ST. GEORGE – A Halloween party at Fiesta Fun Center Friday night had unexpected guests in blue uniforms show up to shut down a part of the event – a dance party. Organizers say they had a city-approved permit allowing it; city officials say they didn’t.
Canceled dance party
The “Monster Mash” was an event organized by the Heart of Dixie event group that advertised unlimited access to the bumper boats, go-karts, mini golf and a dance party. The event was to run from 9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday.
Sometime between 9:30-10 p.m., around five-six St. George Police officers arrived on scene instructing that no dancing was to take place, said Brett Crockett, owner of Fiesta Fun Center.
While Crockett supplied the venue and extra amenities and security for the Monster Mash, he didn’t have a hand in securing a disputed permit allowing dancing.
“There was no beef with the music,” Crockett said, “It was just the mere fact of no dancing allowed.”
Karlee Jarvis, a security supervisor for the Heart of Dixie, said a special events permit had been obtained that allowed dancing as a part of it.
Both Jarvis and Crockett said Jared Keddington, with the promoter of the event, showed the officers their permit. Despite this, however, Jarvis said, they did as the police instructed and didn’t hold the dance party portion of the Monster Mash. Crockett said the announcement was even made over the center’s speakers that there was to be absolutely no dancing that evening.
The rest of the event – the music, rides and mini golf – were allowed to continue unhindered.
“It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” Crockett said. While officers stayed and observed the event, he said, one of them was taking video.
Some time after the police arrived, St. George Police Captain identified as Capt. Scott Staley arrived with what Jarvis described as “an absolutely new packet that said ‘no dancing’ in pen.”
The original permit had apparently been amended, Jarvis said.
Initial attendance at the time of the police officers’ arrival was estimated at around 400, Crockett said, though Jarvis estimated it may have been more than twice that.
The event itself was quite controlled, Jarvis said, with security provided by both Heart of Dixie and Fiesta Fun. “We had, I would say, at least 20 security guards,” she said.
Due to the cancellation of the dance party, news apparently spread by attendees to friends got out and the Monster Mash didn’t draw as much of a crowd as hoped. Crockett said Fiesta Fun made around 20 percent of what they had anticipated. As for attendees, some wanted refunds, Jarvis said, a lot of people were upset and left.
As for the appearance of six officers on scene, those involved in the incident said it felt a bit heavy-handed on the police’s part.
Disputed permit
In response to an inquiry by St. George News about Friday night’s incident, Heart of Dixie issued the following statement:
The city issued a permit. We applied for a special event permit for a “dance”. It was issued. Then when they had no way to shut it down they produced additional pages to the permit that we were not given on which they had hand written that the dance was not allowed. Not to mention we were on private property, it is a first amendment right to dance, we weren’t playing music loud enough to be heard off the property and when the police were there NO ONE was dancing. They sent 6 officers to make sure no one was dancing! DANCING IS NOT A CRIME.
Jarvis said the special event permit had been done online and sent into the city and it hadn’t been a face-to-face deal. She said officers told her that they, or city officials at least, had met with Keddington face-to-face over the matter and explained there could be no dancing, something which she disputes.
Marc Mortensen, assistant to the city manager, said Saturday that applications for outdoor dances and concerts must first be heard, vetted, and finally approved by the City Council. The council needs to consider such factors as: how many people the event may bring in, is there enough parking, will there be adequate security, will there be any great impact on traffic or residents in the area, and so on.
As the City Council needs to approve such events, Mortensen said, the city encourages people to get their event applications in at least a month before an event takes place so it can be put on the agenda for the council to address in a regular meeting.
“It’s not an arduous process,” Mortensen said. It also wasn’t one Keddington was ignorant of as he’s promoted many other events within the city, he said.
The application for the Monster Mash was made earlier this week, he said. And while it was ultimately approved by the city, it was supposedly spelled out that no dances could be held.
“He chose not to abide by the permit,” Mortensen said. “That’s why the police shut it down.”
As to the mention of an amended permit, he said there was “no such thing.” What Staley is said to have showed officers and Keddington was a copy of the original permit highlighting there was to be no dancing.
The City of St. George does provide many forms and permit applications on its website, the special event permit being among them. It is a five-page form that asks the applicant to check boxes detailing what type of activities will be had at the event, along with other details such as participant size, whether tents or stages are being used, site sound set up, and so forth.
However, the form does not state that certain activities are subject to review and approval by the City Council. The requirements are outlined on a separate document.
Recurring theme?
Comparisons to St. George and the surrounding area and the 1980s film “Footloose” have become common since September 2011 when the City of St. George’s dance hall ordinance was put in the public eye by the now shuttered GoGo37 concert hall. In that instance, much was said over social media about the city not allowing the business to have a dance permit. However, city officials said the business owners never submitted an application in the first place. The then-owners fired back saying they believed an application wouldn’t be approved regardless of whether they were compliant with city ordinances or otherwise.
During the summer of 2012, Dance Haven applied for a dance hall permit from the city but was subsequently denied over zoning issues and other concerns despite a public outpouring of support. Neighboring business owners were also not fond of the idea of having a dance hall next door. At the time, Councilman Gil Almquist said Dance Haven was a victim of previous dance halls that had come to St. George and left an unsavory reputation. Some on the council were concerned about the potential dance hall’s proximity to a youth treatment facility as well as business owners’ objections, while others just didn’t feel a dance hall was an application supported by zoning in the area. (See ed. note)
Though the applicant ending up agreeing with the council’s decision, some in the public still jeered at city officials over not allowing a bona fide dance hall to take root in the city.
In August, a back-to-school dance to be held at the Washington City Community Center by TSUnami PROductions was canceled by Washington City Police Chief Jim Keith. Concerns were evidently raised by a Facebook post made by the promoter’s son calling the event a “rave.” Though the incident occurred in Washington City, it once again led members of the public to once again make comparisons to “Footloose.”
At the end of the day, Mortensen said, the act of dancing itself isn’t the deal breaker. The City Council approves other outdoor dances and dance-related functions throughout the year. The problem occurs when the application process isn’t followed through properly or certain requirements of the permit aren’t met.
Ed. note: Clarification added regarding details surrounding Dance Haven and the TSUnami PROductions matter.
Related posts
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- What’s in a ‘rave’? City shuts down teenage dance party for Facebook posts
- City dance ordinances no obstacle for ‘The Rush’
- Bringing back swing, weekly dancing atop the water tank; STGnews Videocast
- ON Kilter: Dancing with dominions, diversity and dissent
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I’m so grateful that our wonderful police force is being put to great use and not wasting our tax dollars.
The law is the law follow it. Thats what police are for. And if the dance promoter is making money then it shouldn’t be any cost to the taxpayers to have to furnish security in the form of police officers. Don’t call it being a part of the community when it cost taxpayers money and somebody else is benefiting privately. If you expect that to happen than your like Cliven Bundy a freeloader. Everyone has to pay their way it’s not Obamacare for heck sake.
Mark Vinclio, you are a moron. SG City has meth tweakers and Central American gang bangers running around and you think a law against dancing is something to justify what the SG Goon Squad did? Just because some self-righteous religious city council creates some jackass law does not mean it should be enforced more aggressively than the real laws that are being broken and actually causing harm to our community. You are as much a part of the problem.
so you pick and choose what laws to have enforced because your ability to complain is all you have because you lack the brains to make the politicians change or repeal the law. the police could have worked on your gang tweekers and other problems if the didn’t have to take time to take care of this heart of dixie con.
Jury Nullification! Every chance I get to nullify some inane law that has no victim and has done no harm (harming your delicate sensibilities doesn’t count) to anyone’s person or property, I will. And so should every American who understands the original intent of our justice system: NO VICTIM! NO CRIME! We have over 30 millions laws in this country and its time to start repealing now, starting with this … dancing prohibition.
Ed. ellipsis
Mark, a law against dancing of all things is immoral and wrong. I’m 58 and if I would have been there I would have danced my heart out (and I quit dancing years ago). Do you want St. George to be on the same plane as Iran where young people who dare to dance and post it on YouTube are sent to prison for years? You have no right to restrict dancing. None. It is a joyful celebration which is ordained from God Himself, children do it, young people do it, and I’ll do it in protest.
