Denton bar owners filled City Council chambers two years ago to voice their concerns about how a proposed no-smoking ordinance might affect their business. Bars with outdoor patios, some claimed, would get an advantage because their patrons could smoke outside.

With the smoking ban, I know my equipment will last longer, but I dont know if my business will, said Lloyd Banks, owner of Rockin Rodeo, a bar without a patio. Can you guarantee that?

The city conceded to business owners pressure and adopted a smoking ban that exempted private clubs and bars that do not employ or admit persons younger than 18.

But now a community of bars in the Fry Street area has decided to voluntarily follow the citys lead and ban smoking indoors at their establishments, all of which have patios.

A bartender named Porter at Lucky Lous said the owners believed the city would be getting ready to go smoke-free in April, so they were just preparing for the inevitable.

Its better [for the customers], Porter said, and it smells better.

More than 40 cities in Texas have enacted smoking bans that include bars and restaurants, while another 38 cities have smoking bans that exempt bars, including Arlington, Fort Worth and Denton.

Alison Ream, the assistant to the city manager, said the city is not planning to force bars to comply with the smoking ordinance in April yet.

But the council might look at the ordinance and make some adjustments, Ream said.

They could consider [amending] the smoking ban. Theres no timeframe.

Continued here:
Smoke-free Fry

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AKM-GSI

Green is certainly a power color among the celebrity set. It's the shade of healthy morning juices, lush outdoor patios, avocado mud masks and all of the healthiest vegetables.

Apparently Rita Ora loves those leaf-colored things so much that she decided to dress like one! Given the shade, we think the "R.I.P." singer was going for a kale/spinach mixture, but we're not so sure.

VIDEO: Hear what the divine Miss Ora has to say about becoming a pop icon!

Monochromatic looks aren't a fashion fail on their own, but they are if the color is atrocious. Imagine this pants and top combo in black, white, or even a tasteful maroonand it's perfectly fine. There's the boyfriend's high school football jersey effect given the mesh-like top, but we could easily excuse that style.

Instead this British beauty looks like the love child of the Jolly Green Giant and Kermit the Frog. And in the case of this color choice, it is not easy being green.

PHOTOS: Check out more of Rita Ora's chronic style flip-flopping!

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PVD Los Patios

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2014 Stratco Patios Dunk Contest
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Halifax Regional Council has voted in favour of some revisions to a proposed bylaw for sidewalk patios.

The proposal had asked for bar owners to have a required liability insurance of $5-million, up from a current $2-million, but an amendment tabled by Councillor Reg Rankin put the new figure at $3-million.

Councillor Waye Mason said hes okay with the decision for now.

I expect staff will come to us in a couple years and say, Were having issues and we need to $5-million, I think thats going to come eventually, but its okay to phase it in, said Mason.

Council is also going ahead with a supplementary staff report which will look at a tiered fee structure and possible subsidies for small patios.

Mason said he fears council will approve year-round patios for those that qualify, shortly after theyve been taken down for the year.

We might be able to get the bylaw rushed through quickly enough, that its approved in time for those patio owners so they dont have to take them down, said Mason. But thats looking a lot less likely after today because council asked for some changes and weve scheduled the public meeting that wont happen until a week at the end of October.

Mason said having outdoor patios year round would be a huge deal for Halifax, and will add to the attractiveness of the city.

Read the rest here:
Patio bylaw public hearing next month