Paduca winning war on sleaze
It's taken several years to build awareness and momentum, but the work is paying off
From Kentucky Citizen Digest, May, 1999

Paducah’s reputation as a family-friendly city, although recently blighted by a surge of sex businesses, is in the process of being restored. With the help of concerned citizens and city and McCracken County officials alike, so-called “adult entertainment” businesses have been taking some heavy hits lately.

Two of the city’s four “adult” bookstores, Tammy’s and Adult World, pleaded guilty or no contest last fall for distributing obscene videos.Both businesses agreed to pay the maximum fine of $5,000 each.But fines may just be the beginning.

City officials have discussed the possibility of shutting down the businesses altogether if they persistently break the law.William Scent, the attorney who represents two of the controversial businesses, maintains that his clients’ First Amendment rights are violated by the restrictions.Nonetheless, that has not stopped the wave of regulations from spreading into the county.

In March, McCracken County Fiscal Court approved an ordinance that stringently regulates sexually oriented businesses.The ordinance is modeled after Paducah’s adult-entertainment law that withstood scrutiny in federal district court last November. The law bans total nudity and creates a six-foot buffer zone between dancers and customers. It also required any business showing X-rated movies to take down doors used for private viewing.They must also be licensed, abide by strict regulations, and workers must also submit to health screenings for sexually transmitted diseases.

McCracken County’s law goes even further.It bans the businesses from locating within 1,000 yards of schools, churches and parks. County Judge Executive Danny Orazine said he hopes the new law will make it more difficult for the businesses to operate.“The bottom line to this whole thing is we don’t want them in McCracken County, and if we can’t keep them out of the county, then we’re going to do everything we can to monitor them,” said Orazine.

Orazine’s words encouraged citizens and pastors concerned about their community.Rubye Feezor, co-founder with Lee Chumbler of Citizens Against Obscenity, the county’s watchdog group, said that she feels encouraged by recent developments. “The new ordinances have cramped their style,” said Feezor.“It looks like they [the sex businesses] may have to shut down.”

It appears that a majority of McCracken County residents would like to see that happen. “Everybody has a right to make a living, but, in my opinion, not in that way,” said Orazine. “I’ve lived in this county all my life and that is not the type of entertainment we want here.It’s not conducive to a good lifestyle.”
 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander, Executive Director Martin Cothran, Senior Associate Policy Analyst