You really don’t understand police work. Police pick and choose the laws to enforce every second of every day. It is simply impossible to enforce them all. Some, like this ban on dancing, are not worth their efforts and time.
Mormons pick and choose which scriptures they follow.. so yeah.. I guess I WILL pick and choose which laws to follow.
#Facepalm #MormonHubris
Mark, all you have to do is watch the WCSO booking page to see that SGPD arrests many so called tweakers and gang bangers daily. Additionally, Major Giuliani, while major of NY, decreased subway crimes dramtically. Crimes such as murder, rape, aggrivated assault. How did he do it. He enacted a law that made jumping the toll gate an arrestable offense. Why, because criminals that murder, rape, and assault don’t pay tolls. They jump. Its the little things that keep the big things from happening. Permits are in place to make sure dances meet city guidelines and protect the youth of the city. You like the low crime rate in STG. Good, thank an LEO next time you see one.
Mark–Just so you know, people who are required to have security at events pay for that themselves. Even if they have police officers at the event, the people putting on the event have to pay for them to be there. It doesn’t cost taxpayers a thing.
so you were dropped on your head repeatedly as a baby adolescent teen and yesterday huh? They followed the law and go t the permits but bored cops with guns decided to … with them anyhow because they are corrupt they only way it cost taxpayers money is because all the police were there instead of doing their actual jobs of protecting their community the event had plenty of private non taxypayer security to handle the legal event the only people here that were breaking the law were the police so whats your name and badge number officer you have to be a cop on this force to read this story and come to that conclusion or else your boyfriend is
Ed. ellipsis.
So much stupid in so few sentences.
The issue here seems rather quaint.
In (my state) Oregon nude dancing is a right guaranteed by the state constitution (article 1 section 8).
We do try to hold our stomachs in, just out of consideration for others.
Another example of the St George Nazi City Council and Nazi Mayor with their Footloose mentality. There would not have been a problem with a bounce house and breast feeding event.
Breast feeding only if the woman had a modesty panel
Actually modesty panels are not required under . Public breast feeding is absolutely not a violation of law in any way, but shaming a woman for feeding her children is a moral crime.
I recommend that we all start calling the police and reporting any illegal dancing we see on the street. Even if it looks like dancing-call it in!
Some guy scratches his butt in the parking lot? Looks like a dance move!-call it in!
Some woman squirms in her seat in the movie theatre? Looks like a dance move-call it in!
Kids are jumping in the water at the splash pad? LOOKS LIKE A DANCE MOVE-CALL THAT SHIZZ IN!!!!
Let’s flood the police department phone lines and get the illegal dancing epidemic under control!!
*Disclaimer-DO NOT CALL 911! Call the local st. george police department only!
Please do this! Let us know how that turns out.
What’s the difference between 911 and St. George Police Department?
The difference is that 911 responds to real emergencies and crimes…
Unbelievable! Like the movie “Footloose”.
If the event promoters really had permits for dancing, we should all be howling with outrage.
Almquist is the St George poster child on city code violations.
Almquist is a self-serving parasite who needs to be removed from City Council ASAP!
Dancing isn’t the real issue here. What is at stake here is, what kind of community do you want to live in? Keep up the good work City of St George. If the promoters feel their First Amendments rights have been trampled on, then by all means, take it up with the City Council….OR…. you could organize and make lots of money 45 miles west of here.
WOW! You need to realize that STG is not only for older people or the LDS religion anymore. Its for all people. I would not want a child to drive 45 miles to go to a dance.
What is this footloose? Its a dance….what about the child molester polygamist ? Is that OK for you as long as its 45 minutes away? Is their spiritual polygamy ceremonies ( because its only “spiritual” they re not legally married polygamist that way they can get gov’t assistance) with their welfare checks and food stamps ok as long as there not dancing and they are 45 minutes away…unbelievable,the government corruption that occured over dancing. My bad, the government corruption is believable. Kdn Carlton it appears you are pro government corruption
Ken Carlton, you are a self-righteous religious hypocrite. The community I want to live in is not filled with religious busy-bodies who strain at a gnat while swallowing a camel – making a crusade over something as benign as dancing while they sit in their dark holes looking at PORN, doing backdoor investments in casinos and gambling, lying and cheating in business, etc. etc. There are so many empty religious shells around here who invest a lot of energy in appearances, while being nothing more than white washed tombs filled with dead men’s bones.
Right on TINMANFREE you said it. lots of hypocrites in this town
What kind of community do YOU want to live in Mr. Carlton? One that strictly controls and limits the freedoms of its citizens? No one should have to spell out First Amendment rights to the city council or the SGPD. This is whole issue is downright embarrassing for the city of St. George and all who live here.
Ugh. I’ve been away from St. George for 10 years only to find it has turned into a small town tyranny. A bunch of social authoritarians…
We have been planning to move back next year and every time I look at the local news I start dreading it. I have nightmares of being suffocated by all these insufferable nanny-statists.
Is there no place left on this planet where people will just live and let live…?
You’ve escaped Satan George. Why would you even want to move back? Have you not been away long enough to realize there is life, and good and normal life, outside the bubble world of Satan George?
Everyone who has left including myself has been sucked into the same black hole. I moved 3,000 miles away. Vowed never to come back. Here I am. The hole is has dark and black as that hole TinmanFree talks of were I view my porn. Maybe “they” fear that if we dance in public then we will all turn gay and get married. What is really going on?GO FALCONS!
yeah, quite possibly the dumbest comment I’ve ever read. Thanks Ken.
So why is it okay for the LDS churches to hold dances without special permits ?
Why do I have to drive 45 miles away if I want to dance ? Why can’t I dance in the city where I pay taxes ?
what the heck. This town is a real live version of Footloose. Get over yourself St. George and let people enjoy themselves. Go focus on the druggies and accidents all over town and let the ones trying to have fun, have fun.
Oh pleeease, dancing? The kids in town need safe places in town for social interaction.!
I was recently asked by adult tourists, where they might go for some dancing. After researching , and making phone calls , I couldn’t come up with a lot of places. Were talking dancing here peoole
This is one of the dumbest things ever. Dancing really, wasting our money to have sgpd move in amazing
People. Isn’t that good, clean, fun? Lets let our kids dance!
The city didn’t make enough money on the permit , I’m surprised they didn’t send the swat team to show that there in control . And u have rights as long as u pay for them
Absolutely JROD! I and others are getting very tired of the abuse of power and waste of MY tax dollars using the SGPD for ridiculous nonsense like this. And enough of the little boys who never grew up driving around St. George city in their new Federally gifted MRAP Swat vehicles. There is absolutely no justification for it, but just because the Feds are giving these military vehicles to local police, we don’t have enough sense to say “No, thank you!” The cost to destroy them in the field in Afghanistan is about 1/10 of the cost to outfit local police. But hey, isn’t that our frugal federal government: Spend $10 for the value of $1.
Stahliy is the swat leader
You’re right about that! I’m really surprised the SGPD doesn’t have a Dancing Task Force Unit!
This is exactly what is wrong with our society. Heavy Handed cops strutting around on their high horse of authority. Unless there was under age drinking, music too loud, or drugs, let the kids have some fun. It’s no wonder people resent authority.
Time to start calling SGPD and the City Council to demand accountability with the improper display of police power and waste of public resources.
Except the mentioned above are corrupt also one would be reporting corruption to the people administering the corruption
I was thinking footloose when I first started reading this. What a bunch of crap!!! Really? What is the major malfunction of our elected officials in St. George? Pike should show he is an actual leader and do something about this!
Just really surprised that Fiesta Fun would work with a convicted child abuser, Jared Keddington of Heart of Dixie. Makes think twice before I take my kids there again. His arrest record is public information.
Show the evidence to your claim. Web searches show he was the event organizer for Sand Hollow Mayhem and the teen dance that Washington City prevented. Are you just following the no dance herd mentality?
Billy Jean just FYI the next morning Jared keddington of heart of Dixie did the dance foam party for the city the next morning at the convention center for the save a sister breast cancer awareness walk. WITHOUT A PERMIT! Where I personally was dancing. Where were the cops there? Nowhere to be found because it was put on by the city. How ironic. Also if what you say is true about Jared then why would the city hire him??
Billy Jean, whether your allegation against Jared Keddington is true or false, you are obviously an apologist and propagandist for the Terrorist Fighting Anti-Dancing League of St. George. But before you make an accusation, you had better be sure it is the truth or you are liable for defamation.
