Richmond Coffee House

[CommRE]

I think they should ban that disgusting habit period.

But until it is made illegal, there should not be a restriction on business owner's rights to allow it in their establishment.

[Shakman]

But until it is made illegal, there should not be a restriction on business owner's rights to allow it in their establishment.

Ok then people should be allowed to sue establishments that allow smoking, due to second hand smoke.

Why should I let someone else's bad habits inhibit me from entering an establishment that I should have legally the freedom of entering?

Those establishments that complain about "hurting my business", need to look towards DC and NYC. Both places have similar bans, yet business has hardly blinked.

[Downtowner]

I know alot of people are for this ban but something my dad told me last night that a phillip morris employee told him since my aunt has a huge business facility next to Park 500 which is one of Phillip Morris facilities. The person told him that Phillip Morris is not happy at all about the ban of smoking since that is their big thing is tabacco. My dad also told me he wouldnt be surprised if Phillip Morris and all of there employees were to leave Virginia due to this smoking ban. But I will tell you if you think this ban is gonna make people quit smoking its not because then all they will do is gather on a street or sidewalk and have smoke parties and also people will start doing snuff since they cant smoke. You cant make someone quit smoking from banning it because they will find another way to get around this ban. The more rules you make the more ways people will think of to get around it.

[wrldcoupe4]

Philip Morris has spent close to if not more than half a billion dollars in this area over the past 5 years... I suspect they'll stick around.

[CommRE]

Ok then people should be allowed to sue establishments that allow smoking, due to second hand smoke.

Why should I let someone else's bad habits inhibit me from entering an establishment that I should have legally the freedom of entering?

Those establishments that complain about "hurting my business", need to look towards DC and NYC. Both places have similar bans, yet business has hardly blinked.

You are probably right - they should be able to sue for second-hand smoke. And if enough businesses got sued and lost, they would willingly change their business model to ban smoking. And that is my point - it needs to be a business decision, not a government decision.

I don't smoke, and I prefer to eat in a non-smoking environment. I agree that a smoking ban wouldn't cause mass closures of restaurants and that many would do just fine (as they have in NYC and elsewhere). But government mandated solutions are no solution.

[Shakman]

You are probably right - they should be able to sue for second-hand smoke. And if enough businesses got sued and lost, they would willingly change their business model to ban smoking. And that is my point - it needs to be a business decision, not a government decision.

I don't smoke, and I prefer to eat in a non-smoking environment. I agree that a smoking ban wouldn't cause mass closures of restaurants and that many would do just fine (as they have in NYC and elsewhere). But government mandated solutions are no solution.

Sometimes it takes a "kick in the shin" from a third person /party to get things straight... a reason why we have checks and balances.

Edited February 12, 2009 by Shakman

[burt]

You are probably right - they should be able to sue for second-hand smoke. And if enough businesses got sued and lost, they would willingly change their business model to ban smoking. And that is my point - it needs to be a business decision, not a government decision.

I don't smoke, and I prefer to eat in a non-smoking environment. I agree that a smoking ban wouldn't cause mass closures of restaurants and that many would do just fine (as they have in NYC and elsewhere). But government mandated solutions are no solution.

Or if the House version passes, Non-Smoking Activists can arrange for minors to be in all restaurants several times a day requiring business owners to enforce the non-smoking requirement. They might soon get tired of switching the on/off button and eventually eliminate puffing altogether.

[wrldcoupe4]

Many "restaurants (read bars) don't permit minors after a certain time... Many watering holes downtown and in the Fan (among other places) revert to 21 and up later in the evening. I suspect this means I'll still smell like stale cigarettes after a night out.... damn.

Edited February 12, 2009 by wrldcoupe4

[jbjust]

Or if the House version passes, Non-Smoking Activists can arrange for minors to be in all restaurants several times a day requiring business owners to enforce the non-smoking requirement. They might soon get tired of switching the on/off button and eventually eliminate puffing altogether.

