THE RIGHT TO OFFER NUDE DANCING'? Topless bar applicants sue city of Destin

November 25, 2008 - 1:46 PM

Dusty Ricketts
Florida Freedom Newspapers

The Oasis of Destin has sued the city claiming that adult entertainment ordinances violate the bar's First Amendment rights.

The action was filed by the bar located on Mountain Drive and Trident-Operations LLC, a company that the Oasis has entered into a management agreement with to run the bar.
"The plaintiffs wish to engage in activities protected under the First Amendment, i.e., offering nude dance entertainment," the lawsuit says.

The city's rules governing such establishments "has deprived the plaintiffs of the right to offer nude-dance entertainment," the lawsuit further states. "For these reasons the plaintiffs are entitled to declaratory and permanent injunctive relief barring the City from enforcing these ordinances ..."

"We approached (the city), made a case for why the ordinances are not valid and then applied for a business license and were then promptly turned down," said Cary Wiggins, a former Niceville resident now practicing law at the Atlanta-based law firm of Cook, Youngelson & Wiggins. "There's really nothing left to do. If the ordinances aren't valid, there's really no sense in working with them."

Destin attorney Jerry Miller did not return messages seeking comment on the lawsuit.

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To read the entire lawsuit, click here.

THE ANATOMY OF A TOPLESS BAR LAWSUIT

Business owner: Erotic dancing ‘viable’ in Destin
November 29, 2008 - 10:13 AM
William Hatfield

A businessman who wants to become the first topless bar owner in Destin says it is “absolutely a business just like anything else.”

“Well, maybe not like anything else,” said Terry Stephenson, who is operating the Oasis on Mountain Drive. “But if the biggest issue you have to deal with is that an adult, 21 and over, wants to go to a club, watch girls dance, and have a drink … Surely there are other big issues to deal with than what an adult does in his spare time.”

Stephenson and his attorneys recently filed a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court alleging that the city of Destin is infringing on the bar’s right “to offer nude-dance entertainment.”

“Ultimately, I feel like the erotic dancing format is a commercially viable situation in Destin. So that’s pretty much what I’m gonna pursue,” he said.

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To read the entire lawsuit, click here.

Benicia 'gentlemen's club' proposal sparks uproar

11/23/2008

Times-Herald

By JESSICA A. YORK

BENICIA - Taking a page from Benicia's history books, a man looking to bring a "gentlemen's club" to the city is causing a public uproar in the process.

St. Helena resident Robert Amatrone has sued the Benicia council and staff, claiming the city stiff-armed him before he had a chance to bare it all in what he claims would be an upscale affair.........
read more

Porno-politics: a logical conclusion of historical processes

By Ben Wright
October 30, 2008
Politics has become porn. Negative campaigning is its biggest star.

“Not your finest hour,”
“Is this really the feature story?”

These were two of the comments that greeted Newspaper Tree’s treatment of the release of a pornographic movie starring a Sarah Palin look-alike.

These comments raise a valid question: What is credible news? Is this it? Surely, is it not too frivolous and distasteful a topic? Are we not giving it unjustified credence and dignity by reporting it? Doesn’t this sort of thing belong on a silly blog instead?

But one could argue that it absolutely is news. First, and most practically, the piece remained the top story for the day, and Newspaper Tree is not the sort of website that idle surfers stumble across. Our readers found this interesting.

I believe that because the event occurred, combined with the interest it generated, much can be said about society and politics in America. But its unimportance lies in the fact that it is a historical marker, not a turning point. It is a glaring example of where things are, not where they are going.

Recently, French President Nicolas Sarkozy lost a legal battle with a Parisian company that manufactured Voodoo dolls of him in effigy. (They came complete with pins.) Though Sarkozy lost the case, and the look-alike dolls continue to be produced, the issue caused a minor uproar. This side of the Atlantic, the McCain-Palin campaign have made no complaint, have taken no legal action against the porn film’s producer, Hustler....read more

Ministry preaching against porn moving to Vegas

The Associated Press

Article Launched: 10/26/2008 12:07:28 PM PDT

LAS VEGAS—A pastor who travels the world preaching against pornography is moving his ministry to Sin City with the backing of a growing suburban church.

Craig Gross, a 33-year-old minister who has run the online ministry XXChurch.com from Michigan for seven years, says he decided to move the ministry because of the adult entertainment industry in Las Vegas.

Gross says adult temptations in Las Vegas are "more powerful and strong than any place I've ever been."

Gross says pornography is emotionally harmful and threatens relationships.

Gross has the backing of the Henderson, Nev.-based South Hills Church Community, with about 1,200 active members. The community plans to build a $15 million church, where Gross plans to refer people he meets through his ministry.

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Information from: Las Vegas Sun, http://www.lasvegassun.com

Attorneys for X-Mart move to open in Augusta

By NBCAugusta Reporters

Oct 25, 2008 at 11:34 PM EDT

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Attorneys for an adult entertainment store say they're one step closer to re-opening in Augusta.

