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ALABAMA ALABAMA TOWN CONSIDERS NEW FOG LAWS Fort Payne, Ala., is concerned about population growth—and more restaurants—overwhelming its plumbing. ...[full story] CONNECTICUT, ALABAMA CLEAN-AIR PROPOSALS HAVE FOES SMOKING Who has jurisdiction inside Native American casinos, anyway? And other sticky questions. ... [full story] ALASKA ALASKA FINALIZING DRAFT OF NEW FOOD CODE Some wrinkles remain to be ironed out, but the state's new code could be up for final approval within the next month or so.... [full story] COMMENT PERIOD NOW FOR ALASKA FOOD CODE CHANGE Alaska's a little cold for bare-hand contact anyway, isn't it?....[full story] ROPOSED ALASKA CODE BIG ON TRAINING The nation’s largest state is updating its Food Code....full story ARIZONA COMPETING SMOKING BANS BATTLE ON ARIZONA BALLOT Call it a Battle Of The Bans. Or, maybe a Shootout At The Not OK Corral. Or, no, wait....[full story] COUNTY INSPECTION GRADES CLEARER THAN DANCING RULES You can dance inside, but not outside. And you can't keep your inspection results off the county Web site....[full story] FLAGSTAFF GETS JUMP ON STATE JUNK FOOD BAN Arizona banned junk in the grade schools last year. Flagstaff just took the next step....[full story] MARICOPA CALLS CRITICAL HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS CRIMINAL Famous for its sweltering "tent city" outdoor jail in the Phoenix Valley, Maricopa County, Ariz., is now prosecuting some critical health code violators on criminal charges....[full story] TUCSON TESTS LOW-FLOW NOZZLES The thing about the desert is it’s so darn ... dry.... full story YAVAPAI COUNTY, ARIZ., TO REQUIRE MORE THAN LIP SERVICE Proposed changes to the Yavapai County, Ariz., health code have had local operators buzzing lately.... full story ARKANSAS ARKANSAS GETS FIRST NEW FOOD CODE IN 30 YEARS BIG inspection changes lie ahead for all you operators in Arkansas.... full story CALIFORNIA ‘A’ EQUALS AWESOME FOR NAPA COUNTY RESTAURANTS Dude, like, what grade did YOU get?... full story ANAHEIM UTILITIES OFFERS REBATE ON THERMAL STORAGE How about an HVAC system that makes ice during nighttime rates? ...[full story] BAAQMD HEARINGS ON CHARBROILERS ARE BAAACK! Once more, this time for final adoption. Going once, going twice. ...[full story] BAKERSFIELD RESTAURANTS GETTING ABC'S FROM COUNTY Kern County, Calif., is going with letter grades for health inspections. And no, nothing below a C is open for business....[full story] BAY AREA CHARBROILER RULES DECLARED DONE And as the Bay Area goes, so goes the rest of California, probably. ...[full story] BAY AREA EATERIES BILL CUSTOMERS FOR NEW HEALTHCARE COSTS San Francisco's mandated healthcare is still facing court challenges. If it gets reversed, what happens to the revenue from the surcharges? Rebates on ham sandwiches? ...[full story] BAY AREA READIES FOR ANOTHER HEARING ON CHARBROILER REGS So far, not a single chain operator has stood up to weigh in along with ventilation advocates. Going once, going twice....[full story] BRACE FOR MORE FOG RULES IN CALIFORNIA Turn on your FOG lamps. A wave of new local regs will be heading your way next year....[full story] CALIFORNIA ADOPTS ICC BUILDING CODES Used to going its own way, California zigs when it usually zags....[full story] CALIFORNIA AIR QUALITY PLANS TARGET CHARBROILERS That rule everyone's scuffling over in the San Francisco district might become the template for the whole state. ...[full story] CALIFORNIANS, CHICAGOANS TAKE HEART: YOU CAN STILL GET FOIE GRAS IN MARYLAND Legislators in Maryland say nay to animal rights advocates. ...[full story] CALIFORNIA APPROVES MENU LAW, KING COUNTY, WASH., REG KICKS IN California moves to preempt a crazy-quilt of local standards. ...[full story] CALIFORNIA ENDS MEAT RECALL SECRECY AGREEMENT From now on, if you sell meat or poultry that's involved in a voluntary recall, you're in trouble. For four years, it wasn't like that....[full story] CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA GROWERS TO BE INSPECTED With a lot of stuff rolling downhill, California goes with voluntary inspections while Florida opts for mandatory....[full story] CALIFORNIA FLUSHES OLD TOILET STANDARDS Well, the bill passed. Maybe this new plumbing will work just fine. ... [full story] CALIFORNIA FOOD CODE TO CHANGE JULY 1 The country's biggest market will shift toward the 2001 FDA code, but details are still in the works....[full story] CALIFORNIA LOWERS HURDLES TO SOLAR CONVERSION Can we help it that the world's seventh largest economy generates a lot of regulatory news? Anyway, this one's good news. ...[full story] CALIFORNIA MARKETS DECLARE WATER RESTRICTIONS Droughts are driving water restrictions in the dining room. What's next? Even-odd dishroom days? ...[full story] CALIFORNIA MAY PREEMPT LOCAL CALORIE COUNTERS WITH STATE BILL Why should every hill and dale come up with a different solution?. ...[full story] CALIFORNIA MULLS, NYC DELAYS CALORIE COUNTS ON MENUS Does this menu make me look fat?....[full story] CALIFORNIA OFFERS ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOANS FOR SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS Four-point-five percent. That’s the loan rate for schools or hospitals upgrading to enviro-friendly setups.... full story CALIFORNIA OFFERS INCENTIVES FOR SOLAR POWER Sounds a little like your significant other paying you to date somebody else, doesn't it?....[full story] CALIFORNIA PRODUCE HANDLERS START USING SERVICE MARK Industry self-regulation takes another step forward....[full story] CALIFORNIA RAISES ICE MAKER STANDARDS FOR 2008 No more wasting energy, not on the Governator's watch.... [full story] CALIFORNIA SAYS PLUMBING MUST GET LEAD OUT California's tightening its definition of "lead-free" pipes and fittings, and it's adding some references that may impact foodservice....