I recall one Iron Range story where they also talked to the owner of a non smoking pizza parlor. It appears that even on "da range" smokers respect smoking restrictions.
(funny joke: when a train leave the rails it is derailed. Therefor when a person leave "da range" they are "deranged").
It's serious but it's "keystone cop" funny. Original Message-----
: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 9:36 pmSubject: CAn You Post - Police in our bar (Smittys) regarding Theater Night on St. Patricks Day
Hey Greg - Here is another one....can you post.
First off, this is serious but at the same time "Keystone Cop" funny. Members of the media, especially radio, where there is more time might have some "fun" with this. Chisago City seems 40 miles west of downtown Minneapolis in case any media want to visit. Call ahead of course. The police and the bar apparently share the same address but at least they have different phone numbers.
The flashing cop car lights seems questionably appropriate. If questioning the police the media might ask about them. This did not seem like an emergency and if the police intended to catch the "perpetrators"this would give the "perpetrators" time to stash the "evidence". (what's that smell? I don't know. Maybe someone was eating smoked fish and "passed gas"
As for letting the police into the building, if it open to the public, it is generally open to the police on official business (which this was). As a general rule, the police have to tell you what your and their rights are if you ask them. Be friendly and try to keep things as cordial as possible.
The evidence part has a "keystone cop" aspect to it. The media can have "fun" with that. In defense of the police they do not have disgression on what what they can investigate. I'm often amazed at police being slack in high media profile cases (think the original OJ Simpson case). I suspect the police sensed this was potentially high media profile (actually a compliment to our "smoking theater" efforts) so they erred on the side of caution when it came to "gathering evidence". In this sense the police seemed to be doing their jobs correctly.
With the MN Attorney General's office, still after a month, refusing to issue an opinion and the MN Department of Health apparently claiming the source of their legal opinion needs some sort of "super double secret 'for eyes only" classified secret status (did I mention secret?) the anti-smoking zealots might be behind the complaints to police. The media might ask what the source of the complaints is.
On our side we are not afraid to go public. My name and address are on the top of my http://freedomtoact.com website. If things like email addresses are redacted in posting it is done by me. It tends to stop spam and "kooks". So far I have not been contacted or asked for information about any posting. If I am I will try to look it up and forward to lawyer Mark Benjamine. This hasn't happen and I have had no contact or communication with Mark Benjamine except for an email or two on administrative manners (IE: how about posting this?) and that has been time critical breaking news. Shouldn't the media hold the "anti" side to the same standards for the sake of credibility?
Anyway, if in the media "have fun" with the story but it seems to me that the police were trying to figure how to do their job. It's definitely "welcome to the theater of the absurd!" Oh wait! That would make this "real" (government approved) theater.
Beyond, the "folly" real people, real businesses and a real way of life are being threatened by the smoking ban as it exists now. I strongly believe that the courts at some level will find the current law unconstitutional. This could lead to invalidation of all Minnesota bar smoking laws including the Minneapolis and Hennepin County laws since "theater smoking" occurs in these municipalities. This is not "ranting". The FBI lost in court in the "Miporn" case and this effectively made adult pornography production legal. It's a long road we hopefully will not take. The solution is to go back to local rather than state control with reasonable provision for license for "theater smoking" for all including the so-called "real" theater. We have at least one verified (lawyer Mark Benjamin) and a second probable (posted article) where the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis has on stage smoking without complying with the terms of the "freedom to breath" law.
I have no opinion on the Jungle Theater but if these dingbats want a smoking exemption should they abide by the terms of it. Hello! From lawyer Mark Benjamin: "You would be interested to know that Cynthia and I attended a performance at the Jungle Theater last November and there was smoking on stage. At the end, I went out into the lobby to look for a poster that would notify the patrons that there would be smoking. None. I checked my playbill. Nada.-- Mark Benjamin"
I have no idea what Mark's relationship with Cynthia is (and I don't care). It could be "fun" doing the scenario of lawyer Mark putting Cynthia on the stand to testify about the smoking without proper notification at the Jungle Theater. It could be hilarious if done right. The theater, not Mark broke the law that night. Of course Mark could also cross-examine himself. A mock scenario of this would also be hilarious.
Seriously, if these so called "real theaters" they should comply with the terms of the law and not be total "bozos". On our pro-smoking theater side we have done every basic thing correctly obeying the "letter" of the law.
That said real people, a real way of life is being badly hurt by the Minnesota smoking ban. People in the media. As us. We have nothing to hide.
Please read the posting below. It's worth the effort. Greg Lang
Smitty's Bar
10695 Railroad Ave
Chisago City, MN 55013
651-257-9014
Google Map Linkhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=10695+Railroad+Ave,+Chisago+City,+M.N.+55013,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title
Chisago City Police Department
10625 Railroad AveChisago City, MN 55013
(651) 257-4163
----- Original Message -----
From: Stacy
To: Sheila Kromer
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:29 PM
Subject: [SPAM] Police in our bar (Smittys) regarding Theater Night on St. Patricks Day
Hi Sheila,
Please feel free to share this with anyone.
We own Smittys Bar-n-Grill in Chisago City, MN. We have done Theater Night almost daily since we found out about it. On Monday night, St. Patricks Day, we were doing Theater Night, and we had the police show up at our bar. Two of them came and had the "cherries" blazing outside. My husband and I met them at the door and stepped outside with them. They said they were responding to a complaint call that they received. They asked us what we were using for costumes and what our stage props were. They said they were not going to issue any tickets, but they were going to do a report and send it to the district attorney. This is the part you won't believe----They asked for one of our ashtrays. They wanted it as "evidence" as one of our props. They also asked for an ACT NOW button, ( my husband told him that it cost a dollar..lol) which we did give him, and he asked for a copy of our playbill. They also asked me for my St. Patricks Day beads, saying they appeared to be part of "my costume". I am not kidding. Then they asked if they could come in the bar and take photos of our stage, etc. I told them that I wasn't keen on that idea, as the weather was bad and the night was slower than usual, we did not want our customers scared off. They basically said they would issue an "obstruction of justice" ticket if I refused them entry, so I let them in. My husband Kevin lit up a cigarette right in front of them when we got inside and they photographed him doing it. They also photographed several customers smoking. They took all of their "evidence" and left. I guess we will wait to see what happens. We are not sure what to make of it. If anyone has any thoughts about this feel free to email me at staciapink@centurytel.net. Thanks, Stacy
Oh, and I had a snippy and rude customer ( never saw her before) say that our playbills were a "Joke" and that the whole concept of Theater Night was "Lame". I politely told her "that's your opinion" and I said "there are two other bars in the area not doing theater night". They finished their drinks and left. Ish But, choice is good!!
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