(Photo: WBOC)DEWEY BEACH, Del. (AP) - A Delaware shop owner is involved in a free-speech legal fight against the town government.
Jason Fruchtman, who owns Jeremiah's, a beach gear shop in Dewey Beach, sued the town after officials accused him of violating commercial display laws.
Jeremiah's is known for colorful displays during the tourist season in which merchandise like inflatable rafts and beach chairs is attached to its siding. Fruchtman says the town is infringing on his free speech rights by targeting him for violations, and that the shop fits in with Dewey Beach's "culture of hedonism."
The town government has responded by calling the store displays "excessive" and saying they create a "carnival-type atmosphere." The town says the store displays raise safety and appearance concerns.