An attorney for X-Mart tells NBC Augusta 26 News the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling, saying the city cannot use zoning regulations to keep the store from opening.

Attorneys say they'll now move forward with a plan to attain an adult entertainment license and re-open.

Bid to stop strip bar in Glen Eira

Keith Moor
October 24, 2008 12:00am

A COUNCIL has appealed to the State Government to change the planning laws so a banned brothel owner can be stopped from opening a strip club.

Liquor Licensing Director Sue Maclellan has also indicated she is likely to take steps to try to foil Graham Francis Harvey's sex club bid.

Mr Harvey was barred from operating brothels in Victoria after being convicted of child prostitution offences in 1996.

He is now trying to re-enter the sex industry by turning the former Caesar's Retreat brothel on Nepean Highway, Elsternwick, into a licensed adult entertainment venue offering sexually explicit entertainment....read more

Copyright Lawsuit Against PornoTube Withdrawn

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

2 adult districts pushed Officials say move would curb spread By Michele Morgan Bolton Globe Correspondent / October 23, 2008

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Cornetta Closes Love Shack

Cornetta Closes Love Shack

Love Shack owner John Cornetta has closed the store, saying he will seek $1.7 million in damages from the city of Johns Creek.

Love Shack Closes in Johns Creek, Georgia

Posted by NPNAdmin
10/2/2008
Ordinances and Regulations,Debate on the Issues,First Amendment,Secondary Effects

 

Love Shack, a large porn shop that tried to evade the new city's adult zoning regulations, has decided to close. Owner John Cornetta claims he's losing about $40,000 a month. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today:

Johns Creek Adult Novelty Store Closes

Public Broadcasting
Odette Yousef
2008-10-02


ATLANTA, GA - Yesterday a controversial adult entertainment store in Johns Creek closed. The Love Shack has been entangled in a 2-year-long legal battle with the city to get a business license for its chosen location.

John Cornetta Closes Controversial Love Shack Store

Love Shack Shuts down in Johns Creek

Owner says he was losing $40,000 a month because city wouldn’t let him put up a sign

DOUG NURSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
October 01, 2008

Adult video store owner John Cornetta has closed the Love Shack in Johns Creek, but he has vowed to seek $1.7 million in damages from the city.

“I couldn’t take the losses any more,” Cornetta said. “I’m still opening new stores in other states, and I still have pending court cases that I’m going to win.”

He said he was losing about $40,000 a month.

The store, located at States Bridge and Jones Bridge roads in the heart of the city, has been the object of scorn and dismay by many residents, and city efforts to regulate the store have generated piles of litigation.

Cornetta blamed the city’s unwillingness to give him a sign for running him out of business. The city has said it won’t give a sign permit or a business license for an adult business in an area not zoned for that.

The Love Shack opened just a couple of days before the city was born Dec. 1, 2006, which Cornetta argued meant he existed before the city and it couldn’t regulate him. After losing in Fulton Superior Court, Cornetta cleaned out all but a few of his adult items to become a non-adult store.
Cornetta said the city gave signs to other businesses that didn’t have business licenses.

“If the judge finds that they illegally caused a business to fail, they’re facing huge fines,” he said.

Cornetta and the city have cases pending in federal and state appeals courts.

Love Shack closes in Johns Creek

by Jennifer Chapman
October 01, 2008

JOHNS CREEK - "Closed for inventory." That's what the sign read on the front door of the Love Shack Oct. 1.

But according to John Cornetta, owner of the Love Shack, the adult video store on State Bridge Road is closed for good.
"We weren't ordered to close," said Cornetta. "The one thing we counted on didn't come and that was a sign."
Since its opening almost two years ago, the Love Shack and the city of Johns Creek have met in court over a variety of issues.

The 10,000 square-foot store was denied a sign permit and business license by the city because the adult video store is in a location not zoned for such a business.

"Not having a sign, being in the location that we were in - we were losing $30,000 to $60,000 a month," said Cornetta. "Had we had a sign permit and had a sign put up we would not be closed today - we would be open."

While Cornetta said the store at 10950 State Bridge Road would not reopen, he did say he would be looking into potential Love Shack locations in Johns Creek.

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Cornetta also said he will seek damages from the city - totaling around $1.5 million.

He said the other nine Love Shack locations around the Atlanta area are doing "extremely well." He added that he's opening stores out-of-state as well.

"Honestly, I'm saddened that I had to close the store...I'm saddened for the people who lost their jobs and for the people who were getting their products there," said Cornetta. "It will not go down in vain and I have lots of resources to fight this and I will continue to fight it." Stay tuned.


SEE ARTICLE

Love Shack closes in Johns Creek, but suits continue

Owner says he was losing $40,000 a month because city wouldn’t let him put up a sign

DOUG NURSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
October 01, 2008

Adult video store owner John Cornetta has closed the Love Shack in Johns Creek, but he has vowed to seek $1.7 million in damages from the city.

