Webb City does not enact smoking ban

On the same day that Cape Girardeau residents voted against a smoking ban, the citizens in a western Missouri town chose to approve a similar non-smoking measure.

Yet the city council in the Jasper County town of Webb City chose to not enact the smoking ordinance.

The Webb City ordinance passed by a vote of 452 to 348. Regardless, the City Council chose to not put the non-smoking measure into law, voting against it 5 to 3.

Webb City mayor John Biggs says that council members voted against the measure for individual liberty reasons … and due to low voter turnout.

"It just depends on your point of view," Biggs said. "The people that were for the smoking ban thought it was a great turnout. The people that had a mindset against it thought it was a poor turnout."

Only 12% of registered voters participated in the election. The Webb City measure was a non-binding referendum that Biggs said was intended to guide the vote of the council.

Mayor Biggs voted in favor of the ban.

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Cape Girardeau smoking ban fails

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The debate over the controversial smoking ban in Cape Girardeau was finally resolved Tuesday when voters failed the smoking ban. 52% of residents voted against it.

Members of the pro smoking ban group, Smoke Free Cape, were disappointed in the outcome of the election but feel that they accomplished something positive through their campaigning efforts.

Shelly Wood, a volunteer for Smoke Free Cape, shared her feelings about the outcome of the vote.

“I think we knew all along that it was going to be a close race. Disappointed, again, is how I feel but again very proud of the campaign that we ran and happy that we helped educate the local public and just very thankful for all the volunteers that worked with our group,” Wood said.

Smoke Free Cape does not currently have any plans to get another campaign in place. The Cape Girardeau city charter does not allow an initiative petition for another year so the group will have to wait if it does plan another campaign.

A similar smoking ban initiative passed in Springfield, Missouri with 53% of that city’s vote according to the Springfield News-Leader.

Katie Long, KRCU

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Cape Girardeau smoking ordinance to be decided Tuesday

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - You can’t blame the folks at Bingo World for feeling a little nervous. 

Listen to the story.

First came the news that a shiny new casino will open its doors in Cape Girardeau. Then a citizen’s group gathered enough petitions to put a smoking ban initiative on Tuesday’s ballot.

Steven Slaten, Chairman of the Notre Dame Bingo Committee is not optimistic about Bingo World’s chances for survival if the smoking ban passes. “There’s a potential that we could see a big enough loss in player attendance that I’m not sure if bingo will continue to be economically viable,” Slaten said.

According to Slaten, nearly 60% of Bingo World’s patrons sit in the smoking section. Many may go elsewhere if they can no longer light up in Cape Girardeau.

“I think we run a real risk of losing players because they’ll have the option of going to bingos in other communities that do allow smoking,” Slaten said.

If Bingo World were to close, it would mean a substantial loss to Notre Dame and the five other charitable groups supported by the hall.

“It’s a fairly substantial amount of money to each one,” he said.

A smoking ban would have reverberations beyond Bingo World. Owners of restaurants like Molly’s and Bella Italia, as well as bars such as Last Call and Rude Dog Pub, all oppose the ban and feel that this is an issue that should be left up to the business owners.

Doc Cain is the owner of Port Cape Girardeau. He helped organize opposition to the smoking ban initiative by bringing together a grassroots group called Stand UP Cape What’s Next?. He feels that restaurants and bars who currently allow smoking will feel a strong impact.

“There are negative effects to bingo halls that allow smoking, there are negative effects to private clubs that allow smoking and there are definitely detrimental effects to bars that allow smoking,” Cain said.

Cain feels that if the ban is imposed then places that have an outside patio will have an unfair advantage over places like Port Cape, which only offers indoor dining.

“When they talk about leveling the playing field, they say well if everyone has to smoke outside then every restaurant is the same. That is absolutely not true,” Cain said. “If you happen to have a patio attached to your business, like several do, then guess who’s going to get the business.”

Stand Up Cape spokesperson Don Greenwood believes this has been framed as a health issue but is really about property owners’ rights and the right to engage in a legal act.

“I’m not a smoker, I have never smoked cigarettes in my life. I don’t see this as a smoking issue at all, I see this strictly as a personal property issue,” Greenwood said. “I think we’ve lost enough of our rights over the last few years because of government regulations and I think that is the main issue here.”

The smoking ban ordinance was put onto the ballot by Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape.

Dale Humphries, who is a member of Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape, said at a debate last week that she believes that smoking should be restricted because it effects more than just the person smoking.

“Unilke many other personal behaviors this one impacts more than just the person making the choice,” Humphries said. “When people smoke in public places they affect the heath of everyone around them.”

When it comes to the dangers of secondhand smoke, Humphries feels she has the proof to justify the ban.

“Every major medical and public health organization agrees that second hand smoke is harmful. The scientific evidence is overwhelming, with hundreds of reputable studies stating that it is dangerous, including the US Surgeon General who has stated, and I quote: ‘There is no risk free level of secondhand smoke exposure, end quote’ and the only way to completely eliminate exposure is to eliminate smoking indoors,” Humphries said.