Are you afraid of your own shadow too ? Have you researched the criminal or personal history of EVERYONE your child has come into contact with ?
Definitely one for the book…Guns, Hell yeah! Dancing, No way (unless it’s run by the church, of course)…Egad.
The city gives a green light to caged fight events. For a place said to be family oriented, I don’t see how bloody, brutal cage fights are family friendly, while a place for a husband and wife to go dancing is not allowed.
RIGHT! Are there not “Singles Ward” Dances?
What a bunch of government over reaching garbage. I think our city thugs need to be told where they can shove that permit application. Less government, more freedom.
Oh please, please, please let this be picked up by national news.
Everyone email Fox newsroom: [email protected]
Send them the local fox news report:
http://fox13now.com/2014/10/27/cops-stop-dancing-at-halloween-party-in-st-george/
Fox News is WORTHLESS!! Kelly Chapmen is only nice to look at. tell CNN.
The Stephanie Miller show on FSTV (free speach TV) commented on it today 11-11-14.
I assume the police arrived in full swat gear and an armored vehicle.
And were allowed to load their bullet from their pocket
Well this is why most of the kids sit home and play video games, do drugs, and get pregnant. There isn’t much for teenagers in this drug infested town. Way to go sgpd! Cleaning up our town one dancer at a time. How come the police dept. Didn’t tell city council to go pee up a rope!?
All you that complaint about the city ordinance regarding dancing, SHOULD remember this when it’s time for new leadership. AKA: Elections. Get rid of the anti_dancing council!!
I stopped by the event to make sure my kid was okay and This event was very well controlled! Extra parking, portipotties in site, and lots of security was provided as I’m sure the city made them provide! The police were in abundance! Flashing their cop lights almost the entire time outside so that people would turn away! They were being rude to kids and filming people! If they saw any swaying they would threaten to shut the fun down! They were Just having some good clean fun for some kids this season! Not to mention they ID’d EVERYONE and you had to be 18 and older! No alcohol was allowed! This city tries to flex their muscles too much and have too much control on EVERYTHING! The 6 police showing up is so predictable! Don’t they have better things to do!!? So glad my tax dollars are being put to good use! This is why sgpd have a bad rep here.. RIDICULOUS!!!
So, instead of maybe going the other way, noticing they did have accurate Security, following all the other rules etc etc, they couldn’t allow dancing after having 6 cops there to supervise?
Where is you head at St George? Isn’t the city council and police PART OF THE COMMUNITY? Shouldn’t you be promoting good will with you fellow citizens?
Imagine the kind words and happy thoughts and comments you would have if instead of coming in to hinder a good time, you came in and helped turn this is in to a fun and safe party!
You’re missing opportunities to make everyone happy. You as a city entity should want the best for your businesses, big and small. These people vote for you. Remember that next time you want to force them to fill out paperwork to have a good time.
Couldn’t agree more!
The kids gets so excited to have a dance event to go to., where they behave and stay out of trouble. I know to many kids , sitting home ALONE, playing games, not getting any exercise, or making good friends..It just sad…
As a dance club member and dance instructor, I enjoyed social interaction with other adults. We didn’t get drunk or be promiscuous or any of those other deviant behaviors your city council and former mayor claimed as characteristic of these venues created. Your city officials and many of their supporters have an incorrect view about dancing. Or perhaps it’s their desire to control and mandate. We danced, because we enjoyed the music and because dancing was fun and good exercise. We danced competitively in national competitions. Dance clubs I belonged to not only had dances and dance instructions, we also had picnics and other social gatherings and sponsored city events. I even gave dance instruction overseas. I know of a couple who met at a dance and danced most of the 68 years together. Her final wish is to be laid to rest next to him in her dance dress she wore so many nights out, because she remembers the attention he gave her when they danced and their dance of life. Your city is extremely misguided about dancing. Get rid of your anti-dance city ordinance. It’s evil.
Not too mention I saw the permit and dancing was checked off as approved!!! Then the police brought a paper that said no dancing on it written in pen!!!! So crazy! Wish they would post a picture of it so everyone can see!
Koolaid wins for the funniest comment that is also ironically true.
So Footloose moves to St George. We need to get rid of the good old boy network here.
This makes me sick no wonder why we have so many heroin addicts by the age of 15 down here kids have alot of energy and talent. Let them get it out in positive way such as dancing its not like they had stripper polls and an open bar it was go karts ans bumper boats freakin Nazis.
as a faithful LDS person I firmly believe that dancing outside of church approved activities is a sin . Furthermore I testify that our prophet , Thomas S. Monson, is a true prophet of God and that we must obey his every word because his words are not the words of a greedy, money hungry old fart as some might have us believe but the words of the almighty lord himself. Hell Monson! 🙂
WOW, I can’t believe this is happening in 2014, and Simone what does a church sanctioned dance have anything to do with anything??? Are you kidding? Get over yourself REALLY.
It has everything to do with it because in case you have not noticed our good mayor and city council members won’t so much as cut a loud fart in public without first getting approval from their Bishop. Jon Pike is our mayor in name only. In reality, the town is run by Thomas S. Monson, president of the Mormon church.
Faithful LDS people believe in dancing, get your religion straight
Yea at church and church only.
I wonder how much truth there is to stories of parking lot activities at church singles dances? Maybe that’s where the police need to patrol.
Simone. HOW is dancing (outside of church approved activities) a sin? please explain that. Also, you mis-spelled HAIL….its not hell
Ask your Bishop. I was wrong, it’s ” Heil Monson”. Forgive me.
You must be some other LDS faith simone dancing outside church activities is not a sin. By your logic if i’m in my apartment with some of my lds buddies and turn on some church approved music me and my friends are sinning. No simone your wrong and making good LDS people like myself look bad because that is not how we operate. If you are truly lds you should ask for forgiveness
Dancing only in church. OMG
Simone you are a clown! Don’t talk out of your butt please!
Simone, your “follow the prophet wherever he may lead” is a very dangerous mentality and is riddled with heresy and logical fallacy. Your “prophets” started as pedophiles (Joseph Smith married a teenage girl) who also stole other men’s wives (sorry, but that is a recent disclosure that was just recently published and is a known fact of LDS history). Yet you deify and follow such a corrupt individual? Then your prophets declared the “word of God” to be that black people were “accursed” sons of Ham (a son of Noah) and were banned as bishops from the Church. But then, in 1977, a different word from God came to your “prophet,” undoing a decree that was supposed to be “eternal” and “forevermore”; being changed to accomodate the political winds that were changing concerning inclusion of Blacks into the church. And so you “firmly believe.” Ha! You don’t firmly believe anything. It changes as the winds of change blow through your church and your fallable human prophets change their mind and blame it on God.
Simone you are a clown! Don’t talk out of your butt please
Please people realize this guy has no idea what he’s talking about… Just trolling. The official church guidelines have no say whatsoever in politics or that dancing outside the church is a sin. No where do we believe or promote that thinking. Nor do we believe at all to “Hell Monson” (Hail I think is the word he meant) We worship God and Jesus Christ, not our Prophets. We “firmly” believe in agency of man. Dance where ever you want! Especially on private property! It’s incredible the strong arm and iron fist mentality of our local government today. Please people go vote!! Put someone else in office. Get educated!
When dancing is outlawed, only outlaws will dance.
I am usually supportive of law enforcement. But this seems to me to be totally ridiculous. I do believe there needs to be some house cleaning done in the city of St. George, starting with mayor, (new though he may be,) and city council and working all the way down to the animal control and public works department!
Folks, it is time you stood up and took back your little town here. It is a beautiful place, and it could be a wonderful town. Instead, it is a town that is loaded with drugs, has gang activity, and the cops worry about a dancing ordinance. . .
Call me ignorant, but is there really a rule somewhere that says “no dancing”, seriously? We recently had a church primary party in the front yard of one of the primary teachers, they played music and the kids danced. Should someone have called the cops so they could come over and stop it? St George police are a bunch of bullies. My neighbor called 911 to ask for a welfare check of another neighbor who hadn’t been seen for a few days. They sent out 6 police officers, they came with their guns out and surrounded the house. It was a welfare check for crying out loud. I would shudder to imagine them working for a large city where there is real crime. I am sure the police did not make anyone feel more safe by shutting down a dance party. BTW, I am LDS, and we do love to dance and have fun just like anyone else. It isn’t the religion in town that causes these issues, it’s the Barney Fife, from Mayberry, mentality. It’s the control freaks that want to carry a gun and call themselves a cop.
