Dallas, TX
More Dallas strip clubs argue for federal injunction on city's 2 a.m. curfew ordinance
A federal judge says she will decide in about a week whether to stop Dallas from requiring sexually oriented businesses to close between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. daily.
Attorneys for XTC Cabaret, Silver City Cabaret and Tiger Cabaret told U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle the ordinance and measures taken by police and city officials to enforce it are unconstitutional.
Their clients are seeking an injunction that would prevent Dallas from enforcing the curfew. This is the second federal challenge to the ordinance since it first took effect in January 2022.
Sexually oriented businesses are defined in city code as any business that offers services or products “intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification to the customer.” That includes adult bookstores, video stores, cabarets and other similar businesses.
Some residents told council members when the ordinance was first passed that the curfew would threaten jobs and be a “cultural harm to our city’s LGBT community.”
“There’s hundreds of people, their livelihoods are being affected,” Casey Wallace, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said at the preliminary injunction hearing on Monday. “They’re being put out of work.”
The city officially began enforcing the curfew Nov. 30 after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s temporary restraining order on the law. According to court documents, Dallas police sent out a notice ahead of time letting XTC Cabaret know they were to close during the required hours or face a 30-day suspension of their license, up to $4,000 in fines and potentially criminal charges.
Attorneys told police XTC was willing to comply by not operating as a sexually oriented business after 2 a.m. The club would just serve food and non-alcoholic drinks to those who stayed and only occasionally put on artistic, nonsexual shows in that time.
Police replied that XTC would need a new certificate of occupancy to operate as a restaurant. Even then, the club would be required to close at 2 a.m. because it’s still licensed as a sexually oriented business.
Silver City received a similar notice from police, but attorneys argue the club has a dance hall license and a late-hour permit, therefore it can operate until 4 a.m. daily except Sunday.
Boyle denied the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order in February. She wrote it was a “close call,” but the plaintiffs weren’t likely to succeed on that front based on any of their constitutional claims.
Dallas police presented data to officials in 2022 showing from 2019 to 2021, police received more calls to sexually oriented businesses between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. than between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Police also presented studies concluding sexually oriented businesses have been associated with higher crime rates.
One police officer said Monday he believed enforcement of the ordinance has contributed to a decrease in crimes reported to a federal database that tracks crimes nationwide.
Ben Allen, attorney for the clubs, said that while there are studies that outline the secondary, negative effects of adult entertainment, “that’s not true for the activity we’re trying to engage in.”
Assistant City Attorney Kathleen Fones said monitoring how sexually oriented businesses technically operate from hour to hour is “simply not a workable way to enforce the ordinance.” Officers testified doing so would require more manpower on top of already intensive investigations of crime hotspots.
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DALLAS – Slow-moving thunderstorms brought localized flash flooding to parts of North Texas on Tuesday evening, blocking highways near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and dropping several inches of rain in portions of Tarrant and Parker counties.
Flash Flood Warnings
Local perspective:
Flash flood warnings are in effect for Hopkins, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt counties until 7:45 p.m.
Flooding was reported along Texas 183 near Valley View Lane south of DFW Airport, where stranded vehicles and water-covered roadways created hazardous travel conditions.
A flash flood warning remained in effect near the airport, although rainfall rates had begun to diminish as the storm weakened.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
The National Weather Service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Hood County, citing the potential for gusty winds and small hail. Forecasters reported hail ranging from pea-sized to marble-sized in parts of Hood, Parker and Denton counties.
Forecasters attributed the weakening storms in Denton County to an outflow boundary, a meteorological feature that can disrupt thunderstorm development.
The warning area was reduced as the storm weakened near sunset.
LIVE RADAR
What they’re saying:
FOX 4’s Kylie Capps said the storms moved unusually slowly from east to west, allowing heavy rain to accumulate over the same areas for several hours.
Rainfall estimates showed some locations in eastern Parker County and western Tarrant County received nearly 5 inches of rain during a six-hour period, while areas near DFW Airport recorded more than 2 inches.
Elsewhere in North Texas, northern Rains County received nearly 5 inches of rain.
7-Day Forecast
What’s next:
Forecasters expect a quieter overnight period, with only isolated showers lingering into the evening. Additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon, though coverage and the threat of severe weather are expected to remain limited.
Temperatures are forecast to reach about 90 degrees Wednesday.
Rain chances are expected to continue through the remainder of the workweek and into the weekend as an upper-level low-pressure system sends multiple disturbances across North Texas.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Weather Team
Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.
Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.
Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026
The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.
While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.
Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes
Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.
Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.
Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.
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