Some people do not like to call this a smoking ban. Sheri House, who works for the American Cancer Society and is a member of Smoke Free Cape, is one of them. She sees this as taking action for public health.

“We’re not asking people to stop smoking,” House explained. “We’re asking them to take a step outside and make sure all the air in the public places that everyone should have a right to go to is clean, fresh, and not full of cancer causing chemicals.”

One thing has been proven about this issue: Neither side is going down without a fight.

Cape Girardeau voters will make their on Tuesday, April 5.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

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Smoking ban opponents and proponents present their views at KRCU-League of Women Voters debate

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - There is only one thing about Cape Girardeau's proposed smoking band that is beyond debate: That it stirs strong emotions from each side.

KRCU and The League of Women Voters hosted an open debate on the proposed Cape Girardeau smoking ban ordinance Tuesday night.

Dale Humphries and Shelly Wood represented Citizen’s For A Smoke-Free Cape. Citing studies that show the dangers of second-hand smoke, they argues that this is not about a smoking ban. Rather, it is an issue of public health.

"Too often in the smoke-free debate it becomes about smoking versus non-smoking, when in reality the issue is public health, protecting citizens from a known hazard," Wood said.

Nancy Kennemore and Don Greenwood representing Stand Up Cape, What’s Next? feel this is about personal property rights and the rights of those who wish to engage in a legal activity.

"I’m not a smoker, I have never smoked cigarettes in my life, Greenwood said. "I don’t see this as a smoking issue at all, I see this strictly as a personal property issue. I think we’ve lost enough of our rights over the last few years because of government regulations and I think that is the main issue here."

Greenwood countered the issue of public health with a study by the US Department of Energy that found levels of secondhand smoke in restaurants caused little or no adverse health effects.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

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Opponents and supports square off on Cape's smoking ban ordinance

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The local Tea Party hosted a discussion on the proposed smoking ban at the Cape Girardeau Public Library on Saturday afternoon.

Sheri House, representing Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape, spoke first saying this was an issue about having the right to breathe clean, smoke free, indoor air.

She cited that over 900 studies supported the U.S. Surgeon General’s report that there is no safe level of second hand smoke.

Doc Cain, owner of Port Cape, spoke for Stand UP Cape, What’s Next? and began by saying this has been framed as a health issue but is actually about property owner’s rights and the right to engage in a legal activity.

He used studies from US Department of Energy, OSHA, and the British Medical Journal to support his stance, saying that measured levels of second hand smoke in restaurants were found to have little to no adverse health effects.

Audience members were also very vocal and at one point moderator Jeannie Hinck had to remind everyone that this was not a debate, merely a discussion.

KRCU and the Leaugue of Women Voters will host a debate on the smoking ban Tuesday at 7 pm at the Show-Me Center meeting room.

Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape received two contributions from the American Cancer Society last week. The first was for $24,750. The second contribution totaled $33,500 according to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

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American Cancer Society contributed $25K to Cape smoking ban ordinance

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri Ethics Committee reports that Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape received $24,750 in contributions this week from the American Cancer Society.

The payment was made from the American Cancer Society’s High Plains division. The check was cut from their office in Oklahoma City. A spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society said that all checks written by the High Plains division originate from that city.

The American Cancer Society’s Regional Vice President Bridgett Myers said in an email that advocacy is one of the four goals of her organization, and that the Society’s “support of the smoke-free ballot measure is a direct investment in the Cape Girardeau community to improve everyone's health and reduce incidence of cancer.”

A representative from Smoke-Free Cape issued a statement saying that they want to make sure that they communicate effectively with voters to counter “misinformation” about the ordinance.

More details about Smoke-Free Cape’s expenditures will be available on Monday.

A representative from Stand Up Cape, What's Next? was not immediately available. The group is a citizen's organization that is rallying support the ordinance.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Chamber of Commerce opposes smoking initiative, supports waste water plant

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce board of directors weighed in on some key local ballot issues on Tuesday.

The Chamber chose to oppose the smoking ban initiative, saying that it was too restrictive. In a press release, board members concluded that the smoking initiative was a matter of individual rights.

The board members further believe that the initiative simply addresses the symptoms of the smoking problem instead of addressing the root problem. The Chamber suggests increasing the number of smoking cessation programs for employees.

Current legislation in Jefferson City would add the effects of second hand smoke as compensable under the Missouri Worker’s Compensation laws. Chamber president John Mehner urges businesses to consider this when making decisions about smoking in their establishments.

"I think that signals a changing environment in the acceptance, or lack of acceptance I should say, of smoking. Which is understandable," Mehner said. "Simply what the board is saying is that Chamber business members need to be aware of what those circumstances are and as they lay out their business plans for the future they to take those things into consideration."

The Chamber board supports both ballot issues related to Cape Girardeau'’s new water treatment plant. One ballot measure extends the quarter-cent sewer sales tax, while the other authorizes bonds for funding the plant. The board reasons that construction would continue regardless of the voting outcome, but passage of both issues would be less costly than voting them down.

The issues will appear on the April 5th ballot.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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