MAHOGANY RESTAURANT OWNER FIRES BACK!

(Pictured: Liz Rogers owner of Mahogany's Restaurant)

The owner of Mahogany’s restaurant, whose financing deal with the city of Cincinnati has stirred controversy, said on Wednesday she feels picked on.

“It appears that I have become the subject of a heightened level of scrutiny and several unfavorable media reports pertaining to my business and my character,” said Liz Rogers of Liberty Township. “I am unclear as to why and would like to once again put these issues to rest.”

Sean Rugless, president of the African-American Chamber of Commerce, emailed her statement Wednesday.

Rogers’ $984,000 deal with the city to open a soul-food restaurant at The Banks generated controversy after revelations about her finances. She and her husband, Trent, recently made good on back property taxes, but the couple still owes the IRS about $49,000.

On Tuesday, Rogers turned herself in on a year-old warrant issued because she failed to show up in court regarding a debt that Queen City Computer Press Inc. is trying to collect from her.

Queen City had designed a website for her now-defunct Forest Park business, Brooklyn Spa & Salon. Rogers said the court case “stemmed from a dispute regarding the quality of services” provided.

But on Wednesday, Bob Welch, Queen City Computer Press president, said, “That would have meant she disputed it with me, which she did not.” No mention of such a dispute appears in court records.

Rogers asserted “there may be no merit to the case.” But a Hamilton County judge ruled she owes Welch’s company $3,000 plus interest. The case has been pending since 2009.

A hearing in the case is set for Friday in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

Rogers said “these issues were disclosed along with all relevant credit information” during her a yearlong negotiation with Cincinnati leaders. She also said it’s all unrelated to her plans to open Mahogany’s at The Banks.

“Despite the events of the past couple of weeks, I remain excited about the possibility of bringing new jobs to the city of Cincinnati, as I have done in Hamilton,” said Rogers, who runs a Mahogany’s restaurant there.

Rogers was recently named one of The Enquirer’s “20 Women to Watch in 2012.”

(Story Courtesy of The Cincinnati Enquirer Online)

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And we here in The Black Fist say, "Good For her"! Despite of what some black con man (snake in a suit) so-called newly elected Cincinnati City Councilman tried to do to her! We say keep it pushing Ms. Rogers and throw deuces to that fake negro so-called clowncil (oops, I mean) Councilman! Hell No! I mean CLOWNcilman!

BLACK POWER!!!