ZUMBRO FALLS, MN www.kttc.com — Freedom of speech against community values continues to be the struggle in Zumbro Falls where the battle to keep a strip club open goes into another inning. Wednesday, the owner of the Pussycat Cabaret adult entertainment club asked the city council for a permit to operate in town.

Zumbro Falls Mayor Al Vandewalker says, “I’ve had enough. It’s a problem that doesn’t need to be here and we shouldn’t have.”

The attorney representing the Pussycat Cabaret, Randall Tigue [pictured] says, “I dislike government censorship and this is nothing but censorship.”

The legality of a strip club in Zumbro Falls can be condensed to one word: Underwear.

Currently the Cabaret has dancers wearing pasties and G-strings, which is not considered nudity by the state law; however, it is considered nudity by the city of Zumbro Falls.

“It’s not a nude bar, they are wearing G-strings and pasties which is what the U.S. Supreme Court says is legally sufficient,” says Tigue.

Tigue says the bar is not considered nude and therefore is legal in that zone, the Cabaret requested what’s called a permitted use permit to operate in town.

The council quickly denied the request.

Vandewalker says, “[Jeff DeWitz, the Pussycat Cabaret building owner] Placed a call to me wanting to know what could make this go away and I was very simple about it, leave. He said that’s no way for a mayor to talk to a business, and I said that’s the way it’s going to be handled — in the courts.”

A hearing to decide if the Cabaret is in contempt of a court order will be on May 5.