Mayors Patti York of St. Charles and Pam Fogarty of Dardenne Prairie want St. Charles County voters to decide whether smoking should be banned in restaurants and other public places across the county. The two city leaders weighed in on the issue in separate interviews on their reaction to the successful push in last week’s election for a smoking ban in St. Louis County. “I think it was the right way to do it, take it to the public,” York ... Jump to full article >>

This afternoon, city officials want to hear what business owners, residents and other stakeholders think about a proposed indoor smoking ban for restaurants, bars and offices. Crestview Hills economic development and zoning committee will hold at public forum on the issue at 4 p.m. at the city building, 50 Town Center Boulevard. No decision will be made today. Council Member Dave Kramer, who chairs the economic development and zoning committee, ... Jump to full article >>

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) – Voters in St. Louis County recently passed a ban on smoking in most public places, and that has folks pushing for a similar ban in Cape Girardeau excited. The folks Heartland News talked to believe they can work with city leaders to pass a similar ordinance down the road to ban smoking in most public places. It’s a proposal that’s so controversial it gets people fired up no matter how they feel. You ... Jump to full article >>

LIBERTY, MO – It has only been one day after Liberty voters agreed to beef up the town’s existing smoking ban and already there are two big questions: will it drive smoking customers away, and how long will it be before smokers have no where to go? Tuesday’s vote is a very big deal for two Liberty establishments. One is a bar and the other is a bowling alley, but one of the business may be more hurt by the ban than the other. ... Jump to full article >>

On Nov. 19, many people will throw away their cigarettes in honor of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. Jason Halford, 29, of Joliet probably will not be one of them. In the nine years since he started smoking, Halford has quit twice, but he blames job and money-related stresses for lighting back up. Even the rising cost of cigarettes isn’t enough to discourage him. “I buy cheap brands and look for dollar-of ... Jump to full article >>

St. Louis County voters on Tuesday simultaneously made most public places there and in the city smoke-free. With light turnout — about 20 percent of the county’s 705,000 registered voters — about two-thirds of them favored Proposition N, which, with some exemptions, bans smoking in public places on Jan. 2, 2011. The ban applies to the city also because the Board of Aldermen last month approved a similar measure, contingent on county pa ... Jump to full article >>

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (WSAZ) — If you want to smoke in Prestonsburg, you’ll have to do it outside or at home. Monday was the first business day since the smoking ban started. Most supporters say it is a health issue, but others say their rights are being violated. Harold Burchell smoked for 18 years. He gave up the habit, and is glad Prestonsburg restaurants are now smoke-free. “I do believe people have a right to smoke, that woul ... Jump to full article >>

A quarter of St. Louis County’s voters — maybe 175,000 — could be deciding on Tuesday whether the city and county, with a combined population of 1.35 million, go smoke-free. The city last week made its smoking ban contingent on the county enacting a ban. And with turnout Tuesday expected to be 25 percent of the county’s 705,000 registered voters, a lot will be riding on a relatively few voters. Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia ... Jump to full article >>

What a difference two weeks makes. While at the October 6 Senatobia Aldermen meeting it appeared that Mayor Alan Callicott may have had support for his proposed smoking ban, the October 20 meeting told a different story. At the earlier meeting, Callicott had provided the board members with a copy of the smoking ordinance adopted by Hernando last year, and asked them to consider such a ban for Senatobia. Alderman at Large Don Clanton started the ... Jump to full article >>

A smoking ban in Marion County could become reality on Monday. That’s when the full City-County Council votes on the plan. Meantime, the proposal got a big boost Sunday. It’s called Proposal 371 and it would make workplaces including bars, clubs and even bowling alleys off limits to smokers. “Whether you work in an office or a factory or a restaurant or a bar or a bowling alley, you should have the same law applying to you so ... Jump to full article >>