City leaders in Eugene, Ore. have been considering several ideas for how to improve the quality of life in the city’s downtown core; on Wednesday night a pair of ideas were considered, banning smoking and banning dogs, and it was a bad day for the canines while smokers won at least a temporary reprieve.

According to a report from KVAL.com, smokers will still be allowed to light up in the roughly 12-block section that is being used as a pilot area, while dog owners won’t be allowed to have their four-legged friends with them, unless they are service animals or the owner lives in the affected area. The ban goes into effect in approximately 30 days and will be reassessed on Nov. 1. Had it passed, the same dates would have applied to the smoking ban.

Eugene is Oregon’s second largest city with a metro area of over 350,000. It is home to the University of Oregon.

Avatar photo

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 MLB.com, 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.