[full story] CALIFORNIA TO MAKE BUILDINGS GREENER The Governator declares "We'll cut baaack" on energy consumption....[full story] CALIFORNIA UPS ENERGY STANDARDS—AGAIN Yes, time to do some stretching exercises. California’s raised the energy hurdles.... full story CALIFORNIA UTILITIES TEAM UP FOR STATEWIDE ENERGY REBATES Four huge utilities pool their, uh, energies for a really big rebate strategy....[full story] CEC TWEAKS LANGUAGE ON LIGHTING, EQUIPMENT Okay, so these changes are mainly in definitions. Still, there's no upside to falling behind on the details in California....[full story] CORRECTION: CALIFORNIA SUSPENDS PROPOSED AB 1953 LEAD LAW We thought it was a done deal. But it wasn't. And now, it looks like maybe its goose is cooked....[full story] ENERGY BILLS SET STANDARD FOR PRE-RINSE SPRAY VALVES Lawmakers get on board with low-flow's water-saving potential....[full story] GOLDEN GATE OPS ASK 'THE NINE' TO DECIDE HEALTHCARE PLAN LEGALITY San Francisco's on-again-off-again universal healthcare plan may be off again. ...[full story] 'GOVERNATOR' SIGNS TRANS-FAT BAN California's the first with a state-wide ban. ...[full story] HOW MANY CALIFORNIANS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB? However many the legislators say. A proposed ban on incandescent bulbs will shed some light. Maybe....[full story] IF YOU’RE TOO DRUNK TO READ, YOU’RE TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE Attention, restaurant and bar operators in Poway, Calif.: You’ve just been "volunteered" to join the fight. ... full story IN SAN FRANCISCO OCT. 23? BAAQMD's having a public hearing on changes to cooking-equipment exhaust rules. Be there. ...[full story] JUDGE CALLS FOR DELAY IN SAN DIEGO’S TIME-OF-USE RATE PLAN So you say you want new meters and a new plan to charge customers more for peak usage and less for off-peak?... full story L.A., OTHER CITIES TELL TACO VENDORS TO KEEP ON TRUCKIN' Low overhead is good business, everyone agrees. But if you're selling tacos out of a truck, keep it moving—or face big (or bigger) fines. ...[full story] L.A. COURT OVERTURNS TACO-TRUCK TICKETING That's the ticketing that was overturned. Not the trucks. ...[full story] L.A. JUMPS ON CALORIE-COUNTING BANDWAGON Add Los Angeles to the list of places in California that don't want to wait for Governor Schwarzenegger's signature. ...[full story] .A. PASSES NEIGHBORHOOD FAST-FOOD BAN A seemingly debatable proposal passes without a single dissenting vote. ...[full story] L.A., SEATTLE JUMP ON BAG-BAN WAGON Plastic bags? We don't need no stinkin' bags! ...[full story] L.A. TAKES FAT FIGHT DIRECTLY TO CHAINS One L.A. lawmaker wants to ban new QSRs in neighborhoods that are already obese. ... [full story] L.A. WANTS TO FIGHT FAT WITH WAR ON FAST FOOD An L.A. pol says fast food is targeting lower-income neighborhoods and wants a moratorium. Talk about taking the bull by the tail. ...[full story] LAKEPORT, CALIF., READIES BIG FOG FINES Two hours north of San Francisco, a town considers adding big teeth to what used to be a gummy standard. ...[full story] LOCALES SAY YOU CAN'T JUST FLUSH WATER DOWN TOILET Like 1.6-gal. flushes? A new 1.3-gal. version might be coming. ...[full story] MARIN COUNTY CLEARS UP THE FOG A California county notorious for its fog (as well as its beaches and occasional sunshine) has cleared up some of its FOG issues. ...[full story] MENU-LABELING LAWS POP UP FASTER THAN CRA CAN FILE SUITS Local regs are spreading like kudzu, except that kudzu's more consistent. ...[full story] MORE CITIES NOW IN FOG As water quality issues float to the top, so do fats, oils and grease problems. ...[full story] NAPA PUTS INSPECTION REPORTS ONLINE, MULLS LETTER GRADES Trailing non-compliance with a law requiring the posting of restaurant inspections prompts Napa to put inspection grades online. ...[full story] NEW CODE SAYS YOU HAVE TO BE GREEN TO BUILD IN SANTA CRUZ The Left Coast, so often first into new things, is first to adapt LEED principles for law....[full story] NEWPORT BEACH REQUIRES NEW FOG FEE No more "sliding" on grease effluent.... full story NYC CALORIE-POSTING LAW TOSSED, BUT CALIFORNIA PAVES WAY FOR OTHERS New York City's law wasn't fair. California's is. Duh. ...[full story] OAKLAND SAYS PICK IT UP OR PAY You trash it up, you clean it up—or pay to clean it up. Oakland's not taking it anymore.....[full story] ORANGE COUNTY SPRING ROLLS NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD, BUT EXPENSIVE You don't have to be Goldilocks to get spring rolls at the right temps. You just need a federal grant....[full story] PG&E JUMPS ON AUTOMATED METER MOVEMENT Jazzy new meters are going in, and users averaging more than 200 kW/mo. will pay different electric rates at different times of day....[full story] PG&E OFFERS BIG WINTER GAS SAVINGS Some pretty big credits here—theoretically, if you could cut your gas consumption by, say, 85%, PG&E would have to start sending YOU checks....[full story] PHILLY, CALIFORNIA MULL CALORIE POSTING AFTER NEW YORK RULING With a higher precedent in position, the form of future laws looks pretty clear. ...[full story] PROGRAM LIGHTS UP EAST BAY RESTAURANTS San Francisco’s East Bay operators can get help switching to energy-efficient lighting.... full story PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDED NOW ON CONTROVERSIAL BAY AREA EXHAUST PROPOSAL The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as the saying goes. This one's the express lane....