Sunday night, my wife and I decided to return to the Sante Fe Mining Company located on N. Rainbow near Rancho. We wanted to see if the owner had decided to obey the law and remove the ashtrays and put up the no-smoking signs. The answer is a resounding "NO."
A review of the website for the Southern Nevada Health District shows absolutely NO current enforcement activities. It is obvious that whomever is in charge at the district has completely given up on doing their job. It makes me wonder if some money has changed hands. I would never make such an accusation without evidence, but I just can't believe that mere incompetence can result in such an utter failure of the execution of their duties. Makes a person wonder!
While people might empathize with the smokers, the bigger issue here is the rule of law. Americans expect that the rule of law will be upheld. We can't pick and choose which laws we want to obey and just ignore the rest. That's exactly what is happening here. They are choosing to ignore the law that they must at the minimum remove the ashtrays and put up no-smoking signs. Makes me wonder what laws I might decide to ignore.
While this is a very small crack in the dam, it is an area that could grow and grow until we lose the rule of law in Nevada. When that happens, you better be the bigger guy or have a bigger gun because that is all that will insure your security. When people or companies can pick and choose the laws they want to obey, the police are no longer of any value, the government will break down and indeed civilization is in danger. You may think that I am overreacting, but most big things start as small things.
The Southern Nevada Health District is charged with enforcing this law. Why aren't their inspectors out writing citations. They sure wouldn't have to go far to find violators. I've heard that they could be threatened. Well, thanks to Judge Herndon, the police can't write tickets for smoking, but they sure can for threatening people. Send a cop in with an inspecctor to stand there while the inspector writes the ticket. Using this as an excuse just isn't valid.
Deputize me and I'll start writing citations today! I guarantee you start writing tickets to people for $100 a pop and the word will get out and people will stop smoking where they aren't supposed to. The only message being given today is that ignoring the law bears no consequences. Is that the message you really want to go out?
I did my duty and filed yet another complaint with the district on the Sante Fe Mining Company. Do I believe that anything will come of it? No, I doubt it. I just hope that we can all start banding together to put pressure on the Southern Nevada Health District to begin their enforcement program in earnest and hold these owners to the consequences of breaking the law.
I guess time will tell.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Enforce the law now!!!
I have recently observed numerous bars and taverns, (listed at the end of this blog), allowing patrons and employees to smoke, because the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) has ceased all enforcement of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, (Act). The reason SNHD has given is that many of their enforcement officers have been threatened, by violators of the law and tavern employees, at several taverns where they have attemted to identify violators and issue citations. I understand that the SNHD enforcement officers are not cops, they don't carry weapons, and they are not expected to engage in any conflict with anyone. What they are charged with, is enforcement of the law!!! If in fact they are being threatened, then they should call Metro to assist them in the performance of their duty, just as they would do if they had an issue with any other code enforcement activity. It's a shame that our Legislature allowed such a poorly written law to be voted on by the public, but the fact remains that it is the law, and the SNHD has the reasponsibility to enforce it. If an establishment, that has a license to serve food, was observed by a SNHD enforcement officer to be dirty, enfested by rodents or cock roaches, or not prepairing food in a safe manner, they would receive a citation, and if they didn't correct the deficiencies they would loose their food license. Why can't the same enforcement activity be taken in respect to smoking??? Come on SNHD; get off your collective butts, and do you job!!!
Bilbo's @ Decatur and Ann Rd.
Lucky's Tavern @ Farm Rd.
Lodge at Grand Teton @ Grand Teton at Durango
Santa Fe Mining Co. @ N. Ranch Rd.
Cavanaugh's on Ann Rd.
Bilbo's @ Decatur and Ann Rd.
Lucky's Tavern @ Farm Rd.
Lodge at Grand Teton @ Grand Teton at Durango
Santa Fe Mining Co. @ N. Ranch Rd.
Cavanaugh's on Ann Rd.
Purpose of this Blog
This blog is being formed to bring attention to the fact that the Southern Nevada Health District has completely stopped all enforcement activities regarding the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act that was passed in November of 2006.
The local bars and taverns have recently announced that since the health department is no longer enforcing the ban, that they will cease any activities on their part and allow the smokers to smoke whereever and whenever they want.
The SNHD has plenty of lame excuses for why they are so ineffectual, but none of them matter. They are charged with enforcing the law and they need to be doing their job.
Post your comments, your experiences and the names of the restaurants that you frequent that are breaking the law and getting away with it. The only way to push the health department to doing their job is to bring attention to this issue and get the majority of Nevadans that voted FOR the ban to pressure their local officials as well as those in Carson City to get off their backsides and do something to uphold the law.
This is about smoking, but it's also about the rule of law. The bar owners can't decide which laws they want to obey and which they won't. This is AMERICA. Everyone is bound by the rule of law and we have to show the arrogant bar owners that they are no different than anyone else.
Good luck and happy blogging. Together we CAN make a difference.
Mike Cornwell
Proud creator of this blog.
The local bars and taverns have recently announced that since the health department is no longer enforcing the ban, that they will cease any activities on their part and allow the smokers to smoke whereever and whenever they want.
The SNHD has plenty of lame excuses for why they are so ineffectual, but none of them matter. They are charged with enforcing the law and they need to be doing their job.
Post your comments, your experiences and the names of the restaurants that you frequent that are breaking the law and getting away with it. The only way to push the health department to doing their job is to bring attention to this issue and get the majority of Nevadans that voted FOR the ban to pressure their local officials as well as those in Carson City to get off their backsides and do something to uphold the law.
This is about smoking, but it's also about the rule of law. The bar owners can't decide which laws they want to obey and which they won't. This is AMERICA. Everyone is bound by the rule of law and we have to show the arrogant bar owners that they are no different than anyone else.
Good luck and happy blogging. Together we CAN make a difference.
Mike Cornwell
Proud creator of this blog.
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