But amid grass-roots protests from neighbors and others concerned about the negative effects of adult businesses, the Jasper County Commission beefed up regulations to include HIV checks on all juice-bar employees and forbid the sale or display of pictorial sexual materials such as DVDs and photographs in the bar.

The new adult cabaret ordinance also stipulates that such businesses be set back 2,000 feet from any residence, park, church, school or other adult business, and requires septic tank capacity for at least 60 people.

A Jasper County ordinance passed in 2004 already prohibited adult cabarets from having live nude dancing within 10 feet of patrons and established 21 as the minimum age for patrons. It also required all employees at adult cabarets to undergo background checks for prostitution, drug and tax crimes, and money laundering.

Another proposal tightening controls on private viewing booths at adult video stores — modeled after a Jackson County ordinance — has been tabled, pending the outcome of a federal lawsuit filed by Erotic City, an adult-entertainment business that claims the restrictions violate the First and Fourteenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Among other things, the proposed ordinance would require an adult-business license from the county, increased lighting and the removal of doors from booths where patrons view videos. It also could require that the booths be configured to make them more visible.

County officials said a business license has been issued, but the Jasper County Commission on Thursday opted to watch the federal lawsuit before adopting further restrictions on video stores based on the Jackson County statute.

“The issues in the lawsuit are the same as we’re facing here,” Jasper County Prosecutor Dean Dankelson said last week.

Civic minded?

Pat Rohrbaugh looks like anybody’s grandmother or Sunday School teacher.

Her husband, Don, whom she has been married to for more than 30 years, is vice chairman of the Crawford County Democratic Party.

While Pat’s Lounge is not a member of the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce, the Rohrbaughs have been active in the community over the years, even advertising in the local convention and visitor’s bureau guide.

The bar also used to serve dinners on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“You’d be surprised how many lonely people there are on Christmas,” Pat said.

Her “girls” were brought in to serve water and pop for the annual Four State Farm Show, although on at least one occasion one of those girls lounging on a mower was photographed exposing her breasts while a man in the background gives an appreciative grin.

“We did the farm show for about six years,” Don said.