Yes, it would really be a shame if kids had anything to do but watch porn and do drugs. Evidently in St. George they’re not allowed to dance or, in Little Valley at least, where a “Zero Tolerance” policy has been declared by a local policeman who lives in the neighborhood, ride their four wheelers a few feet across pavement to reach the wide open spaces. Nope kids, stay home and do something sedentary, addictive and soul rotting! Only Councilman Gil Almquist is allowed to break the laws with impunity!
Send Officer Staley to the rescue… the cop that gets his daughter out of her criminal trouble by having her set up and turn in her friends for parties… He is a real gem!
hey, I know, how about all those kids who weren’t allowed to dance can come over into my private yard and have sex…which I am assuming is the great fear. *slowly shakes head in embarrassment* Also, they are welcome to host the Monster Mash with dancing in my yard. It’s private. No permit needed.
…although, my 50th birthday party was shut down at 11:01pm in my backyard because we were singing BINGO (with hulu hoops, so I suppose it was dancing) a bit too loud for the neighbors.
Can CNN pick this up, please? The world needs to know. “MEET THE MORMONS!”
Police were called to break up our illegal activity of lighting sparklers outdoors in the rain this past September. Apparently some neighbor, overzealous with his spying on neighbors in their back yards, reported us.
Fiesta fun is private property as well
Email : [email protected] and fill out the form below for CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html
Get the story out there nationally.
http://fox13now.com/2014/10/27/cops-stop-dancing-at-halloween-party-in-st-george/
Has the LDS church gotten stricter on Dancing? When i grew up in Utah it was permissible for the LDS kids to dance and footloose was a fave. Maybe because 25 years ago most kids danced the Carlton and now they do the Miley! 😉
Rad. No that guy was making fun of Mormons, pretending he was one.. Mormons can dance!!!!
“Mormons can dance”! Next season on Fox! Lol. 😉
A permit to dance? Really? Dark ages.
Sooooo this doesn’t mean anything anymore? Or what?
Article I, Section 1. [Inherent and inalienable rights.]
All men have the inherent and inalienable right to enjoy and defend their lives and liberties; to acquire, possess and protect property; to worship according to the dictates of their consciences; to assemble peaceably, protest against wrongs, and petition for redress of grievances; to communicate freely their thoughts and opinions, being responsible for the abuse of that right.
Ummm.. Thos is not a religion issue!!! This is a dumb political issue! I say we all go there turn the music up in our cars and dance outside the city county building!!
Great idea! A little civil disobedience today and then an election to seat a new council not so bent on displaying their power.
I can’t believe some of the idiotic things that go on here in St. George. We are seriously looking into relocating to another state that isn’t so narrow minded.
Madona, no, that is not the answer. Instead of moving, how about be an agent of change here. You need to get on the phone with Chief Marlon Stratton, Officer Staley and then move on to Mayor Jon Pike and the rest of SG City Council. Remember, they work for you and are accountable to address your grievances. Stay awhile!
I’m LDS and I attended this event. I was very upset just like most of the other attendees. The DJ showed the permit to everyone who wanted to see and it said “dance and other recreation” right on the permit. The city changed it. The police were there babysitting everyone and oddly we were allowed to have the music, the lighting and everything but we were told we were not allowed to dance!? I felt like my first amendment rights were trampled on to an extreme. I’ll admit, once police left we danced anyways. How could we not? The dancing was pretty decent and clean for the most part. Me and my friends had a blast just dancing! Nothing wrong or illegal happened. I don’t understand what the problem with the city is. The police force was excessive and they were there to “make sure everybody didn’t dance”. It was horrible. St george wants to become a university town yet they won’t allow young adults to go places and have fun? There was nothing illegal at all the entire night. Just a lot of oppressed young people being watched and told they were not allowed to dance.
Have any of the anti city government commenters actually been to Fiesta Fun? It isn’t the largest (or safest) place. I’m sure that there was nothing but safety in the mind of those who stopped the dancing event. What does this have to do with the LDS church? The city is not against dancing, and neither is the LDS church. If something bad had happened and someone had gotten hurt at this event, people would be pointing their fingers at city officials and saying, “Where were you?”
For all of the negative commenters:
Think about what you’re complaining about. Think about St. George. Have you been to other cities? We have it pretty good here. No one and no place is perfect. If this is all you have to complain about, you have it pretty good.
Uh, actually, YES, Ashley, they ARE against dancing in St George. I got kicked out of Wing Nutz because I couldn’t hold still while the music was playing. The “bouncer” told me, apologetically, as he ushered me out the door from my OWN BIRTHDAY PARTY, “I am so sorry, but the city and the cops watch us constantly, and they will shut us down if they see anyone dancing in here.” Check out this article from the SL Tribune:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/52707652-81/club-com-council-dance.html.csp
And YES, if you happen to be a Mormon, you can go to church-sponsored dances, that is, IF you happen to be a Mormon. But they are just as lame and cloistered the FLDS church sponsored dances used to be out in Colorado City.
And you are right about St George being a beautiful and safe city! It would be nice if the cops were Peace Officers instead of Religion Enforcers and Revenue Gatherers. But it is nice that they keep us safe from all those horrible dancing people and those awful people who tint their vehicle windows too dark!
Wow, that is crazy that that happened to you. I agree with you about Mormon dances; however, you don’t need to be Mormon to attend. I don’t believe that the rules are for any religious reason, but rather a perceived (whether valid or not) safety risk associated with the events. I would like to know and to hear both sides of the story. The outpouring of negativity through internet anonymity (mainly aimed at a religion) can’t be particularly helpful or effective in solving anything….It comes across as a bunch of angry people who just want to vent…which is fine, but won’t solve anything.
Ashley, nice try, but this is all about self-righteous religious busy-bodies sticking their noses where it doesn’t belong. The primary SAFETY concern of the SG Police and City Council, is not dancing, but dealing with the tweakers and gang bangers (a very disturbing presence that has been growing in St. George these past several years).
I am going to assume you are single and can’t find a man. So you attend such LDS functions with a hidden agenda. or you would not know such things. They also dance at non LDS Church functions. Being a church function has nothing to do with the law. LDS are just being what we all know them to be…(hypocritical) by breaking the law and trying to justify it by masking it as a church function. There was an unsanctioned dance party last night. I did not dance at this party. So when SGPD starts issuing warrants for admitting that you danced or have danced, or be accused of in-siting a riot by planning a flash mob. 10.31.14. GO FALCONS!
Excuse me? Oh no you di-nt. If I ever attend LDS church functions, it is because I belong to and believe in the LDS church. I love it because it teaches me to forgive and be happy. It makes me want to be kinder. Christ is at the center of it. And family. Yes, there are some hypocrites in the church. There are also wonderful people who would give you the shirts off their backs. The same can be said of people belonging to any church. That is why it’s unfair to generalize and categorize people based on things like religion, race, age, and sexual orientation. We’re all individuals just trying to do the best we can. Your arguments, “Josh Dalton”, might actually be taken seriously if you remove personal attacks and discrimination from them.
You had me until your comments on LDS. Attacking someone’s religion makes them STOP considering you an informed person worthy of listening to. Try to avoid that and then you’ll have a great argument for this issue.
I don’t know if this was directed at me, but I am LDS and would not attack the religion; I was saying that LDS dances may be more G-rated than some people like. I hope that what I said didn’t come across as anti-LDS.
Have you seen the city ordinance on dancing? Go read it. Shockingly restrictive but acceptable by the sheeple following the commandments of their city dictators. Why doesn’t the LDS church have to comply by the same ordinance for its dances?
I was actually looking for it but couldn’t find it. Do you have a link for it? I appreciate your reply to my comment.
I would have to look for it. It was published years ago when the GoGo21 applied for a dance permit. It was basically a wash list of what wasn’t allowed. It briefly appeared when Dance Haven applied for a dance permit but was effectively shut down by your mayor and city council based on their own personal opinions and agendas. You really do have a dictatorship city government which wants to dictate what you can do, where and when you can do it and how. Meanwhile, how many city codes has your own council members violated?
