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ECM to allow smoking in park  

Administrators at Coffee Health Group have agreed to open the park across the street from Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital emergency room for smokers.

The decision was made during Monday's board meeting and comes in response to complaints by residents who live in homes that border the hospital to the south.

Coffee facilities became smoke free Oct. 1 in response to a Florence city ordinance that bans smoking in all public buildings and on public property. Coffee Health Group includes ECM Hospital and ECM East in Florence and Shoals Hospital in Muscle Shoals.

Bridges Crawford who lives near ECM had complained that smokers were making their way across Alabama Street and up Water Avenue to smoke near homes in Rivermont subdivision.

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LETTER: Smokers ignore ban  

My husband, twin 5-year-old girls and I happened by the Renaissance Faire in Wilson Park and thought since the smoking ban went into effect we might actually get to enjoy some of the activities in the park this time. The last time we ventured out to an event in the park we had to leave with two crying children because of all the smokers mixing in with the crowd. We wrongly assumed that since the law had gone into effect that people might actually observe it and show some consideration for others who might not want to smoke their cigarettes with them. . . .

My children were excited to go and confused when they saw smokers ignoring the ban, and I think it is pretty sad when children comment about people breaking laws and being inconsiderate, and the adults breaking the law apparently don't care about the people around them.

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Smoking proposal smolders  

Efforts to loosen Decatur’s ban on smoking in public places appear to be slowing as the matter moves to a review committee this week.

Proposed by Councilman Gary Hammon, amendments to the city’s 2-year-old smoking ordinance would rescind language that bans smoking in bars and restaurants.

When he pitched the plan more than two weeks ago, Hammon called for an up-or-down vote by Oct. 19, saying he did not want to drag out the controversial issue.

Hitting snag

But his plan hit a snag the same week when Council President Greg Reeves delayed the vote until Nov. 2, saying he wanted to give the public more time to comment.

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Commissioners debate smoking ban at courthouse 

TUSCUMBIA, AL (WAFF) - In the Shoals, going smoke-free is the new trend.

Recently, the city of Florence started a smoking ban for restaurants and parks.

Now, the outside of a county building might go smoke-free, too.

Finding a place to light up a cigarette is becoming harder and harder in the Shoals. The next place that might go smoke-free is the outside of the Colbert County Courthouse.

A few weeks ago, the 200 employees there got to vote to see if they would support a ban.

"I do find (smoking) offensive," said Lynn South, Colbert County Chief Accounting Clerk, "I personally had to vote yes to ban the smoking."

South was not alone. More people voted to ban smoking, so the item came before the county commission.

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Colbert commissioners expect to discuss proposed smoking ban  

One Colbert County commissioner is ready to move forward with a request from county employees to ban smoking around the courthouse.

Courthouse employees voted 38-24 to ban smoking within 50 feet of any courthouse door after some complained about cigarette smoke drifting inside the building.

There are about 200 employees who work in the courthouse.

Commissioner Rex Burleson said he is ready to move forward with the smoking ban. The topic could come up for discussion at today's commission meeting.

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Will ban go up in smoke? ($$) 

Make up your minds. That’s the sentiment some local business owners expressed this week in response to a proposal that would repeal portions of Decatur’s 2-year-old ban on public . . .

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Decatur to delay vote on smoking ($$) 

A vote to loosen Decatur’s ban on smoking in public places has been delayed again. During a work session Monday, Councilman Gary Hammon said he is removing from the council’s next agenda . . .

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Decatur Smoking Ordinance  

One Decatur city councilman says he only has business owners' best interests at stake. . . .

Councilman Gary Hammon believes it's time to consider changing the rules.

Decatur city council members decided today to appoint a committee to do research, and then determine if there is enough interest within the city to change the smoking ordinance.

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Decatur Council Member Proposes New Smoking Ordinance 

Almost exactly two years after Decatur banned smoking completely, a new smoking ordinance is on the table. This one gives restaurant and bar owners the choice of whether or not to allow patrons to smoke.

At Tony's Country Cooking Restaurant you'll find a smile with your service, but you won't find an ashtray, at least not right now.

