A proposed smoking ban scheduled to be voted on during Monday’s city council meeting in Albert Lea, Minn. was tabled as one councilman was absent and the vote appeared to be almost an even split.
Currently, the city prohibits smoking on city property only in public places at City Hall and the Arena. The amendment would ban smoking at all city facilities, including parks, workplaces and in vehicles parked in those locations, with violators subject to a petty misdemeanor.
The council is expected to reconsider the smoking ban at its May 11 meeting.
Albert Lea has a population of just under 18,000 residents and is located in the southeastern part of the state, about 100 miles south of Minneapolis.
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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.