The fact of the matter is Ashley.. no matter how safe YOU think fiesta fun is or isn’t, everything at fiesta fun was allowed EXCEPT the dancing.. How is DANCING not safe??
Thank you for pointing out the error in my argument; it was based on a personal bias from having a family member work there…but it was irrelevant to the topic. Have you ever been in a mosh pit? Dancing can be unsafe. I’m not saying that it would’ve been at this event, but it can be, especially when there are a certain amount of people in a certain amount of space. Thanks for your reply to my comment.
Meth is unsafe but they don’t stand around stopping the meth deal- they set it up!!! So let’s not talk safety here and dancing being not safe…let’s talk about what this is: government corruption, they changed the permit!!!!!
If you don’t like dancing, then don’t go. Are you a control freak, trying to dictate what others can or cannot do, just because you or your controlling man have no interest in?
Huh? I love to dance; I AM a dancer. I don’t want to control what people do. I just saw a one-sided, ill-written article (they couldn’t even come up with an accurate number of how many people were there…400? 800?), and I decided to stand up for what I believe in, which is looking at any issue from both sides. I’m sorry if my opinion is different from that of the mob.
YOU ARE A LAME MO NITE!
Those who patronize Fiesta Fun are adults and don’t need a nanny state/police state to protect them. Grow up infants!
Ashley, you are one of those mothers who wants to be your teenagers best friend , grow up you look ridiculous.
Lol..I’m actually a 22-year-old college student, not a mother. I’ve kept my comments respectful. I understand that I have a different opinion from most of the other commenters, and that is difficult for some people to handle, but it doesn’t justify being personally attacked. Thank you for your comment. 🙂
22? That would make you about 7 years old when people publicly started challenging the ordinance. That would make you 16 when GoGo21 challenged it, 17 when Tara Dunn raised the issue on her council campaign. The ordinance is older than you. Do you think an ordinance that has existed and remained unchanged since the day you were born is still suited to this community? Your 22 years represents the number of years your mayor and city council have repeatedly refused dance permits for businesses and private groups. There are many 22 year olds like yourself who have the capacity of 12 year olds in regards to the secretive politics of their city government. Unfortunately, too, you also have a city newspaper that won’t question this ridiculous ordinance.
You rock Ashley. I’m with you. All you comment s are fair, well thought out and just what you said, the other side of a one way argument. Good job.
Stop going to school please. I hear Swig is hiring.
Next time better just break out the mace and tasers before these darn adolescents try this again,
SGPD and surrounding small towns – you have a huge heroin and meth problem in your area. I hope that doesn’t come s a surprise. THAT has affected and continues to affect my family that lives in Hurricane, Toquerville, cedar and st george. What did nit less them down the drug path was an over abundence of positive activities for kids to participate in. I’m truly sorry that you as public servants in your roles as police officers had to risk your lives fit a bunch of rogue dancers. Get your priorities straight for f*** sakes. Arrest the druggies and their dealers. Do something that actually PROTECTS the community. And I hope Fiesta Fun sues the hell out if the police department and anyone else who had a hand in any of this our in falsifying the documents.
Exactly, I agree disgusted in salt lake….they falsified the document….government corruption!!!!
Where there is repression, there will be drugs. The worse the repression, the worse the drug problem is likely to be. If you live in an environment where kids are forbidden to dance and socialize and be constructive with their abundant adolescent energy, then it backs up, boredom and frustration ensue, and the community begins to rot from the bottom up. This ill-guided attempt at controlling the natural urges of local youth is only going to blow up into a much bigger problem. As usual, in their effort to control situations rather than seek fair and sensible solutions, the police usually make things worse. Psychologically speaking, police display an amazing lack of intelligence and understanding.
I hear a lot of talk about how stupid the people of Colorado City and Hildale are for they way they support their leadership unquestioningly, no matter how extreme, immoral, (or illegal) the leader’s actions are. Well, guess what good citizens of St George? Our mayor and his “town fathers” are no different from Warren Jeffs and the FLDS. They both have their “brute squads” and they both use whatever means necessary to force people into submission to their “moral code” by threatening and intimidating them, WHILE USING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO DO SO!!! Everyone is disgusted with the FLDS and ask “How could they be so blind and stupid as to follow, unquestioningly, such a charlatan of a leader?” Well, dear people of St George, ask yourselves the SAME QUESTION!! Because no matter how you try to frame it, IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME! It is time for us to realize our own personal power and vote these corrupt, power hungry religious fanatics, who are only here to serve their church and their “priesthood profit” out of office!!
Unreal. Cannot believe dancing needs approval! Why? Makes no sense.
This crock of ed. ellipsis …I mean no dancing rule is listed under the section marked ” Traditional Family Values.” Now that SSM is the law, the Prophets,Seers and Revelators of “Traditional Family Values” are moving on to dancing. Next, they’ll take up the destruction to families caused by yodeling in public .
Can I have a dance at my house for my grandchildren and their friends?
I’m sure Fiesta fun and the person putting on the party lost a ton of money from the cops acting this way! They did have a permit, plus it’s private property!!! The city or police department should be sued!!!!!
I have been shut down by st george city councel after verbal approved and written, then they came up with excuses and after spending our budget we were denied on tv councel meeting that was back in the mid 90’s. I have been shut down like heart of dixie did when i did a event at the opera house back in late 90’s, now after so many years we are still having these ignorant issues. I am not getting NO response from washington city officials from my letter i sent to them to clearify my August event that got shut down after approved. Are we as Southern utah residence going to just sit back and take the heavy hand of corruption in government and not do anything with their personal agendas in running public diverse communitys?!!! we are in 2014 people its time for an awareness group in accountability of this BS!!!
Sue them. They’ll respond then.
You should post a picture of the permit you acquired.
Josh is my friend, but he is wrong. The city of St. George is fair and helpful with event permits. I have run much larger and more complicated events than almost anyone in this town and trust me, the promoter in this case is at fault. Don’t get on the easy train blaming the city. this guy had no business planning an event for kids when as an adult he is so willing to play the victim as if he had no role in the outcome!! Grow up, put your big pants on and own your side. And if ‘your side’ has fault, fix that first and move on and do better. Beer, wine, DANCING…… ALL OF IT IS ALLOWED IF YOU PLAN AND WORK THE SYSTEM, if not, the system will work you! Now he knows, or at least he should, as long as he takes a break from blaming others and takes ownership of HIS results!!!! Plain…. and …. simple!
They’re worried that they’ll all start having sex on the dance floor.
One big fiesta fun orgy
Wow, talk about big government! This is crazy, I guess small conservative cites aren’t quite as anti-big government as they think. Funny that our local leaders think Bundy shouldn’t have pay to raise beef on public land and make money off of public resources. But then they think you have to pay the government to have a dance.
Had this keddington idiot done what he was supposed to do and gotten the permit before the city council met – not the week before the event as the article says, he would’ve been approved . I jumped through the same hoops for my Halloween party. Its a process but it ensures that if there is money being taken, all legal aspects are covered . this guy tried to just slip in and void the system. Just like the illegals who slip past the border – there’s a pripper way about it. Get your paperwork done and there’s no issue. School dances have to go through the same process and they are approved. Other dance events go off without a hitch. Quit jumping on the footloose bandwagon and use common legal sense. Its a business licensing issue. Anyone with a legal background knows this.
He had the permit…
He didn’t put in the permit at the right time, he tried to just slip it in the week before the dance, like the guy said school dances get it right, this guy does it for his business, he should get it right or he deserves to loose money, but he also screws the public over because of his stupidity…just get it right dummy….
Get your facts straight. He didn’t have the permit.
Actually he did and it was stamped “approved”. If he did not comply with all the requirements (including time restraints) it should never have been issued. Some argue it was altered after the fact and nobody knows but the cops came in force to check on dancing and nothing else so the event was legal even if dancing was forbidden. the question I have is can dancing be forbidden at an event held on private property if all of the elements that support dancing are allowed? First Amendment time folks, don’t be surprised if this one ends up in the Supreme Court.
Maybe someone should organize a “DAnce_IN” in the parking lot of the City office’s in protest. bE SURE TO INVITE THE MEDIA to capture it.
Why not you organize that? See how many mormons who say they are ticked off will join your protest. None.