“I couldn’t take the losses any more,” Cornetta said. “I’m still opening new stores in other states, and I still have pending court cases that I’m going to win.”

He said he was losing about $40,000 a month.

The store, located at States Bridge and Jones Bridge roads in the heart of the city, has been the object of scorn and dismay by many residents, and city efforts to regulate the store have generated piles of litigation.

Love Shack Shuttered

WSB News
Jeff Dantre
October 1, 2008 3:41 PM

(WSB Radio) -- The owner of the Love Shack says he's calling it quits in Johns Creek. John Cornetta says he was losing $40,000 a month because the city refused to allow him to put up a sign. Cornetta is vowing to seek $1.7 million in damages from the city.

Woman applies for adult video business; neighboring businessman opposes application at City Council meeting

Iva Butler
The Daily Times Staff

A woman has applied to locate a sexually-oriented business at 2642 U.S. 411 South in the city of Maryville, a move an adjacent business owner opposes.This would be the first such business within the city limits.Deborah Yantis wants to locate her business, Sunshine Video, closer to town, said Maryville Development Services Director John Jagger. Sunshine Video was previously located at the intersection of U.S. 411 South, Clover Hill Mill Road and Calderwood Highway in Blount County. David Church, operator of Tae Kwan Do America, 2640 U.S. 411 South, voiced his objections to the business locating near his at a Maryville City Council meeting Tuesday night.Church said his business is located in a building that also houses an insurance agency. Yantis wants to open the sexually-oriented business in a separate building behind his which also houses a pet grooming business.Church said 85 percent of his students are age 4 to 16. "My families are pretty concerned and upset with this. You don't want to bring your children to that location," he said. Church said he has told 10 families who have children enrolled at his school of the issue. He plans to hold a meeting at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at the school to inform the rest of the families.Church said opening the business at that location is against the city code, which requires it be 1,000 feet from a family-oriented business.However, city attorney Melanie Davis said, "Our quandary is that this type of business is protected by the federal constitution and free expression. We cannot tell them they cannot locate in the city of Maryville."Ordinance has problemsThe city's sexually-oriented business ordinance was adopted in 1999 and is problematic in that there are too few potential locations, she said.The current law permits the use only in the Business/Transportation Zone, which runs along Lamar Alexander Parkway and U.S. 411 South.Such businesses have to be at least 1,000 feet from churches, schools and residences, she said. She said additional protections, such as banning what can go in windows and on the sign, may be added. She expects several follow-up ordinances to be considered."The city is going to have to open more areas," Davis said. She expects the 1,000-foot rule to be cut to 500 feet. The issue will have to come before Maryville Planning Commission and then Maryville City Council for any changes to be made.In further action, council:� Approved on second and final reading annexation of Camellia Trace Drive, which is located off West Lamar Alexander Parkway. The property was rezoned from County Suburbanizing to City High Density Residential and will include a Parkway District Overlay Zone.

WAR ON PORN WILL HEAT UP… GUARANTEED!!!!What this VP Is All About and How It Will Effect YOU! The Adult Industry

Sarah Palin: A Dominionist: As Ultra Right Wing As They Get!

IF SHE GETS IN, THE WAR ON PORN WILL HEAT UP… GUARANTEED!!!

Sorry to have to get SO political, but, “morally. as a member of the “Adult Industry” and a believer in the First Amendment and all personal rights that ar FOR NOW granted to us in the Constitution I feel VERY STRONGLY that this MUST be brought into the forefront.

Religion, especially in this country, gets a free ride, a “Get Out Of Jail Free Card” when it comes to scrutiny, Many times the “Main Stream” media will stay away from any story regarding the religion of a candidate ESPECIALLY for those running for Vice President or President.

But this is different….. this is not “RELIGION” as most people know it. This is ULTRA RIGHT WING, and very Dangerous. I laughed and oohed and aaahed with everyone about the sex scandals, But to find out that Sahah Palin is even REMOTELY involved with the DOMINIONISTS … quite frankly...read more

VIVID ENTERTAINMENT WINS "ADULT FILM STUDIO OF THE YEAR" AWARD AT STOREROTICA CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information or interviews contact:
jackie@vivid.com
or
800-762-4761

VIVID ENTERTAINMENT WINS "ADULT FILM STUDIO OF THE YEAR" AWARD AT STOREROTICA CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS – (September 3, 2008) – Vivid Entertainment Group was chosen as "Adult Film Studio of the Year" during the recent StorErotica Convention and Trade Show at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas from August 24-27.

Vivid is the world's leading adult film company that is best known for its elite corps of adult actresses known as the Vivid Girls. The firm has won more AVN Awards (adult entertainment's "Oscar") than any other studio in the industry, has an archive of almost 2000 movies, and is recognized as the pioneer in taking the adult industry into the mainstream.