In smaller cities and towns, sometimes all it takes is a single complaint to get an item in front of local lawmakers, as appears to be the case in Philipsburg, Penn., where the town council will discuss a smoking ban in parks at its Tuesday night work session. LehighValleyLive.com reports that resident Keven Keyser has brought up the issue at several recent meetings, saying that he has experienced people smoking near him while he’s with his granddaughter at one of the town’s parks. He said that neither he nor his granddaughter should be subjected to secondhand smoke while enjoying the park. The proposal has been met with mixed support from city officials so far, with some saying they are in favor of protecting the health of children and reducing litter in parks, while others have said they want to wait for the formal discussion to happen before expressing an opinion. If the council wants to move forward, it would still need to draft a ban and discuss possible penalties for violators, who would be responsible for enforcement and several other components. Philipsburg is home to 2,754 residents and is located in the central part of the state near State College, ...
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