Feb. 25 -- In 2005, smokers in some Hutchinson
restaurants will have to light up outside .
No more than 20 residents showed up for yesterday council
meeting, where the smoking ordinance was passed.
City officials will draw up a sample petition available for
anyone to push for a public vote on the ordinance. Otherwise, the
adopted ordinance goes into effect January first.
It exempts restaurants that have a physically separate smoking
area, or ones that earn less than 50 percent of revenues from food.
The Hutchinson Mayor received postcards from people saying that
such a law would violate their personal rights.
