Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Pony in Memphis Removes "Got Boobs?" Billboard

A controversial billboard located on US 61 is coming down.

The Pony owner Charles "Jerry" Westlund has agreed to take down a billboard that reads "Got Boobs?" that's located along the northbound side of US 61 on the way to Memphis from Tunica.

Westlund and Walls Mayor Gene Alday reached an agreement Tuesday.

Alday says the pair talked businessman to businessman and Westlund agreed to change the sign and replace it with something more suitable.

Memphis attorney Edward Bearman represents Westlund and says his client is happy with the outcome.

Alday says he's been told by Westlund that the printer is already at work on another billboard.

The controversial billboard is the second of three -- the series is designed to draw customers to The Pony.

original story

Crazy Horse Too liquor license deadline

The Las Vegas City Council is again considering the fate of a well-known strip club just off the Las Vegas Strip.

A temporary liquor license the council granted to Crazy Horse Too manager Michael Signoreli expires tomorrow (Wednesday). Not having a liquor license would hurt the business.But the city has already granted two temporary licenses -- and can't grant any more.

Signoreli took over after long-time owner Rick Rizzolo was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison. Rizzolo agreed to sell his interest in the club. 16 other current and former Crazy Horse Too employees also pleaded to reduced charges and were sentenced to end a decade-long federal probe of whether the club was tied to the mob.

original story

Friday, April 06, 2007

Albuquerque's SunVan bus - Next Stop Knockouts

Mayor irritated at use of taxpayer dollars.

On March 2, ABQ Ride's SunVan paratransit service gave 671 door-to-door rides to people who - because of some disability - weren't able to use the regular fixed-route bus service.

Assuming the usual pattern prevailed that day, most of those riders were looking to get to work or medical appointments. The rest used the service, which is mandated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, to get to places like restaurants, shops, movie theaters and churches.

And three of those rides, according to ABQ Ride Director Greg Payne, went to Knockouts, a Downtown strip club.

Taxpayer dollars doled out so someone could go to a strip club?

Something's wrong with that, say Payne and Mayor Martin Chavez. But their ideas for changing the "problem," as they see it, are angering some in the disabled community and might be in violation of federal civil rights law.

Ideally, Payne said, SunVan would be allowed to prioritize, so someone going to work or a medical appointment would have priority over someone going to the mall or a strip club.

original story