Larry Daly enjoys smoking outside Tony's Country Cooking on days like this one.

"If it were winter time, I wouldn't come out here," said Daly. "I would stay at home. That's how people are losing revenue. I'd stay at home, or I'd go elsewhere. Because if the weather's bad, I'm not going to sit out here and smoke."

Daly hopes the Decatur City Council has a change of heart and approves a new smoking ordinance.

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Decatur smoking ordinance under review  

Decatur's current smoking ordinance went into effect about two years ago. Now one councilman is looking to loosen some of those restrictions.

Micky Brown is not happy that he must go outside at Tony's to smoke. He said Decatur's smoking ordinance is unjust.

"I think if you get out here and go to all the trouble and expense of making a business, you ought to have the right to do what you want to with it," he said.

"The smoking ordinance has been in effect for two years now October first, and it's hurt our business 65% to 70%, losing our smokers," Tony's co-owner, Felicia Moody, agrees.

City councilman Gary Hammon said he will bring up the matter during Monday's 10:00AM council meeting.

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Off The Wire: Parts of Decatur, Ala., smoking ban may be lifted 

In an unexpected turn, the Decatur City Council discussed Monday lifting portions of the city's controversial ban on smoking in public places.

Council President Greg Reeves says the governing body will consider the change during its next meeting at 10 a.m. Monday.

Proposed by District 3 Councilman Gary Hammon, the amendments would lift the ban on smoking for bars and restaurants and remove a rule that hotels cannot designate more than 25 percent of their rooms as smoking rooms.

It would require businesses that allow smoking to post signs saying so that are visible from the road.

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Decatur puts off votes on smoking ban, NARCOG 

City Council President Greg Reeves has delayed votes on repealing portions of Decatur’s smoking ordinance and withdrawing from the North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments until 7 p.m. on Nov. 2.

He said Friday he is pushing back the votes to allow for public comments.

Initially, the council was scheduled to consider changes to the city’s smoking ordinance during its 10 a.m. meeting Monday. Reeves said the council will introduce the changes during that meeting, but public comments will not be heard then. Public comments will be allowed Nov. 2, he said, prior to the council’s vote.

If approved, the changes would repeal portions of the ordinance that prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants, and a provision that prevents hotel operators from designating more than 25 percent of their rooms for smokers.

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Where can you smoke?  

The city's smoking ordinance went into effect last week, creating one-or-the-other decisions for restaurant owners who had to decide whether to allow it throughout or ban it altogether.

Inquiries of most city restaurants reveal, for the most part, chain establishments and locally-owned eateries are going the non-smoking route. Those with a more entrenched bar scene will continue to allow it.

Noncompliance could lead to a fine of up to $500 per day and a suspended or revoked business license.

City leaders applauded the decision, saying it gave restaurant owners the right to choose the direction of their business rather than mandating they ban smoking. The ordinance passed 5-1, with Councilman Barry Morris voicing the lone dissenting vote.

Some restaurants, however, did not welcome the choice.

Casa Mexicana Restaurant on Mall Road went non-smoking, but its owner isn't satisfied with the decision, saying it could derail already-underway business development.

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Smoking Ban in Florence Effective Today 

Another city in the Valley is snuffing out smoking starting Thursday.

Florence City law now bans lighting up in public places like parks, schools, offices and restaurants. But, like a similar law passed in Huntsville a few years back - some restaurants and lounges can elect to keep smoking, but they must accept some restrictions. For example, anyone younger than 18 can't go into a restaurant that allows smoking without a parent or guardian.

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ECM smoking ban pushes smoker into neighborhood 

FLORENCE - Bridges Crawford applauds Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital for banning smoking, but is not happy with where the smokers have decided to go - in the street beside her home.

A smoking ban on hospital property went into effect Monday, and at 10 p.m. Crawford said she noticed people congregating in the street in front of and beside her Riverview Drive residence.

Some smokers gather in the alley behind her home off Water Street.

"They're standing there smoking under the streetlight," Crawford said. "I called the police (Monday) night, but they said it's a civil issue, not a criminal issue."

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