[full story] SACRAMENTO COUNTY GIVES GREEN CARD TO RESTAURANTS Big color coded placards can be identified from speeding cars. You'd better pass inspection.... [full story] SAN DIEGO PROPOSES TIME-OF-USE METERS Higher by day, lower by night. That’s the way energy bills would look for San Diego operators if the local utility company gets its way....full story SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA FOAMING ABOUT FOAM Polystyrene takeout packaging's days are numbered. Oakland's just banned it, and San Francisco last week was mere moments away....[full story] SAN FRANCISCO CALLS FOR VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION If this doesn't work, rationing could put a crimp on 20,000 restaurants in the Bay Area....[full story] SAN FRANCISCO CONSIDERS CALORIE POSTING ON MENU BOARDS Remember when tough guys like Karl Malden and Steve McQueen made the streets of San Francisco famous? Now the fights are about calorie signage. ...[full story] SAN FRANCISCO FLEET TO RUN ON BIO-FUEL Everywhere I go, I smell fries. Do you smell fries? Nah. ...[full story] SAN FRANCISCO JUDGES OKAY CITY'S UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE PLAN An appeal hearing has been scheduled, but for now you should figure on paying. ...[full story] SAN FRANCISCO SAYS FOOD WARNINGS MUST BE MULTI-LINGUAL How big should a label be to include Spanish and Chinese along with English?....[full story] SAN FRANCISCO SITTING ON FOAM LAW FOR 30 DAYS Oakland pulled the trigger on its polystyrene foam ban. San Francisco has the hammer cocked....[full story] SAN MATEO INSPECTORS GET TABLET NOTEBOOKS No more shuck-and-jiving San Mateo inspectors. They'll have your whole history at their fingertips.... [full story] SAN MATEO MULLS POSTING OF INSPECTION RESULTS Should ops post their full health inspection results? San Mateo County will decide soon.... [full story] SANTA CRUZ CONSIDERS INSPECTION PLAN UPDATE A new plan would enhance both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in health inspections....[full story] SHORT AND SWEET FOR CALIFORNIA CREDIT RECEIPTS Where California machine-printed credit card receipts are concerned, state deadlines trump federal—period.... full story SOCAL GAS ANNOUNCES 2006 REBATES If you're doing business in Southern California, you could save a pile.... [full story] STATES STEPPING IN ON CALORIE POSTING First it was cities. Now it's entire states—California and New York—getting in on the calorie-posting haggle. ...[full story] TACO-TRUCK BATTLES HEATING UP COAST TO COAST And in Los Angeles, taco-truckers are hunkering down. ...[full story] "TERMINATOR" TERMINATES MENU LABELING BILL Here's one proposed law that "won't be baaaack." ...[full story] THINK TANK SAYS CALIFORNIA CAN CUT WATER USE BY 2030 Can the Golden State cut water consumption by 20%? You bet, say Oakland environmentalists....[full story] TRANS FAT THE NEW TOBACCO; MORE LAWS IN WORKS With cigarettes and trans fats out, pretty soon we could start the jumping jacks....[full story] WATER METERS ON TAP FOR SACRAMENTO AREA Yes, volume-based water pricing is coming to operators who don’t even have meters, so... full story WATER WOES SPREADING ON BOTH COASTS Last issue, we jested about restrictions spreading to dishrooms some day. This issue, we're not jesting. ...[full story] WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY SMOKING? This isn't even a foodservice story, unless cannabis could be considered a salad item, but, uh, what were we saying? ...[full story] COLORADO COLORADO CLOSING IN ON ENERGY REGS FOR REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS Will the governor sign? Or will he veto? The answer’s coming soon.... full story COLORADO EQUIPMENT PETITIONS BROADEN YOUR OPTIONS If you ever wanted to add an unusual—maybe non-NSF certified, for example—piece of equipment... full story COLORADO GOV VETOES ENERGY EFFICIENCY BILL Colorado's governor likes efficiency as much as the next guy, but for the good of interstate commerce wants fed standards, not state patchworks.... [full story] COLORADO'S NO-BARE-HAND CONTACT RULE TAKES EFFECT MARCH 1 If you're not gonna cook that after handling it, get the gloves ready....[full story] CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT RESTAURANT RESTROOMS ON THE HOOK Bridgeport, Conn., now requires coat hooks in foodservice restrooms. Everything else must be pretty much under control....[full story] CONNECTICUT, ALABAMA CLEAN-AIR PROPOSALS HAVE FOES SMOKING Who has jurisdiction inside Native American casinos, anyway? And other sticky questions. ... [full story] CONNECTICUT HOPES CAMPAIGN WILL JOLT USERS INTO ACTION Er, shocking electric consumption is driving a wave of new state rebates....[full story] CONNECTICUT OPERATORS BRISTLE AT PROPOSED FOG REGS Onward through the FOG, as ops jab with the state’s water bureau over costly regulation of fats, oils and grease.... full story CONNECTICUT OPERATORS GET FOG REPRIEVE Deadline extensions and other breaks are among mods to the originally proposed law....[full story] CONNECTICUT SEES GREEN IN NEW BUILDINGS' FUTURE LEED is now law, and the law is spreading. ...[full story] CONNECTICUT TIGHTENS GRIP ON FAT, OIL AND GREASE DISPOSAL FOG controls lie ahead for Connecticut foodservice operators, and they’re not related to the weather.... full story NEW CONNECTICUT CODE HITS OLD REFRIGERATION The first major overhaul to the state’s Food Code in 20 years would affect cold-holding.... full story TRANS FAT THE NEW TOBACCO; MORE LAWS IN WORKS With cigarettes and trans fats out, pretty soon we could start the jumping jacks....[full story] DELAWARE YES, STILL MORE HEALTH DEPARTENTS PUT REPORTS ONLINE If you're keeping a running list, here ya go....[full story] FLORIDA BONITA SPRINGS LOOKING AT NEW GREASE TRAP RULES Bonita Springs, Fla., doesn't want glurp gumming up its lifestyle. ...