Control! control! Control! I have never lived in such a place as this. Incidences like this make St George look so silly and ignorant!
Wow really, are you guys really that stuuupid, I lived next to Pine View High School, and theres dances that go on all the time, its load but I know the kids are having a good time so it doesn’t bother me, its really the idiot who was supposed to do the paper work right, its his fault!!!!!! Go teach him how to do it right. His the one that needs help obviously…all this because of him. Go organize something in his yard that will teach him to do things the right way instead of screwing the public over and blaming things on the city.
Perfect reply PATIENT!! Poor event planning disguised as a City failure. This amateur event planner makes all of us professionals in the industry look bad. This city is HUGELY accommodating compared to all the others I have dealt with. The uninformed have the loudest voices to make up for their unwillingness to educate themselves before they spew their bias. Education can hide your bias folks, try it.
Adam are you a city employee. You. Sure sound like it.
Drink the koolaid so you do not get fired.
Could you please provide the events you have promoted and had no issues getting permits for dancing, alcohol and such. Thanks.
That’s what happens when religion seeps into government.
Perfect…. That’s 6 less cops on a Friday night that could have been doing real police work. Gives the real criminals free time on a Friday night to go to work without law enforcement watching. Next time someone wants to rob a bank, just set up 10 or so illegal “Dances” and the cops will be so busy they won’t hear the calls coming over the radio. Unreal.
Oh my word, if your a cop the spouse of a cop, or a child of a cop, or a close relative of a cop. Your entitled to all courtesy possible, and can get away with murder. You can even buy,sell, or use drugs with out fear of reprisal. In fact you will even be protected from prosecution. And the facts will be changed to protecte your name and prove your innocence. You can drive like an idiot and ignore all traffic laws and never get one citation.
But just try as a common citizen of the city of St George, just try and have some good clean fun. Say like hold a dance and see how many cops show up.
What is coming next mayor Pike ? All women must be accompanied by a man at all times while outside of their home. All women and girls must keep themselves covered from their head to their feet at all times. No music shall be played ever. No groups shall meet unless your carrying guns while praising Alaha, and hunting down American infidels that want to do such unholy things like sing and dance to music?
Mayor Pike wants to change this town….. I say lets show him some change as we vote him and all that think like him out of office…..
Mayor Pike has no interest in changing the ordinance or town. As a council member, what was his vote when Dance Haven and GoGo21 applied for permits? He may say one thing, but you will see his actions are in line with keeping the same old controls in place.
I think there needs to be a walk event organized…straight to the next St. George City Council meeting. This needs to be addressed. It was heavy handed, gestapo tactics. To hear that the police showed an intimidating presence, then video taped participants, it terrifying. Those people were on private property and had an issued permit which did not indicate ‘no dancing’. This was not a night club or a rave full of high school kids. This was a fundraiser for the cardiology wing of our hospital. BIg distinction there! What I would suggest to anyone looking at similar events; head up the freeway a couple of exits and appear before the city council of that area beforehand….with your video camera. Truly….this is how citizens build anger to the point of civil rebellions (ala Bundy).
Boo, St. George City, BOO, BOO, BOO!!!!!! Shame on your stupid dance laws and the stupid politicians who allow them to continue. Won’t one of you stand up for the public and allow dancing in this town?
Premarital sex is strongly discouraged, as it may lead to dancing.
Just think how much money i can make off a lawsuit against this corrupt city.. i can buy a yacht! Did I Just Say That Out Loud.. inside voice! what i meant to say is this is so sad someone should litigate.
You won’t sue, because you are weak, and you lack facts mostly. Read my comments below. Big words, little knowledge. Sad actually.
Adam. Go back to your city job. Loser.
Why is it okay for Koolaid to use the word nazi but it’s not okay for Bobber to use the word … ? Just wondering
Ed. ellipsis.
Because his real name is “Klaus Von Koolaid” . We have him under surveillance.
Klaus Von Koolaid. I like it. Ich bin der einzigartig Herr Koolaid! Guten Morgen!
Donkey chain !
Footloose footloose. Put on your dancing shoes.
I just wish everyone would vote and get these people (Mayor and city council) out of office
Please Vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s on ksl news tonight at 10!
No dancing allowed it leads to drugs and crimes let’s burn down all dance halls and let’s ban every type of music available in St George including radio let’s ban any type of music that may lead to music and let’s make dancing a felony and a crime against the state.
Permit = TAX! The fact is a special event needs a special way to be charged more taxes. Dancing is not the issue it’s Money and a greedy controlling Guberment!
Except the permit WAS issued and the fees WERE collected. Plus this was a charitable fundraiser for the cardiology wing of the hospital so it was another benefit to the city. This was about an illegal morality code as far as I am concerned.
I want to thank my Mom, who passed away 3 years ago, for signing me up for the high school teen dance club in our community, 45 years ago. It was a chaperoned social organization started by parents. Dancing was supposedly the main draw. Heck, I didn’t even know how to dance, and I fought going. I was extremely shy and lacked self confidence. The learning how to interact with the opposite sex in a safe environment was extremely valuable, and I believe, changed my life for the positive. I overcame much of the shyness and gained much more self confidence. Maybe parents could organize these types of venues here, if they are not currently happening. If it worked in ‘Southern Baptistville’, where I grew up, maybe it can work in ‘Mormanville’. Thanks again Mom!
I am a former Mormon and I never hesitate to call out Mormon BS……… that being said, I really don’t think this has to do with the LDS religion. It has to do with overzealous conservatives who happen to be LDS. Heck, I know tons of Mormons, and even a few conservatives 😉 who love to dance and are just as ticked about this as me. Let’s not divide by religion on this one. It is pretty clear that most all of us, regardless of our religious persuasion, find what the city did to be asinine. Let’s challenge the city council and the mayor to change the code and let people dance freely!!!!!!
Despite how many “tons” of Mormons you know who you claim are ticked about this police raid on a dance party at Fiesta Fun, just how many of those ticked off Mormons will dare question their city council and Mayor, especially those having bishop positions? I think none. In their church, they are trained to shut up and do what the bishops tell them to do and without question. However, they are unable to separate church from government. So when the bishops in government tell them what to do, they shut up and follow along, being the blind and obedient servants that they are. Separation of church and government. What a concept. Nonexistent in Utah, especially in St George.
This is the most uninformed and ignorant comment I’ve read in weeks. Keep it up! Or, read my comments below and know the truth. Your argument is weak at the core. You should limit words coming out of your mouth unless you have some foundation to your absurd claims.
Adam. Your daddy the policeman called. You need to go home.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and found this article on FB. Keep sharing! This definitely makes St. George look like a backwater. A permit for dancing?! Wow. Does the LDS Church need to get this permit for holding stake dances?
Has anyone ever noticed that none of your St George radio stations promote any dance clubs or any dancing anywhere? They sure jump on the bandwagon for guns.
Tara Dunn made this an issue in her campaign. Did all you pro-dancing advocates turn out and vote for her?
Not only did Tara Dunn raise the issue, but so did the owners of GoGo21, Dance Haven, Electric Theater. The strict Dance Code has been questioned for over 10 years. Jimmy Hughes is either lying that nobody has questioned it, or more likely they don’t listen to the citizens or those trying to start a business. Has Jimmy Hughes questioned the illegal practices of fellow councilman Almquist? Why is code enforcement not writing him citations?
Shame on the police supervisor who follwed unconstitutional orders of the city council to interfere with a business and leisure.
If you want to see REAL change in this town, get out and vote for people who represent you and want to help. If you want to see this place thrive we must be willing to plan for the future. These kind of occurrences will NOT attract new business into our area and the narrow minded ways of our counsel members who refuse to look at these extremely outdated codes perhaps are hurting us more than helping.
The LDS Church is changing all the time trying to make peace with their past and apologizing for their history. I would hate to see the leaders of Wash. County continue to ignore the thoughts and beliefs of the majority of people who live here now in the 21 century. Separation of Church and State are written for a reason and it needs to be followed.
