Dancing ban in one Oklahoma town abolished by city council
A 40-year-old ordinance in Henryetta has been booted by the city council.
It all started when Joni Insabella wanted to host a Valentine’s Day dance inside her marketplace.
However, someone on social media warned Insabella that a rarely enforced ordinance could come in to play if she hosted the dance.
The ordinance prohibits dancing within 500 feet of a church. Insabella’s market happened to be 250 feet from Henryetta United Church of Christ.
“A lot of the elders here in town are afraid,”. “They’re concerned for change. They’re concerned to allow dancing. They’re afraid that then bars will go in on Main Street and dancing causes a lot of undesirable things that they don’t want in the town.”
Despite those concerns, the Henryetta City Council abolished the ordinance.