[full story] CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA GROWERS TO BE INSPECTED With a lot of stuff rolling downhill, California goes with voluntary inspections while Florida opts for mandatory....[full story] COUNTY BANS GOLDEN ARCHES AS SIGNAGE—FOR NOW Really big signs are verboten in Gainesville, Fla.'s home county. So are the really big arches on a retro building a sign, or something else? ...[full story] DISPUTED STUDY ASSERTS FLORIDA RESTAURANTS THRIVING WITH SMOKING BAN "No smoke, no problem," is the conclusion of a study... full story DOGGIE DINING UP TO GOVERNOR But here's the lingering question in Florida: If your dog shows up for the Early Bird deal, does he get it?....[full story] FLORIDA COUNTIES PUSH POSTING OF INSPECTIONS Pasco and Palm Beach Counties aren't inclined to leave it up to the state....[full story] FLORIDA GOV. BUSH LETS THE DOGS OUT Remember when your mom used to say it was okay with her if it was okay with dad? Well, this dog law is kind of like that....[full story] FLORIDA LAWSUIT AGAINST SMOKING BAN FAILS, FOR NOW A legal battle over a smoking ban fizzles in Florida, but only on a technicality. ... [full story] FLORIDA UPDATES RESTAURANT INSPECTION WEB SITE Meanwhile, the state makes it easier to find out everything about every restaurant in the land of Early Bird Specials....[full story] HUMOR POLICE COME DOWN ON FLORIDA PUBS Today it's signage. Pretty soon we won't be able to say "Pull my finger" either....[full story] MIAMI BEACH MAY LIMIT RESTAURANT SEATING When restaurants overpower the hotels they're located in, local officials decide it's time to step in. ...[full story] MIAMI BEACH TO PLACE LIMITS ON RESTAURANT SEATING Too many rowdies in South Pointe spoiled the brew. ...[full story] NAPLES RESTAURANTEUR STILL SMOKING OVER BAN, WON'T DROP SUIT Some embers refuse to go out....[full story] NEW PALM BEACH GUIDELINES JUST SAY NO TO CHAINS The stylish Florida community has its slacks in a wrinkle about maintaining uniqueness. ...[full story] NO STICKERS FOR PALM BEACH Pot stickers, maybe. But no menu stickers about inspection reports.... [full story] ORLANDO PUSHES FOR LEGISLATION TO ALLOW DOGS TO DINE Fido catches a break when Orlando's city council gives a nod to dogs dining out....[full story] PALM BEACH CONSIDERS GRADING RESTAURANTS Well-heeled Palm Beach County, Fla., is thinking about holding operators' feet to the fire over inspection results....[full story] RESTAURANT TAKES ON FLORIDA SMOKING BAN After you think about this one for a minute, you'll be surprised the angle hasn't come up before.... [full story] ST. LOUIS, SARASOTA GO TO DOGS We don't mean to resist certain kinds of news stories, but doesn't all this doggie dining business seem just a little silly?....[full story] STATES STEPPING IN ON CALORIE POSTING First it was cities. Now it's entire states—California and New York—getting in on the calorie-posting haggle. ...[full story] TOILET PAPER: WE NEED A LAW FOR THIS? Really! As if Florida doesn't have other things to think about....[full story] WATER WOES SPREADING ON BOTH COASTS Last issue, we jested about restrictions spreading to dishrooms some day. This issue, we're not jesting. ...[full story] GEORGIA GEORGIA FOOD CODE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT DEC. 1 Lots of changes, from handwashing to time/temp rules. ...[full story] GEORGIA'S NEW FOOD CODE FINALLY KICKS IN After a year of scuffling over whether you can have dirty hands and still get an "A" on your inspection, Georgia's ready to roll....[full story] GEORGIA RESTAURANTS GET CHOICE: SMOKING OR KIDS Faced with the toughest decision of his life, Earl shrugged....[full story] GEORGIA TO STUDY TRANS FAT ISSUE Yes, the trans fat's in the fire again. Is it hot in here, or is it just us?....[full story] MORE TOWNS LEGISLATE THEIR WAY OUT OF FOG Like the Energizer Bunny, this topic just keeps going and going. ...[full story] NEW GEORGIA FOOD CODE BATTLE CONTINUES What's fair, and what's accurate, in a grading system?....[full story] NYC RESTAURANTS GET CALORIE-POSTING REPRIEVE; GEORGIA PREEMPTS ATTEMPTS Pardon our editorializing, but this "As The Menu-Board Turns" soap opera is getting silly. ... [full story] PUBLIC COMMENT ON GEORGIA'S NEW FOOD CODE ENDS JAN. 9 Everything from inspector certifications to food handling practices stands to be updated....[full story] RETRO FLUSH: ATLANTA REQUIRES LOW-FLOW TOILETS IN OLDER BUILDINGS DeKalb County's cracking down on old buildings with old, water-hog toilets. ...[full story] 'QUICK DRAW' IN GEORGIA NO LONGER JUST ABOUT BEER Gun-toters can't drink, and drinkers can't tote. But who's gonna say no? ...[full story] HAWAII IDAHO DARK SKIES AHEAD FOR HAILEY, IDAHO New regs there will have you seeing stars—figuratively, or literally, or perhaps both.... full story IDAHO JUMPS ON SMOKING "BAN" WAGON Smoking at Idaho eateries as of July 1 is now verboten.... full story ILLINOIS ANOTHER CHICAGO SUBURB EYES SMOKING BAN More than 20 cities in Illinois already have snuffed out smoking one way or another....[full story] ANOTHER CHICAGO SUBURB PASSES PATCHWORK SMOKING BAN Arlington Park, the famous racetrack that's had trouble recently with horses injuring themselves, will be the only place in town where you can smoke....[full story] CALIFORNIANS, CHICAGOANS TAKE HEART: YOU CAN STILL GET FOIE GRAS IN MARYLAND Legislators in Maryland say nay to animal rights advocates. ...[full story] CAMERAS MAY BE ON MENU FOR CHICAGO RESTAURANTS Chicago lawmakers think everyone needs a security camera. What next? Airbags on kiddie chairs?....[full story] CHICAGO BANS FOIE GRAS, EYES TRANS FATS Amid the big-city bickering over corruption, healthcare problems, education and so on, Chicago turns its attention to...your menu.