Well I would say it is time to make a formidable public gathering @ SG city council meeting. We need to address several issues discussed here. Things will continue on the same unless we become proactive……
I produce 2 very large events in St. George annually. Two years ago was my first event ever; I had no prior experience. The fear of failure, personally, drove me to research and plan and organize, so as to avoid any pit falls that could have been avoided. Many hours of sleep were lost, and hundreds of hours dumped into planning. In working with St. George City, I found that they not only were very open about the process and all the necessary requirements and limits, they were more than willing to meet with me as many times as I felt necessary to help me work within the guidelines. Not even at my request, they took the initiative to call together any department heads that might need a voice in properly planning the event to meet with me and gain detail about the event, which resulted in clear communication and coordination. I agree that some of the hoops we jump through as event organizers are a bit excessive, but I choose to not be a victim. I simply learned the guidelines, planned appropriately, and had an amazingly successful event(s), and in the process, have forges great relationships with Marc Mortensen and Bill Swenson, both of which have gone the extra mile to support my evens. Showing them FIRST, who I was and the level of attention I was willing to pay to the FAIR AND OPEN guidelines has now resulted in equity; stock I’ve earned in their eyes, where they trust my motives and help even further if I find myself in a bind, which happens. This, in my opinion, falls directly on the event coordinator and should not reflect poorly on the city. I despise over reaching governments, truly, but good planning and execution can always overcome obstacles! And btw, THIS IS NOT A MORMON THING! When you’re argument is weak, it seems in this town, the easy rebuttal is to ‘blame the Mormons’. Lame argument.
And what events did you do Adam? We would all love to hear about this.
Ah yes. Another day here in the Peoples Republic of Utah.
It’s the town from Footloose! Wait, is this a fake news story. Sounds fake.
this literally happened. I was there and heard the police talking to them
Good job “Dixie”. Once again you make national news by looking like a bunch of narrow minded goofballs living in the past. Welcome to St. George, please turn your clocks back 100 years.
Lets go back and check that all high school and church dances had proper permits. Then fine them. Slippery slope here. Grow up
Go check. All events at schools, not run by the school, have permits. And the ordinance does not apply to church functions. Facts.
ok shut this down where people are safe and away from drugs., and now where does everyone of these kids decide to do! they go home to drink and do drugs, because what else is there to do in southern utah after dark.…!
Ed. ellipsis.
After seeing the St. George City (Mis-)Manager on FOX news 13, it appears that once again that is where the problem is. This clown should have been fired years ago. I wonder what he has on the city council people that he can hold over them, to keep his job.
I think maybe we as Stgizzanites need to band together and make a huge fuss and protest against this law. Lets put the Gay rights thing on the back burner for now and focus on the issues facing our community that are actually important. this was at Fiesta Fun….well I guess we need to change the name to Fiesta Not Allowed To have Fun. GO FALCONS!
Why fight the Taliban in Afghanistan? They set up in Utah. Oh well, mullahs will be mullahs.
This is retarded beyond belief. Why doesn’t somebody sue this morons into the dark ages? Where is the ACLU when there’s really something that needs an advocate for civil rights? This is absurd in the extreme and to the idiot above saying “law is the law. Follow it,” somebody ought to pass a law where it’s illegal for you, just you, to exist. The world would be a better place before the ink even dried on the page.
I produce 2 very large events in St. George annually. Two years ago was my first event ever; I had no prior experience. The fear of failure, personally, drove me to research and plan and organize, so as to avoid any pit falls that could have been avoided. Many hours of sleep were lost, and hundreds of hours dumped into planning. In working with St. George City, I found that they not only were very open about the process and all the necessary requirements and limits, they were more than willing to meet with me as many times as I felt necessary to help me work within the guidelines. Not even at my request, they took the initiative to call together any department heads that might need a voice in properly planning the event to meet with me and gain detail about the event, which resulted in clear communication and coordination. I agree that some of the hoops we jump through as event organizers are a bit excessive, but I choose to not be a victim. I simply learned the guidelines, planned appropriately, and had an amazingly successful event(s), and in the process, have forges great relationships with Marc Mortensen and Bill Swenson, both of which have gone the extra mile to support my evens. Showing them FIRST, who I was and the level of attention I was willing to pay to the FAIR AND OPEN guidelines has now resulted in equity; stock I’ve earned in their eyes, where they trust my motives and help even further if I find myself in a bind, which happens. This, in my opinion, falls directly on the event coordinator and should not reflect poorly on the city. I despise over reaching governments, truly, but good planning and execution can always overcome obstacles! And btw, THIS IS NOT A MORMON THING! When you’re argument is weak, it seems in this town, the easy rebuttal is to ‘blame the Mormons’. Lame argument.
How many times do you plan on posting this same butt kissing post, there Adam?
Well, multiple times still wouldn’t get anything through your thick skull, so I guess too many times, right Mr. Evil? ha Read below if you have that long of an attention span. I kept it pretty simple incase graduation from high school eluded you.
You have apparently missed the point here, Adam No one is contesting the fact that Keddington applied late for the permit. The city did, apparently, make concessions to allow the permit to be issued at all. What is controversial is the fact that only the dancing aspect of the permit was denied. No one at the city has explained to anyone’s satisfaction what it was about dancing that was objectionable compared to the remaining activities that were allowed to go on as scheduled. Furthermore, the overreaction by the police to the affair is quite laughable. Dancing posed no hazard to the gathering or to the surrounding area any greater than the rest of the event did.
Adam we are still waiting to hear what events you put on for the city, mr city employee.
Actually, I have never worked for the city or any city. I am self employed and took all my savings to risk on my first event two years ago. I am not even from St. George actually, from Phoenix originally, although this is my home now. Butt kissing,, Mr. city employee, name calling; it all shows your colors. I hate government. I am active politically as a conservative and I’m very sensitive to overreach. And to state, I disagree with many ordinances on the books, but my choice is to just work with them because although they seem stupid at times, it’s easier to know what they are, work them to my advantage and not spend my time playing the victim. And again to be honest, I don’t have the time to change the ordinances being that I can work around them so easily, however I would support changing many of the ordinances the city seems antiquated on, event this one that limited this event. But you are all getting caught up in name calling and victimhood which will net you nothing. My approach is to make sure my side of the street is 100% clean, nothing less, before I waste time on another’s side of the street, which is what I would call this situation. Clearly this promoter can do better. Clearly, if they had invested the same energy on discovering the FULL limits of the ordinance, as they have into this smear campaign, they’d avoided this in the first place. That is the truth. FOR ALLYOU SHEEP. DANCING IS ALLOWED!! PERIOD!! Do the rules governing HOW seem lame? YES!! But are they there for all to see, in black and white, easily worked if the promoter wants to work it? YES!! So for all you who doubt me, these are my two events. I’m not perfect, and my event’s aren’t either, but if you’ll lower your defenses for a minute, you’ll see that if my event can be pulled off, then so can a dance party. Oh, and before I name them, let me say this. One ordinance did get in my way, and the City Attorney called me personally, 30 minutes after the problem arose, and apologized and set aside the ordinance, and since that time, because of MY issue that I resolved, all other events now benefit from it. The sign and banner ordinance used to prohibit private, for profit events from acquiring 10 day banner permits unless you were city sponsored or non-profit. That’s an obvious discrimination suit. I let them know I would be issuing that suit if it remained in place. Shawn Guzman made it right, with Marc Mortensen going to bat for me. That’s because I was in 4 months before my event crossing every t and dotting every i, and they had seen and respected that. It’s called building equity, not assuming it. My events are The Southern Utah Culinary Festival, over 50 vendors and 10,000 visitors my first event, my first year, with rock bands, DANCING, retail sales, jump houses, kids attractions, food and beverage, and best of all, it’s ONLY for the local restaurant owners, NO CORPORATE OUTSIDERS ALLOWED. So I am working my *ss off to support my community and provide good family entertainment. And the other is The Gobbler, a thanksgiving morning family event, doing over 850 runners our first year and close to 2000 this second year. I’ve never done this before. Born and raised on a family business, Stuart Awning. Judge me, it’s easy, but you have my name and what I do. I’m not hiding. This is just my personal take, same as you are all sharing. I just have a more accurate perspective I believe. And I just care about the process. I wonder if this promoter feels the same. I’m not acting better, I just think the city is the easy target, even if they are flawed, this guy screwed himself if he was man enough to own it!
Snapper, did we lose you, or did you just not have a good response that didn’t include name calling and empty accusations? You made so many comments wanting my reply I thought you’d become my biggest fan.
