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Two Milwaukee businesses racked up nearly 25% of the city's COVID fines, report shows

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MILWAUKEE — The city of Milwaukee fined businesses a total of $224,000 from July 31, 2020 through April 25, 2021, for violating COVID orders.

Citations ranged from mask and social distancing violations to capacity limits and dancing/standing.

Junior's Cocktail Lounge and VIP Lounge both racked up $26,500 in fines. Combined, the two businesses accounted for nearly 25% of all the city's fines.

The health department hasn't issued any citations to businesses for breaking the COVID-19 order since April 25, records show.

The city ended its COVID-19 health order on June 1, including fining businesses for breaking COVID-19 protocols. Businesses can still issue their own COVID-19 rules, such as requiring masks and social distancing, however.

Last year, the Milwaukee Health Department increased the fine for violating the COVID-19 order from $500 to between $500 and $5,000. The fine for a single violation is capped at $20,000.

The city's enforcement of its COVID-19 order reached a climax when a health inspector was pushed by attendees at a Trump rally at Serb Hall last November. From that incident until the order ended, Milwaukee police officers accompanied health inspectors as they enforced the COVID-19 order.

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