[full story] CHICAGO CHARGES TWO HEALTH INSPECTORS Pssst, you dere—You wanna buy a food-safety certificate? ...[full story] CHICAGO FOIE GRAS BAN IS BIG TROUBLE FOR POPULAR BISTRO Okay, so this restaurant operator is openly fighting the foie gras ban. Then the inspectors arrive. But what they find isn't foie gras. ...[full story] CHICAGO FOIE GRAS BAN SO MUCH CHOPPED LIVER A city of tough jakes—think guys like Mike Ditka, Dick Butkus, Dennis Farina, Dennis Franz—has its own way of dealing wit a ban such as dis one....[full story] CHICAGO PROPOSES DOG-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS Which raises the question, "Who focuses on this kind of thing, anyway?" ....[full story] CHICAGO, SARASOTA WON'T LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE You'd think doggie dining, trans fats, online inspection reports and smoking bans were taking over the world. Wait....[full story] CHICAGO SAVES GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN LIVER "The silliest law the City Council has ever passed" lasted just two years. ...[full story] CHICAGO TO STREAMLINE INSPECTIONS If you’re operating any of the 6,700 restaurants in Chicago, you might soon be finding the city easier to deal with.... full story CHICAGO SNUFFS PUBLIC SMOKING, WITH IMPORTANT EXCEPTION Cold times ahead for Chicago smokers, with a few exceptions....[full story] CHICAGO VENTILATION CODES GO ‘BACK TO FUTURE’ Timing is everything--even in publication of mechanical codes. ... full story CHICAGO'S VENTILATION CODE GOING NOWHERE FAST The City of Chicago's got a few problems these days, and one of them is foodservice consultant and publisher George Zawacki....[full story] EPA TO UNVEIL DRAFT ENERGY STAR DISHWASHER SPECS AT NRA SHOW MEETING No more throwing away energy OR water. If you want to see what the Energy Star folks are proposing for warewashers, sign up for the meeting....[full story] FOG CRACKDOWNS SPREADING Some things just don't make people laugh anymore—Rodney King jokes and tasers come to mind—and you can put sewer overflows on that list too. ...[full story] FOIE GRAS POLICE CITE FIRST OFFENDER IN CHI-TOWN The city that used to be the nation's slaughterhouse has mixed feelings about enforcing a foie gras ban, but it'll do it....[full story] ILLINOIS CAPITAL, CHICAGO BOTH GO NON-SMOKING Yes, there's a growing trend in Illinois. But with "home rule" in place, towns right now can go any which way....[full story] ILLINOIS GOV. SIGNS SCHOOL BREAKFAST ACT More wear soon for many Illinois school kitchens... full story ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SIGNS UTILITY RELIEF BILL After temporary rebates wear off, Illinois rate payers will realize the hikes never really went away. ...[full story] ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE OKS ELECTRIC RATE RELIEF Who's in charge here, anyway? Maybe the utilities....[full story] ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE SAYS ITS TIME TO SNUFF OUT BUTTS Just two years after giving local governments the right to determine how they want to address smoking issues, the state decided to make the decision for them....[full story] ILLINOIS LOCAL SMOKING BAN LEGISLATION GOES DOWN IN FLAMES Illinois House Bill 3996, which would allow any town the ability to seek a smoking ban, failed.... full story ILLINOIS LUCKY THIRTEENTH IN PASSING HIGHER WAGES What would 99 cents buy back in 1970? That's what $5.15 buys today. Illinois says that's not enough....[full story] ILLINOIS SNUFFS OUT BUTTS IN JANUARY Yes, the day after New Year's Eve celebrations, a state with a population of 13 million will be smoke-free in public places. Ponder that. ...[full story] ILLINOIS’ ST. CLAIR COUNTY POSTS INSPECTION SCORES ONLINE If you’re an operator in St. Clair County, Ill., you’d better be keeping your shop ship-shape.... full story ILLINOIS WEIGHS FREEZING CONSUMERS VS. FREEZING RATES Now that unfrozen electric rates have given way to triple-digit hikes and a legislative backlash, utilities say they might just have to declare bankruptcy. So there.....[full story] MORE SMOKING BANS IN THE WORKS Let's face it. Smoking's done. Stick a fork in it....[full story] NEW FOOD CODE IN EFFECT IN WESTERN ILLINOIS Monmouth, Ill., didn't have a food code, presumably because it didn't need one. Now it does. Have one, we mean....[full story] SCORE-ON-THE-DOOR FOR CHICAGO? A city once built on stockyards is ready to clamp down on restaurant inspections....[full story] TRANS FAT'S IN THE CHICAGO FIRE, AGAIN The Windy City's self-conscious about its hefty Midwestern self....[full story] OUTLYING CHICAGO 'BURBS FACING PERMANENT WATER SHORTAGE With hundreds of thousands of consumers staring at big water problems, a state with no comprehensive energy or water programs thinks maybe it's time....[full story] WATER SHORTAGES PROMPT NEW ILLINOIS INITIATIVE Yes, Chicago sits next to one of the greatest Great Lakes. Its suburbs are in serious water trouble anyway....[full story] INDIANA BLOOMINGTON, IND., PUTS TEETH IN FIRE CODE The requirements don't really change much, but the inspection process does—and the new fines are doozies. ...[full story] INDIANA COUNTY TO POST INSPECTIONS ONLINE An oversight in code created some confusion. This will fix it....[full story] INDIANA TO REQUIRE RESTAURANTS TO HAVE CERTIFIED FOOD HANDLER ON STAFF Indiana’s roughly 20,000 restaurants, grocery stores, vendors and gas stations that sell food will be required to have a certified food handler on staff by...full story INDIANA, WISCONSIN ADOPT NEW FOOD CODES Hot-food holding temps, handwashing water temps and more ... full story VIGO COUNTY SNUFFS ONE SMOKING ORDNANCE, FIRES UP ANOTHER You've heard of chain smokers. Sometimes people are chain regulators....