The 46-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of setting fire to his own bar has had some financial difficulties over the past few years. Lyle Huss and a partner bought the Last Stop Bar and Lanes in the summer of 2008. That October he pled with the City Council not to enact a smoking ban for public places. Huss told them he’d sunk his life savings into renovating and opening the bowling alley and bar.
During that Council meeting he said the smoking ban would shut down his business.
Lyle Huss (:10)
The Council passed the ban that went into effect in February of last year. Last August Huss reported a theft to police he claimed was probably done by an employee. He told investigators his video gaming machines had come up about $8,000 short of what should have been collected. Huss said he’d keep 70 percent from the games and the rest went to Badger Amusements.
According to Wisconsin’s CCAP website Huss also lost a small claims case in January and was ordered to pay more than $3,900 to Waupun Memorial Hospital.
Contributed by Bob Nelson-KFIZ