I doubt that you have many fans around here Mr. Adam HENRY Stuart. So are you employed by the city to try to make a stupid decision look good, or are you just brain dead. A turd is a turd, even if you call it a fish.
STG news totally blocked my last response. Wow!! My name is Adam Stuart, I don’t work for any city nor have I ever. I own the Southern Utah Culinary Festival and The Gobbler. Spent every dollar I had to get my first event off the ground and it worked, in large part because the city helped so much along the way. At my food event, 2 days of promoting only the local food scene, fun safe family entertainment, and rock bands with dancing!! Retail sales, jump houses, kids attractions, the works, and all was fine because I worked on my permit 4 months before my event. I am self employed, raised on a small family business. I am as loud a voice against government overreach. I see lots of ordinances in this city that are old and out dated, but I work with them because it’s not that hard to do. Over 10,000 people came to my event with over 50 vendors. The Gobbler did over 850 runners in it’s first year, going to push 2,000. The city has been great at every step. I’m not even a native of here, I come from phoenix and trust me, this city is a piece of cake to work with compared to even our neighbor, Washington City, which will never get any consideration from me for an event because they truly are lost. You all don’t know the facts. Flat out, this promoter knows what he is dong with you all, he know what he could have done different, and he knows that as long as he blames the easy target, i.e. the Mormons and the city, a bunch of sheep will ump on and call foul just like him. Any real promoter knows this is a hot bed for good events. Special events in ST. George have more than quadrupled in the last 5 years, and it’s not because the city hated dancing. It’s insane that all you are hearing this one side, and you actually don’t think there is another angle. So easy to lead you all where ever, so quick to get angry, and you don’t even question the promoter. I’m not hiding, just stating my opinion. I have no motive other than to add context to an obviously slanted story. Your name calling and belittling really only shows your own ignorance and naiveté. I’m telling you, myself and many others I know who promote great events, they are here and still coming, and it’s wide open when we all we have to do is compete with the likes of this amateur!!! I’m just sayin, I’m glad I don’t count on you sheep for my events, wow!!
In other words, you are in competition with the promoter of the event in question. Therefore, you will bash him every chance you get. JACKASS
So you greased as many palms as possible to get your event going? What is your level of Worthiness?
That was long winded. What did you say?
KOOLAID, that probably was way too much reading for you. Did you lose focus? I wonder if I wrote more like Dr. Seuss if that would help you? Doubt it.
Why are my comments being moderated STGnews? Is there part of my content that is offensive or inappropriate?
I doubt that SGNews is moderating anything you say. You are just trying to stir things up here.
BE GONE!
Finally, a voice of reason. Your arguments blow everyone else’s out of the water. When all your adversaries can come up with are personal insults, your argument is obviously better than theirs, and their ignorance and immaturity is apparent.
Should have put that statement in quote marks, being that you just cut and pasted it. GO FALCONS!
Amazing! Where do you find the time to comment? Aren’t you busy taking selfies and admiring yourself in the mirror?
Good one. You would think so, huh? Unfortunately because I saw this artice on FB, somehow they grabbed my old profile picture from there and there’s no way to remove it. But you don’t know me. Why are you so mean and bitter? This is my first time ever commenting on an article like this, so thanks for educating me on what people mean when they talk about Internet “trolls” and I am truly sorry if girls were mean to you in high school.
Thanks ASHELY, well said and al least a few of us are looking for reason, not just antidotal story telling.
Fascists.
What you have here are power mad city leaders who are bored with their jobs and life and like to bully people. Because they can.
Wow… never ever thought that the Caifornication of Utah could/would take place. But, between this and the fact that Utah adopted Common Core, Utah is lost. How sad is that.
I think that intelligent people such as Mr. Stuart and Ashley should not reply to this thread any longer. Obviously, the only people (other than Mr. Stuart and Ashley) reading and replying on this thread are uneducated, irrational, ignorant people. There is no way to reason with people like this. It is not their fault, they just do not have the mental capacity to read, comprehend and learn. It’s a shame, really. It is OBVIOUS that this whole problem was created by the organizer. When Mr. Stuart so eloquently explained the events he has organized, the only responses he received were personal attacks! If these people commenting on this thread are the same people who wanted to attend the dance, then that dance very possibly COULD have become dangerous. These are very irrational people, it appears.
You’re ignorant to make a broad sweeping statement like that about everyone. Go bury your head back under a rock.
Julie, thanks for those words. And as you implied, if the city didn’t have an ordinance qualifying the organizer, the event size and scope, and the target group for attendance, then if something did happen, like a fight, or a mosh pit, or some gang influence filtered in (not because of the organizer), and then someone got hurt, guess who gets sued? That’s right, the city. And how many parents would call fowl if a child, or their child, was endangered at an event that had zero city oversight, blaming the city then for being mismanaged and out of control? I can hear it now, an unpermitted event that has a serious injury and all these sheep like followers would be on the city’s case all over again, just on the other side of the argument. The city, our city, is the most sued per capita in the state! Why? Because we’re affluent and a great place to hold events, therefore the city has to protect itself with permits, based on ordinances passed by elected officials, influenced by the populous.
Jared Keddington Stop playing the Victem and for once take some responsibility!!!
Learn some Resoect, have some Humility and Man Up! Or you’ll just keep burning bridges and no one will work with you.
You go Billy Jean, You’re spot of. I got a call asking me if I would sit on a board (because I run successful event that I built from the ground up) with other event producers to combat the ‘evil city government’ and my quick response was, ‘not if that means associating with this moron’! This guy is a pretender at best! If he had any character at all, he would admit he was FIRST in being neglectful, not the city. But, he is not a full grown man, at least not by my definition.
Kudos Julie, Adam, & Ashley, it is very, very, disheartening to consider that time nor history has changed very much of anything where there are too many people who share opinions that bear a cloned quality. Are the Hatfield’s & McCoy’s ever gonna leave the building? Or the planet for that matter? Reading the replies to this circumstance reminds me that corruption easily finds it’s way into everything, everywhere, with every individual person who isn’t able to find solutions to real problems. Shouting, screaming, blaming, controlling, pointing the finger, hating, accusing, fearing, failing are the worst part in all of us. When are we gonna start trying to do something besides shoot off our mouths with poorly fabricated opinions. Nobody ever knows what really happens behind closed doors unless they are behind them. If you live behind a closed door you are limiting and cutting yourself off from everything else that may be happening outside that door. Including the appearance of your so-called Savior if that’s all your waiting for. Please don’t imagine that last comment as having anything to do with any kind of religion. Nowadays, who knows what anybody imagines might SAVE them from their miniscule torments. I know living in a curdled grouping of people who are predominantly one-sided can be very challenging, at times, but, all in all, this place is not any better or any worse than any other in the world. You know what they say; “Where ever you go, there you are.”
mormons are HORRIBLE people!
The only more embarrassing than the entire state of Utah is St George. Literally never in the news for anything other than regressive stupidity. A right wing fantasia. Whenever I’ve stopped there for gas on a road trip I get a creepy chill that travels up my spine and says “get the heck out of this hell hole before you get arrested by some corrupt cop on ginned up charges simply for not fitting in” It’s the anti-America where conformity is more important that actual freedom.
Come to St. George, ve vill velcome you vith open arms and a nice overbite to your neck BWAAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHAHHHHAHHHAHAH
Seems to me I read a news story a few years ago about a guy in Salt Lake City being told he could not lie in the sun on the grass of a public park unless he put his shirt on. Why does Utah keep doing stuff like this to convince the rest of the country it is stuck in a 19th century worldview?
What kind of fundie backwater insists on regulating dancing separately from any other part of an activity? Sounds like someone’s knickers are a bit too tight.
Next up. Police will be conducting secret underwear checks. Better have your secret undies on, folks
The answer is fairly simple. Elections are come up, and at regular intervals, VOTE.
1st Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
It’s all in there, Use your vote and, if needs be, the courts.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/244671940/Monster-Mash-Emails-1
Look the only news outlet to show the truth so far. I’ll get censored by StGNews I’m sure, because it doesn’t fit their narrative, but if you want the full story, read the link and see who this fool really is! Jared Keddington is amateur at best!
There’s a reason they call St. George “Moscow, UT”
I think its funny 20yr old kids had no idea the movie Footloose was filmed in Utah. Facebook is for ignorant people.