[full story] IOWA BIG UPHEAVAL FOR IOWA INSPECTIONS When tight budgets meet big responsibilities, something's got to give....[full story] DES MOINES FOG ORDINANCE PROVING FOGGY Okay, so if your café is going to cost $50,000, do you really need a $75,000 grease trap?....[full story] IOWA OFFERS WEB-BASED INSPECTION SCORES The Hawkeye state isn't just posting the overall score—it's posting EVERYthing....[full story] KANSAS AND YOUR LITTLE DOG, TOO It's a bit like an Oz dream. Click your heels together all you want. Kansas might soon ban smoking. But its cities are free to go every which way....[full story] FAIR FRANCHISING LAWS PROPOSED IN KANSAS, TENNESSEE Fair is good. But these things deserve consideration. One group is already mapping and comparing legal bits....[full story] KANSAS MAY SHIFT INSPECTIONS TO AG DEPARTMENT A need to streamline is making Kansas rethink. ...[full story] KANSAS MULLS DUMPING EQUIPMENT TAX Soon you might get a property-tax break—if you buy new equipment....[full story] KANSAS RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS NOW ONLINE Yes, the Jayhawk State jumps on the online haywagon....[full story] KANSAS SHUFFLES INSPECTION DUTIES Good news and, uh, "interesting" news on the inspection front... full story K.C. JOINS RANKS IN CRACKDOWN ON STREET VENDORS Got a cart in K.C.? Get a sticker, stay 50 ft. from a competing business—and get away from Bartle Hall and Municipal Stadium....[full story] THREE STATES PASS 'MERLOT-TO-GO' LAWS Kansas, Ohio and Rhode Island join states saying you can take it with you. Just don't start driving "Sideways."....[full story] KENTUCKY 30-YEAR-OLD KENTUCKY FOOD CODE GETS REMOD Kentucky’s Food Safety and Security Task Force will recommend a new food code.... full story BASTIONS OF TOBACCO FALLING TO SMOKING BANS Turkey, home of the hookah and "Turkish blend," France, and now even Thailand are kicking the habit, at least in public places. ...[full story] IT'S JAN. 4: DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER IS? If you operate in the counties under the jurisdiction of Kentucky's Barren River District Health Department, the jig is up....[full story] KENTUCKY SCHOOLS DODGE FRYER BULLET, FOR NOW The state that’s home to fried chicken will allow schools to continue offering fried items, thanks to a last-minute compromise.... full story MANAGERS NOW NEED SAFETY CERTIFICATION IN KY COUNTIES The Barren River District Health Department, which includes eight Kentucky counties, wants food safety certifications for managers. ...[full story] MORE SMOKING BANS IN EFFECT OR CONSIDERED Yes, smoking bans are so yesterday. But we still write up some of 'em—especially where big populations are involved....[full story] MORE SMOKING BANS IN THE WORKS Let's face it. Smoking's done. Stick a fork in it....[full story] WISCONSIN, VIRGINIA, COUNTY IN KENTUCKY STEP CLOSER TO SMOKING BANS The trickle has become a torrent, and now entire states are routinely legislating smoking limits....[full story] LOUISIANA LOUISIANA LOOKING FOR FIVE-PELICAN RESTAURANTS The "pelican briefs" are part of Louisiana’s push to make restaurant health inspection... full story LOUISIANA SENATE OKAYS SMOKING BAN; NEW JERSEY SCRAPS '25-FOOT' RULE For a minute there, we tried to picture Bourbon Street without cigs. And we couldn't....[full story] MAINE MAINE BUSINESSES GET GRIPE FORUM Leave it to no-nonsense New Englanders to make legislators meet face-to-face with the business owners they're regulating....[full story] MAINE'S EU-STYLE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING BILL TAKES EFFECT Taking a cue from Brussels, Maine has banned lead and other hazardous materials from landfills....[full story] MAINE TOWN JOINS LIST SAYING "NO" TO CHAINS Preserving their New Englander individuality, Ogunquit voters say nope....[full story] MARYLAND ANNAPOLIS CONSIDERS MANDATORY FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION There's nothing worse than a visiting Washington, D.C., politician with a digestive disturbance.... [full story] BALTIMORE, BOSTON, FRIENDLY'S NOT FRIENDLY TO BAD FAT Yes, more bans of trans fats. ...[full story] BALTIMORE COUNTY MANDATES FOOD SAFETY TRAINING Get somebody on your staff certified. Then wash your hands.... full story BALTIMORE WANTS KIDS IN SCHOOL, NOT CAFES The general goal's laudable, but once again the devil's in the details. ...[full story] CANADIANS, MARYLANDERS START TRANS FAT DIET As of midnight New Year's Eve, the trans fat was in the fire in one Canadian province and one Maryland county. ...[full story] COUNTY IN MARYLAND NIXES TRANS FAT; MORE CHAINS SWITCH Compared to the pokey 40-year smoking debate, this trans fat thing has spread like a brushfire in a high wind....[full story] FREDERICK, MD., HEALTH DEPT. NOW OKAYS RESTAURANT BUILDING PERMITS You can't even build it until the health team signs off on your plans.... [full story] MARYLAND CALLS FOR REFRIGERATOR EFFICIENCY Energy efficiency’s soon to be the "Law Of The Land" in Maryland for a wide variety... full story MARYLAND RESTAURANTS DODGE ANOTHER SMOKING BULLET If you’re responsible for restaurant air quality in Maryland, you can heave another big sigh of relief—for now at least.... full story MASSACHUSETTS BEANTOWN WEIGHS BAN OF 'BAD' FAT Last time Boston had its fill of something, a bunch of tea ended up at the bottom of the harbor. Now the topic is trans fat. ...[full story] BALTIMORE, BOSTON, FRIENDLY'S NOT FRIENDLY TO BAD FAT Yes, more bans of trans fats. ...[full story] BOSTON MULLS HOOD-CLEANING CERTIFICATION There's a lot riding on your hood-cleaning service. Do you feel lucky? ...