosha County Executive in the mid-80s when over 5,000 Kenosha workers at the AMC plant had concerns about the future of their c...

On Saturday, May 8th the Kenosha HarborMarket kicks off it’s 18th season located at it’s regular summer location at 56th Street and 2nd Avenue, just feet away from the beautiful Kenosha harbor! Last year, Andrea Forgianni came on as the new executive director of the Market and she is joined by new board member Gary Schneeberger in our studio to talk about what to expect this summer at “Kenosha’s O...

2020 was hard on the world, but it seems Kenosha got an additional kick in the ‘you know what’ last year. Many people dwell on the negative in the world – but not Shay “Mr Keno$ha” Majors – Shay has created his own brand which combines his humanitarian work with his activism in an attempt to capture a positive spin on our community. But, that isn’t all – he is active in attempting to create a conv...

In the spirit of journalistic integrity, this episode is being posted completely raw and unedited, it contains adult language. On this special episode of Ktown Connects we sit down and talk with Kevin Glowicki of  Never Stop Media.  With his media company, Glowicki has been exploring a theory of a fourth shooting victim on the night of the Kyle Rittenhouse incident in Kenosha.  Never Stop Media ha...

In 1973, Jim Spata (along with his wife Lyla) came to Kenosha to look at a promising pizzeria that was on the market. Shortly after, Jim knew that his life in Chicago was now over as his family started a new life in Kenosha as the new owners of Valeo’s Pizza, 5021 30th Avenue! Forty-eight years later, the Valeo family might be long absent from the business, but the high quality food and excellent...

Since 2008, Anthony Kennedy has served as the 10th District Alderperson for the City of Kenosha – but he is 1st with Ktown Connects! Anthony is quite the character and is not your typical politician!  On this week’s episode, we dig in deep with Anthony and talk about his recent involvement with former and current alders, and some of the controversial issues he has been involved in. We had a great...

For the rest of us, we have 24 hours in the day, but for Joshua Ferguson, he must have a few extra – that’s the only way we can figure Josh can do all the amazing things he does. On top of working a full-time job, Joshua is also a local business owner, active in several community groups, a musician (Yungrisky), a writer, and he still manages to be an amazing family man to his wife, Charrie and the...

Cheryl and Gary Farrand are soon celebrating four years in Downtown Kenosha with The Pine Blossom, 5925 Sixth Ave-A, a charming shop filled with great gift ideas for someone special – or just as a treat for yourself. Stop in and see their treasures. They are currently open Thursdays – Sundays! Visit their Facebook page here! Check out Gary’s great artwork here! This episode was recorded on  March...

As a young petunia-picker, Beth Dary was frequently told by her mother that “idle hands were the devil’s work.” After years of creating her own art and being one of the earliest vendors at the Kenosha HarborMarket, Beth is now the executive director of the Lemon Street Gallery and ArtSpace, 4601 Sheridan Road. Stop on by Lemon Street to see the best of local art! They are currently open Friday and...

For almost 25 years, Scott Barter has been the host of Kenosha Today – a local talk show which has been featured on Kenosha’s public access TV channel, AM1050 WLIP, and is now streaming live on YouTube with replays being aired on channel 14.  Two-time mayoral candidate Scott Barter and German singer Steve “Elmo” Schneider join the show today to talk about growing up in Kenosha and becoming an esse...

As a second-generation owner of a downtown business with a long eccentric reputation, Brett Bjorn of Bjorn’s Fine Clothing, 5614 Sixth Ave., has taken the sales of men’s clothing into the 21st century! Brett talks about growing up in Kenosha as the son of Mike Bjorn, and taking over the family business. Visit their website here! This episode was recorded on  February 15th, 2021 at Luigi’s Pizza Ki...

Last year, as the pandemic was just starting, Manny Ramirez was  laid-off from his job. So, what others would take as a down turn in life, Manny saw as an opportunity. With a successful marketing campaign and a delicious product to back it up – Mr. Wings was launched and ended up being  voted the best wings in Kenosha in 2020 – the first year in business for Manny! Be sure to follow Mr. Wings on F...

In 2017, Dana and Terry Nelson took over as the proud new owners of Kaiser’s Pizza and Pub in Downtown Kenosha. Then just last year, they opened up their new bar & grill – The DownTown’r Saloon. They are also the owners of the uptown shot-and-a-beer dive bar The Blue Collar Tavern. We sit down with this Kenosha power couple and get their story, why they came to Kenosha, how they met, and so mu...

Matt Geary came to Kenosha many years ago as just another one of those annoying college kids… but he fell in love with the town and hasn’t left. Today he is the owner of Public Craft Brewing Company – a superb craft beer and food destination in Downtown Kenosha.  We talk to Matt about how he got involved in craft beer and all about his new location! This episode was recorded on  February 8th, 2021...