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County OKs ban on alcohol at strip clubs By JOHN
THOMPSON Fulton County commissioners voted last week to prohibit alcoholic beverage sales at any adult entertainment businesses, but the real decision could come in an upcoming court case. Deputy Fulton Attorney June Green said the county is waiting to hear if the U.S. Supreme Court is going to hear the county's appeal of an 11th Circuit Court ruling that allowed alcohol sales at adult establishments. The county went ahead and passed a stricter ordinance governing the sales of alcohol, because the county didn't want any groups applying for permits before the case is heard, she added. The commission conducted a public hearing last month on the ordinance and heard a damning report from Chief of Police George Coleman on the correlation between crime and alcohol at the establishments. Coleman said the Fulton County Police Department instituted an extensive operation in 1998 to combat vice in the Fulton Industrial Boulevard corridor. The department had received numerous complaints from business owners who were near three adult entertainment establishments. In its sweep, the department made 167 arrests and convicted all but one person. The overwhelming percentage of the crimes were sex-related and the second highest percentage of crimes was drug-related. The ordinance as passed would prohibit the consumption or sale of alcoholic beverages at any adult entertainment business.
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