[full story] BOSTON OPS MIGHT GET CHEAPER ENERGY Don't get smaaht with Bahston. The city itself unveils a plan to get better rates for restaurants and other small businesses. ...[full story] BOSTON TO WEIGH TRANS FAT BAN THIS WEEK The home of the Boston Tea Party considers tossing trans fats. ...[full story] CAMDEN, LAWRENCE RETHINKING RESTAURANT CURFEWS Can you stay open late, or not? That's the question in two eastern towns that seemingly had already answered it....[full story] DON'T LET THAT DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT Wary of icky doorknobs, Massachusetts might require public bathroom doors to swing outward instead of in.....[full story] DRIVE-TRHOUGH REGS LOOM FOR MASSACHUSETTS TOWNS What’s not to like about drive-through service? Plenty, when lines of waiting cars ... full story MASSACHUSETTS EYES HOOD-CLEANING STANDARD In the aftermath of a Boston grease fire that killed two firefighters, the Massachusetts Fire Marshall wants to clamp down. ... [full story] MASSACHUSETTS MAY REVERT TO CONSENSUS STANDARDS The Bay State might not want to be known as The Tax Me State. So it's reconsidering state approval of restaurant equipment. ....[full story] MASSACHUSETTS POISED TO PASS FRANCHISEE PROTECTION As franchising has grown, so have franchisor-franchisee legal challenges. A proposed law isn't passing without criticism....[full story] MASSACHUSETTS PUTS EQUIPMENT MAKERS ON NOTICE Another state joins a growing list of jurisdictions getting into the certification business. And did we mention the application fee?....[full story] MASSACHUSETTS THROWS WET BLANKET ON NIGHTSPOTS According to a new law to become effective Nov. 15, Massachusetts nightclubs, bars and dance halls... full story MORE CITIES, CHAINS JUMP ON TRANS FAT BANDWAGON Once science knows something is bad, using it gets tricky, legally speaking....[full story] MORE TOWNS TRY TO CUT THROUGH FOG Three more cities post new requirements. ...[full story] NANTUCKET THE LATEST TO CONSIDER BANNING CHAINS With a chain store leading the charge, Nantucket is considering banning chains. Well, other chains, anyway....[full story] WORCESTER HOPES KENNEDY, KERRY CAN LEAD CITY OUT OF FOG Worcester, Mass., restaurants are in deep fats, oils and grease trouble, and the city's taking its case to Washington....[full story] WORCESTER NOT BLOWING SMOKE ON FOG LAW No more celebrity politicians pleading your case. The hammer's comin' down in Woostah. ... [full story] WORCESTER SEES THROUGH THE FOG, FOR NOW If you've been following this story, you know the call went out to Kerry and Kennedy. It was answered by plumbers and gas fitters....[full story] WORCESTER SEES THROUGH FOG; MANALAPAN NOW IN IT Okay, so maybe a grease trap under a mop sink was a bit much. ...[full story] MICHIGAN CITY TO RETHINK DRIVE-THROUGH NOISE LIMITS With restaurants staying open later, Clawson, Mich., questions drive-through squawk volume. ... [full story] FOOD IN DULUTH MIGHT GET MANDATORY SECOND LIFE, AND THIRD. ... Too much landfill waste comes from food. "People, pigs and peonies" might just be a solution.... [full story] DETROIT MULLS FAST-FOOD TAX Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a brave man in a city of hockey players and auto workers, hopes to slap an additional tax on fast-food sales....[full story] MACOMB COUNTY, MICH., TO PULL PLUG ON UNCERTIFIED MANAGERS With three whole years of advance warning, one in four restaurants still says "whuh?"....[full story] MORE SMOKING BANS IN EFFECT OR CONSIDERED Yes, smoking bans are so yesterday. But we still write up some of 'em—especially where big populations are involved....[full story] MICHIGAN A STEP CLOSER TO STATEWIDE SMOKING BAN The Senate and House both passed their own versions of a law. The governor's just waiting to see which one to sign. ...[full story] MICHIGAN EYES TOUGHER FOOD CODE Michigan legislators are sick of, well, people getting sick from unsanitary foodservice employees.....[full story] MICHIGAN GIVES RESTAURANTS EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN What would you do if your restaurant lost power or water service for a day or more? Michigan has published some ideas.... full story MICHIGAN ONLINE CALCULATOR HELPS WITH PLAN REVIEWS If you’re working on plans for a Michigan eatery, save your team a few hassles.... full story MICHIGAN WEB SITE SPELLS OUT HOOD RECOMMENDATIONS Now you have a handy online starting point for figuring out hood requirements in Michigan... full story MINNESOTA FIRE INSPECTION FEES LOOM FOR DULUTH RESTAURANTS Duluth, Minn., operators will take a new hit in the wallet, but... full story MINNEAPOLIS SMOKERS CAUGHT BETWEEN ROCK AND SIDEWALK There's more than one way to skin a smoker, apparently. Some ways involve concrete....[full story] SMOKERS WIN IN TOBACCO COUNTRY, LOSE ELSEWHERE Tobacco's goose is cooked, it's up in smoke, it's kaput, stick a fork in it—except where jobs are at stake....[full story] ST. PAUL MAYOR SAYS ‘BUTT OUT,’ COUNTY SAYS ‘BUTTS OUT’ Smoke ’em if you got ’em....No, wait.... full story TWO MORE CITIES EYE GREASE-TRAP LAWS Willmar, Minn., and Stantonsburg, N.C., won't stand for FOG in their water. ...[full story] MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI COLUMBIA, MO., PUTS LIGHTING CHANGES ON HOLD Debates over new outdoor lighting restrictions are creating as much heat as light....[full story] FULTON, MO., PREPARES FOOD CODE CHANGE, THEN TABLES IT Sometimes rulemaking is like dancing: Somebody has to lead before someone can follow. ... [full story] KANSAS CITY LOOKS AT CHANGES IN INSPECTIONS, OPERATIONS Operators in Kansas City, Mo., may soon be looking at a raft of changes... full story K.C., MO., MIGHT BAN SMOKING—IF ’BURBS DO It’s wait-and-see time for those of you operating in Kansas City, Mo. ... full story ST. LOUIS, SARASOTA GO TO DOGS We don't mean to resist certain kinds of news stories, but doesn't all this doggie dining business seem just a little silly?....