Judge rules Salina violated First Amendment in ordering Cozy Inn to stop UFO

SALINA, Kan. (KAKE) — A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the City of Salina violated the First Amendment by ordering a local restaurant to stop painting a UFO-themed mural.

Steve Howard, owner of the Cozy Inn restaurant, filed the lawsuit with help from the Kansas Justice Institute in early 2024 after Salina officials told him to stop painting the mural. The Cozy has been a Salina institution for over a century, serving hamburgers from its small storefront since 1922. Download PDF