Councilman says shop violating city sex laws

     Review-Journal
      Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald's crackdown on sex businesses continued Monday.
      McDonald and the City Council scheduled a May 20 hearing date to consider a complaint against LA Hot, a novelty shop the councilman has said is selling too many sex products.
      LA Hot is not licensed as a sexually oriented business, but according to a recent city audit, more than half of its inventory and sales is adult-oriented: a violation of city law.
      City law also prohibits sexually oriented businesses from being within 1,000 feet of each other.
      The shop is next to the strip club Crazy Horse Too on Industrial Road.
      "If they (LA Hot) want to stay in that location, they have to come in compliance with the law," McDonald said.
      Allen Lichtenstein, a First Amendment attorney who represents LA Hot and other adult businesses, declined to comment on the complaint, and said the city has yet to deliver it to him or anyone at LA Hot.
      LA Hot is the second adult novelty shop McDonald has targeted. In December, after a legal battle with the city, Hot Stuff on West Charleston Avenue was forced to close. The store since has opened as a video store that rents and sells some adult movies.
      Meanwhile, three totally nude clubs have been accused of knowingly allowing customers to consume alcohol. Little Darlings and Club Exotica have been fined $50,000 by the city, while Talk of the Town faces a May 20 hearing on an identical charge.
      In Las Vegas and Clark County, totally nude clubs are not allowed to serve alcohol, but topless bars are.
      Lichtenstein, on behalf of Little Darlings, plans to challenge in court the city's procedure for targeting and punishing all-nude clubs.
      He argues it is unconstitutional for the City Council to rule on evidence collected by its own officials.
      Furthermore, much of the city's evidence against totally nude clubs would not stand up in a court of law, Lichtenstein has said.
      McDonald and Deputy City Attorney Bill Henry counter that officials have acted in accordance with the law.