Newport was once known as 'Sin City." See photos from from its past October 25, 1960: Deputies Stan Kemmerling, left, and George Gibson follow a judge's order to smash slot machines in front of the Newport courthouse. (Cincinnati Enquirer/Herb Heise) NEWPORT, KY – Three longtime Newport businesses tied to the city's Sin City era closed over the weekend, but it's unclear whether the closures are permanent.