It was close, but the city council of Nebraska’s oldest city decided that smokers could keep lighting up in city parks on Monday.

The council voted 3-2 to reject the ban with concerns about enforceability and an infringement on civil liberties tipping the vote according to Livewell Nebraska.

Bellevue is the third largest city in Nebraska with a population of nearly 54,000 residents. It is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Omaha.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.