Owner of Copper Kettle enter Dubuque City Council race

The owner of the Copper Kettle bar and grill in Dubuque’s North End has entered Dubuque’s at-large City Council race, giving long-term incumbent Ric Jones a second challenger. 51-year-old Chris Staver said he felt compelled to run as Council Member Susan Farber is set to retire, leaving the council without a small-business person at the dais. Staver is a Belmont, WI native who moved to Dubuque as a child. The three-way race between Jones, Staver and former City Council Member Jake Rios would set up a primary election on Oct. 7. The mayor’s race also has three announced candidates, while two ward council races have just two candidates each, skipping the need for a primary runoff before the Nov. 5 general election.