State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, will hold Senate legislation hostage unless he gets a Senate vote on a statewide smoking ban. Brown said Wednesday he is sending a message to the Senate by refusing to sign Senate Bill 175 until two state senators sign House Bill 1132, which contains the smoking ban. Neither proposal can advance from conference committee to a final floor vote until two members of each chamber agree to the language in each measure ... Jump to full article >>

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The chief executive of Rank has played host to David Cameron and Alistair Darling at the group’s bingo and casino clubs, but the Prime Minister remains stubbornly elusive. “I’ve not yet been successful in persuading him to come and visit. I’ll keep trying,” says Burke. Burke has plenty to discuss. The 52-year old has just used the platform of Rank’s 2009 results to lay out a template for change that would see t ... Jump to full article >>

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Attorneys for Wynn Las Vegas are seeking dismissal of a lawsuit claiming its casino workers are exposed to dangerous second-hand tobacco smoke. In court papers filed Friday, Wynn’s attorneys argued: The suit appears to be part of a union campaign involving Wynn casino dealers. Wynn is in compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which specifically allows smoking in casinos. The lawsuit was filed Oct. 20 in federal court in Las Vega ... Jump to full article >>

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Let me get this straight. Smoking is bad for you, right? It’s bad if you smoke. It’s bad if someone smokes around you. It’s so bad that our state government, like others before it, is now passing a law against smoking in any public place — restaurant, office building, shopping mall, museum — any public place at all. Except a casino. Got that? A casino that harbors gambling — which is also not good for you ̵ ... Jump to full article >>

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After a marathon session of debates and amendments on Friday, city aldermen approved a bill banning smoking in most bars and restaurants. The bill, approved 20-7, would ban indoor smoking — with several key exceptions — contingent on St. Louis County voters approving a similar ban on the Nov. 3 ballot. That vote, in effect, will decide the smoking ban issue for much of the region. The plan passed at City Hall, like the county version, exempts ... Jump to full article >>

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Local bar and casino owners are begrudgingly preparing to turn their businesses smoke-free as their four-year grace period from the statewide smoke ban will expire Thursday. Some establishments are constructing outdoor smoking shelters to dull the sharpness of Montana’s changeable weather, and all bars and casinos will be hanging up fresh “no smoking” signs Thursday morning. With exception to standalone bars and casinos, all indoor public ... Jump to full article >>

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