Anaheim goes after Hooka bars

Las Vegas Sun ^ | 10/27/06 | AP

[renosathug]

Mohammed Elkhatib surveyed his cafe and shook his head - no belly dancers, no live music, no dance floor. Just a handful of clean-cut men sitting around puffing tobacco from hookahs and watching Game 3 of the World Series.

Business isn't likely to pick up anytime soon. After fielding hundreds of complaints from angry residents, the City Council on Tuesday night tentatively approved an ordinance targeting the 11 hookah bars that have popped up along the city's Little Gaza strip in the past five years.

If it wins final approval next month, the new law will ban drinking, live music and dancing - including belly dancing - at the bars unless owners secure a special permit.

[Semper Paratus]

Just turn 'em into Hooker bars.

[dighton]

Yes, google does turn up “The Happy Hookah.”

[sheik yerbouty]

Anaheim has a huge jihadist population. The newest mosque's founders werte recently arrested and deported for their activities, including money laundering. I wonder who frequents these hookah cafes. They are definately not a bunch of hippies.

[edcoil]

There is no new law needed. California does not allow smoking inside buildings.

Simply enforce the law.

[martin_fierro]

No amateurs, please. Send FReepmail if you want on/off ISHP list
The List of Ping Lists

[Khepera]

So my question is, "WHY"
Why do they want to ban drinking, live music and dancing - including belly dancing - at the bars unless owners secure a special permit? Now I know why they want to have a permit, its to grab a share of money but why are hookah bars different from other bars?

[Republicus2001]

can a law be reinforced that offends certain religions?

[DumpsterDiver]

The lounges styled themselves as hip new clubs, with muted lighting, live music and belly dancers to entertain customers while they sucked in tobacco tasting of grape, watermelon and strawberry.

I'd like to know how they managed to get around all of the No Smoking laws here in California.

[Fierce Allegiance]

OMG, they are daning, drinking and smoking? Gota pass a tax-revenue generting ordinance.

[Fierce Allegiance]

can a law be reinforced that offends certain religions?

Only if the offended religion is Judaism of Christianity, or derivatives thereof.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The hookah cafes in Anaheim began to open five years ago, when young Arab-American entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to take a long-standing Middle Eastern tradition and give it a modern American twist.

The lounges styled themselves as hip new clubs, with muted lighting, live music and belly dancers to entertain customers while they sucked in tobacco tasting of grape, watermelon and strawberry.

That trend has crossed the nation, with hookah bars attracting Arab and non-Arab college students and twentysomethings from California to North Carolina and Wisconsin.

In Anaheim, nearly all the lounges are located within a highly competitive two-mile radius.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Damn!

[Dashing Dasher]

I think whether it's a hooka or a hooker, you're gonna need a special permit.

[Dashing Dasher]

See #5.

[Dashing Dasher]

Ask the ACLU.



Taking down the Ten Commandments in a courtroom pisses off Christians.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

while they sucked in tobacco tasting of grape, watermelon and strawberry.>

Filtered smoke?

[edcoil]

As long as it is evenly enforced. There is no smoking in Churches allowed and, not in bars, hotels, etc.

I don't even see this as a religious issue.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... I'd like to know how they managed to get around all of the No Smoking laws here in California."

California's smoking ban was enacted to protect employees, not patrons. They've taken advantage of an exemption for owner-operated bars with no employees.

Meanwhile, everyone else must kowtow to the People's Republic of Sacramento.

I hate this state.

[sarasota]

Because hookahs don't produce smoke?