Skip to content

Bodies In Motion Owner Files Federal Lawsuit

A Blair County Borough and several of its officials are being named in a Federal Lawsuit filed by the owner of a strip club.

Reporter Brock Owens explains

The owner of D’Ottavio’s Italian House in Hollidaysburg says he would bring in exotic dancers from Bodies In Motion’s travelling show about one night a month

Before receiving cease and desist letters from Hollidaysburg Borough and later an injunction from Blair County Court after not appealing the letters.

That makes it so the case can no longer be challenged locally, but Bodies In Motion Owner Gary Vaughn is filing a Federal Lawsuit

Naming the Borough and several of its officials including Mayor, Borough Manager, and Police Chief challenging the constitutionality of ordinances in Hollidaysburg.

In the lawsuit Vaughn points to exemptions made in the ordinance if nudity is in a modeling class by a licensed school it is allowed throughout the borough. Calling those discriminatory and vague exemptions.

Vaughn says his business is legal other than the ordinance violation.

“The only thing that seems to be happening is it seems to be violating these archaic ordinances that are enforced by borough’s across our commonwealth. I just kind of want to be left alone.
I’ve been in business six years. We’ve never had any major issues with my business. It’s legal. It’s here to stay.These archaic, outdated ordinances that were passed 30,to 40, to 50, to 60 years ago have got to come into
compliance with what today’s law is and it’s got to come into compliance with the constitution”

But Hollidaysburg Borough Manger Ethan Imhoff tells me off camera because he says officials have not been officially notified of the lawsuit and have not had a chance to review it at this point

That unlike Portage, Hollidaysburg does have a zone in the Borough where Adult Businesses are allowed the I-2 Zone which he says is a legal requirement they fulfilled.

Vaughn filed a similar lawsuit against Portage Borough and changes Vaughn wanted were later made to ordinances in Portage though Portage did not have a zone allowing Adult Businesses like Hollidaysburg does.

Vaughn says his hope for the lawsuit is for a similar result to the Portage case for the borough to make changes to its ordinance codes.

“Should that not happen then I guess we’ll see what the Federal Judge in Johnstown has to say.”

 

Back To Top