I think the bill refers to places where minors are not allowed, such as bars. I don't think it would convert the whole place to a non-smoking establishment if a kid were to somehow walk in.

[D_C]

I think the time has come to have smoking and non-smoking states. Virginia is a smoking state by default.

Case closed.

Now, I am off to the garage to fire up a juicy Camel Light!

[CommRE]

Now, I am off to the garage to fire up a juicy Camel Light!

Sorry, you can't do that. I believe the latest version of the bill only allows PM products to be smoked in VA

[burt]

It looks like a compromise smoking ban in restaurants will be approved. It eliminates the House-sponsored "minor-on-premises" clause.

From this afternoon's R-TD:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/loca...-131006/210645/

[Shakman]

Sorry, you can't do that. I believe the latest version of the bill only allows PM products to be smoked in VA

I think Camel's are a PM product?

It is about time some form of a smoking ban law will take in effect.

Edited February 20, 2009 by Shakman

[CommRE]

I think Camel's are a PM product?

Nope - RJ Reynolds.

[Shakman]

Nope - RJ Reynolds.

Thanks for the clarification. During my smoking years, Camel's was my choice.

[HopHead]

Richmond's own Lamb of God will be opening act for RnR Hall of Fame headbangers Metallica on their fall tour... They have an October 17th show at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville.

[burt]

Richmond's own Lamb of God will be opening act for RnR Hall of Fame headbangers Metallica on their fall tour... They have an October 17th show at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville.

dbull, I think Lamb of God played the National fairly recently. Don't you have a new venue in Charlotte with either "Factory" and/or "Fillmore" in its name? Has it opened yet? If so, how is it doing?

[HopHead]

dbull, I think Lamb of God played the National fairly recently. Don't you have a new venue in Charlotte with either "Factory" and/or "Fillmore" in its name? Has it opened yet? If so, how is it doing?

Yea, it's actually a complex of sorts called the NC Music Factory. There's a Fillmore (similar to the historic one in San Francisco) and a 5,000 seat amphitheater in it as well. It just opened a few weeks ago. I went to the first show at the amphitheater to see The Fray, which sold out. So far, it's received great reviews. I do think they need to work on their beer and food prices though--too high. It also has rehearsal spaces and recording studios along with restaurants and bars (to open at the end of the summer). It reused an existing textile mill (a rarity in Charlotte) so it has a really neat feel to it. There's another phase that will eventually include some residential units and I think more retail...

Edited June 30, 2009 by dbull75

[Cadeho]

As I had said before, Henrico stabbed Richmond in the back.

Henrico ZIP code changes cause revenue losses for Richmond

[wrldcoupe4]

Wow! What an improvement!

http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2009/CityCrime2009_Rank_Rev.pdf

On the annual most dangerous cities list, we're almost out of the top 100 (#99)

[burt]

Wow! What an improvement!

http://os.cqpress.co...09_Rank_Rev.pdf

On the annual most dangerous cities list, we're almost out of the top 100 (#99)

Rankings of other Virginia cities are Portsmouth #97; Norfolk #105; Roanoke #117 and Newport News #169. The state's largest city, Virginia Beach, doesn't even make the list.

[burt]

Murders in Richmond increased by seven (39 in 2009 versus 32 in 2008) but for the first time in 3 decades Richmond is no longer "the murder capital of Virginia". That title now belongs to Norfolk which recorded 43 homicides in 2009.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-221204/316521/

Edited January 10, 2010 by burt

[Brent]

I just got in from a weekend trip to Baltimore. What a great city. It never fails to inspire me. I hope that Richmond looks to Baltimore for direction in the future. The experience that it provides is leaps and bounds beyond anything that the cities south of Richmond offer.

[burt]

Is Richmond truly taking a comprehensive look at its history?

This is an interesting and illuminating comment from today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RACE24_20100123-224202/319809/

[burt]

Mayor Jones stresses development during his first State of the City Address to hundreds of attendees at The Carpenter Theatre last night.

Here is the story with video from today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/CITY27_20100126-223205/320380/