New York gallery owner arrested

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) -May 26, 2006

An East Hampton art gallery owner was led away in handcuffs Saturday after she refused to stop serving drinks at an opening bash for a celebrity photo exhibit. As about 200 startled guests looked on, Ruth Kalb - generally known as Ruth Vered, after her gallery's name - was arrested on a charge of selling alcohol without a liquor license.

"I told them I've been doing this since before they were born," said Vered, 67, whose gallery has been a fixture of the Hamptons art scene for more than 30 years. "They have some nerve."

She said the wine and Champagne were free.

Mayor Paul Rickenbach said police were just doing their job.

"It's not something that's new and out of the blue at all," he said.

Vered was throwing the party - during the traditional Memorial Day weekend start of the resort's summer season - to celebrate an exhibit of photographs of Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Angelina Jolie and other stars.

Vered is due to be arraigned June 25 in East Hampton Town Court.