Update from Shiela of Barnacles.

Hello Everyone,

A few items of interest are posted below. Most of these will be posted on the http://www.freedomtoact.com/ website. There are other items posted as well so please continue to check the wesite for updates.
Some items are linked on the front page and others are found in the http://freedomtoact.blogspot.com/ (link is near the top of the page beneath the FreedomToAct.com title).

As most of you know, a ticket has been issued to Tank's Bar in Babbitt as well as one of his customers. Finally, it will be going to court....a much needed change of events. Hopefully, the threats will stop as everyone waits to see the outcome of the court case. However, they may not. So, if anyone is being threatened please let Mark and/or I know and we will follow up. I know that Sue from Polish Palace was threatened with the removal of her food license and so she has stopped the theater nights temporarily. We, at Barnacles, have had no threats. We are continuing with our theater nights. Even if threats were issued against us...we would not stop theater nights but bring it to court as Tom & Marie at Tanks has done. We completely understand that this situation is not for everyone and everyone must do as they feel best for their establishment. We have a lot of support and momentum out there, so lets keep it going in any way we can! Just a note to Tom & Marie - We are with you and lend our support to you in any way we can.


We can all play a part!

Sheila Kromer & Mark Benjamin

(Please forward & pass along this Update. Also, please note the links (at the end) to your legislators.)



Forces Article (Updated 3-16-08 Includes Mark Benjamin, The Rock & Tank's Bar)
http://forces.org/News_Portal/news_viewer.php?id=919


Rock Night Club Word
See "Maplewood Rock nightclub word + my spiel" (on http://www.freedomtoact.com/ website front page)


Link to Duluth WDIO News Video 11-15-08 (First ticket Issued)
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S380243.shtml?cat=10335&v=1



Link to KSTP 5 News Video 11-15-08 (First ticket Issued)
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S380283.shtml?cat=1


Editorial: A bad review for bars' 'theater' nights (Star & Tribune 3-16-08 & Greg's Comment)http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/16691746.html
http://freedomtoact.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-girlfriend-dragged-me-out-of-house.html


Duluth News Tribune Article (3-15-08)
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=62488&section=News


OUR OPINION: SMOKING brainerd dispatch 3-14-08
Fix the loophole
http://www.brainerddispatch.com/stories/031408/opi_20080314024.shtml


Letter to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health from Christina in Gilbert:To: markbenjamin@msn.comSubject: "Act Now"From: cdecent@excite.comDate: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:36:25 -0400
I have been following the "Act Now" campaign daily. Finally! I'm tired of the government stepping on our liberties at an ever increasing rate. I sent a the following letter to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health today expressing my views:I read in the Mesabi Daily News that you claim it is your responsibility to ensure that Minnesota bar owners and bar tenders provide a healthy environment for their patrons by enforcing the Freedom to Breath Act. Unless a patron is visiting a bar for a daily glass of red wine, he or she is not looking for a "healthy" experience. The taboo smokers face today is no less than that of persons who drink by those who never drink. I read a study during the "Big Tobacco" lawsuit that shows that about 40% of Minnesotans are smokers - barely a minority and surely enough to get a politician elected! All laws are not in the best interest of a free society (Prohibition, anyone?). Theater Night is a legitimate loophole left in a faulty Act that provides relief to both bar owners and smokers. Not legitimate? Tell that to all of us bar patrons in "North Country". Theater Night also increases state revenue through increases in liquor sales taxes and increased income tax paid by bar owners. In a time where the state is reaching into every pocket for more revenue, they should not be turning away these funds. Where do your salaries come from, anyway? Hopefully not from the liquor sales tax, cigarette tax, or income tax from smokers or bar owners.Although not required, I provided my name and email address in the spaces provided. Is there anything that we can do to continue to fight this intrusion on our rights by the Health Department? It is my understanding that only they can interpret the word "art" and issue fines to performers and bar owners. Many of us are willing unite in this cause! All we need is direction and leadership.Thank you for your ongoing support.Christina DeCentPO Box 772Gilbert, MN 55741


Minnesota Lawyer Magazine Article
Bar Buzz
by Minnesota Lawyer Staff Reporter
And all the men and women merely smokers, errr, playersCambridge attorney Mark Benjamin made Bar Buzz’s definition of the big time last week when he was interviewed by our favorite Canadian journalist, Barbara Budd, on the Canadian Broadcast Corporations radio program, “As It Happens.”Referring to Minnesota’s smoking ban, Budd remarked, “In this case, the law may prove to be an ash.”Benjamin, as you may know, is the attorney who brought you the Traveling Tobacco Troupe, which organizes “Theater Nights” in local bars where the patrons, errr, actors can smoke legally.The smoking ban law contains an exception for theatrical productions. But it seems the legislators forgot to define what constitutes a “theatrical production.”“As Shakespeare wrote, ‘All the world’s a stage,’” Benjamin told Bar Buzz.
Benjamin’s “plays” are about the social and economic costs of the smoking bans. He said the term “public health” needs to be about more than just clean air. “People who are financially stressed do not live as well or as long. People who do not maintain their social connections with their friends and neighbors at their small town bar do not live as well or as long. Economic health and social health are deserving of discussion when we talk about the health of the public. We are asking the Legislature to engage us in that discussion,” he said.Benjamin said that he generally doesn’t spend much time in bars himself, but he feels for the owners of bars who are going under because of the ban.“After you get past the festivities, the real story is about these mom and pop bars,” Benjamin said.As for getting the phone call from As It Happens, Benajmin reports, “I was so honored. I love that show.”

KSTP 5 News Video The Rock Night Club 3-14-08
The Rock Night Club was on the news tonight 3-14-08. According to the video they do not want to discuss the law only the "spirit" or "intent" of the law.
Click on Full Article and then watch the video next to the article.
Full Article


Below are links to Contact your legislators (The "Links" are to original government pages. The "stored versions" preserve hyperlinks and also print out well).:

A list of Minnesota State House Representatives: A list of Minnesota State Senators: (Note: links didn't work. Here is MN house and senate main info page. http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html