Pocono News Section

State Cites Businesses For Smoking Ban Violations

State Cites Businesses For Smoking Ban Violations - Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 5:59PM EST

State officials are cracking down on the state's four month old smoking ban. Today, the first two businesses in our area were cited for violating the Clean Indoor Air Act. Consumer reporter Jeff Chirico is here with more on what's happening to some of those places.
They could face fines ranging from 50 to 1000 dollars. The two businesses cited are Arena Bar and Grill in Wilkes-Barre and Sheba's Palace in Throop. These citations come after months of warning letters had been sent to hundreds of businesses.

Bart and Urby's in Wilkes-Barre is one of more than 75 places in our area that received warning letters about allowing people to light up. So did Front Row Sports Bar and Grill in Stroudsburg. But the department also sent letters to other types of businesses--like Kelly's Collision on Market Street in Scranton and the CVS drug store in Plymouth.

Many bingo halls like the one in this American Legion in Wilkes-Barre got a warning. To get around the law, they now require players to become members since private clubs are exempt from the ban.

The state sent letters to 17 businesses in Luzerne County -- 15 in Lackawanna. 9 in Schuylkill and 4 each to places in Monroe, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

The owners of the Arena Bar and Grill and Shebas Palace will now face an administrative law judge who has the authority to impose penalties --which could be as much as 1000 dollars or even more depending on how bad the violation was.