Smoking in the eight public parks in the borough of Emerson, N.J. will now cost you, as the Emerson Council unanimously passed an ordinance on Tuesday banning lighting up and packing fines of up to $1,000 for repeat offenders.

The ordinance covers parks, playgrounds, and recreational areas, and first time violators will face a fine of $250 for a first offense, with a second citation costing $500. Third violations and all subsequent violations carry a $1,000 fine.

Emerson is a borough in Bergen County and is considered a suburb of the New York metropolitan area. It has a population of approximately 7,700 residents.

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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 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.