[full story] MONTANA NEBRASKA TROUBLE STARTS WITH "T," RHYMES WITH "P" THAT STANDS FOR POOL A restaurant with pool tables, or a pool hall with food? The billiards are flying in Nebraska. Or were....[full story] NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW HAMPSHIRE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION WON'T OPPOSE ANTI-SMOKING BILL Yes, the passionate "Live Free or Die" state is sort of burned out on the smoking topic....[full story] SPRINKLER REG REIGNS ON N.H. BARS, NIGHTCLUBS Yes, the "Live Free Or Die" state is implementing fire regs to keep people living free.... full story NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC CITY BAN MAY SPELL END OF SMOKING IN CASINOS What's next? Sign a waiver to drink while gaming? ....[full story] CAMDEN, LAWRENCE RETHINKING RESTAURANT CURFEWS Can you stay open late, or not? That's the question in two eastern towns that seemingly had already answered it....[full story] N.J. AG DEPARTMENT BEATS LEGISLATORS TO PUNCH ON JUNK FOOD BAN In fast-paced East Coast politics, you snooze, you lose....[full story] N.J. TOWN TO USE RESTAURANT GREASE AS BIOFUEL Chitty, chitty, bada bing: Westwood hopes restaurants will donate waste to fuel its trucks. ...[full story] NEW JERSEY MAY ADOPT LEFT COAST ENERGY STANDARDS A proposed New Jersey bill mandating energy standards will impact, among many other things, refrigeration..... full story NEW JERSEY UPDATING ITS FOOD CODE Eh, no more bare hands on ready-to-eat food. Plus, get somebody at each operation certified as a food protection manager....[full story] NEW JERSEY'S NEW FOOD CODE FINALLY NODS TO FDA New Jersey, not that it ever encouraged dirty hands, throws in the towel and falls in line with FDA guidelines....[full story] TRANS FAT THE NEW TOBACCO; MORE LAWS IN WORKS With cigarettes and trans fats out, pretty soon we could start the jumping jacks....[full story] WORCESTER SEES THROUGH FOG; MANALAPAN NOW IN IT Okay, so maybe a grease trap under a mop sink was a bit much. ...[full story] NEW MEXICO MORE SMOKING BANS IN EFFECT OR CONSIDERED Yes, smoking bans are so yesterday. But we still write up some of 'em—especially where big populations are involved....[full story] N.M. TELLS COMMITTEE "YOU RULE" ON SCHOOL FOOD New Mexico legislators had no rules about school nutrition. They're on it now....[full story] NEW MEXICO EQUIPMENT CERT DEADLINE LOOMS Have non-certified kitchen equipment? Figure less than six months to get squared away.... full story NEW MEXICO WATER COSTS MORE COMING AND GOING Funny thing about deserts: They’re flood prone. And flood control is expensive.... full story NEW YORK BIG APPLE FAT FIGHT: ROUND 2 In Round 1, an obviously unequal proposed law was knocked flat in court. Now a new one takes a shot. ...[full story] CLARIFICATION: N.Y. MANDATES CPR EQUIPMENT FOR OPS In case you, like many New Yorkers, didn't know, the Empire State now requires certain resuscitation equipment....[full story] LAWSUIT STALLS NYC MENU BOARD MAKEOVER New York's plan to hurt only restaurants that volunteer to do the right thing has hit a snag. What are YOU lookin' at? .....[full story] MENU FIGHT PITS NYC COUNCIL AGAINST HEALTH DEPARTMENT Should you have to list your nutritional data on the menu? Or somewhere else?....[full story] MORE CITIES, CHAINS JUMP ON TRANS FAT BANDWAGON Once science knows something is bad, using it gets tricky, legally speaking....[full story] NYC CALORIE COPS CUT LOOSE; S.F. RESTAURANTS FIGHT SIMILAR LAW THERE The citations are flying now in New York, but as Yogi Berra might say, it ain't over 'til it's over in San Francisco. ...[full story] NYC CALORIE POLICE SHAKING UP MORE THAN QSRS Oh, what a tangled web we weave when the Law of Unintended Consequences starts spinning webs. ...[full story] NYC CALORIE-POSTING LAW TOSSED, BUT CALIFORNIA PAVES WAY FOR OTHERS New York City's law wasn't fair. California's is. Duh. ...[full story] NYC EXPANDS ONLINE INSPECTION RATINGS Eh, howya doon? The Big Apple's newly expanded online inspection reports now list even your minor dings....[full story] NYC INVITES COMMENTS ON PROPOSED IFC-BASED FIRE CODE After nearly a hundred years of minor add-ons, New York considers a major overhaul of its fire code. ...[full story] NYC RESTAURANTS GET CALORIE-POSTING REPRIEVE; GEORGIA PREEMPTS ATTEMPTS Pardon our editorializing, but this "As The Menu-Board Turns" soap opera is getting silly. ... [full story] NYC REVAMPS MENU LABELING PROPOSAL Noo Yawkers don't quit. They just revise and resubmit. ...[full story] NYC SAYS GAS HEATERS OKAY FOR PATIOS Global warming's bad. But patio warming is okay—as long as it's not propane. ...[full story] NYC: TRANS FAT OUT, CALORIE COUNTS IN In two months flat, Noo Yawkers went from proposal to law: The trans fat ban's a done deal.... [full story] NYC WON'T WAIT FOR CHAINS TO DROP TRANS FATS New York, where everything's fast, figures chains have had enough time....[full story] N.Y. SENATOR WANTS LETTER GRADES FOR RESTAURANTS Sometimes people appear to lead when really they're just trying to avoid getting run over by the crowd. This might be one of those times....[full story] NEW YORK CITY COUNTS CALORIES WITH NEW RULE If at first you don't succeed, go back and rewrite the ordinance on posting calorie counts. ...[full story] NEW YORK EXTENDS ENERGY-EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES Yes, big rebates for qualified equipment models now go through this time next year! ...[full story] NYRA NOT BLINKING IN CALORIE-POSTING FIGHT Remember heavyweights Frazier and Ali in the "Thrilla in Manila"? This is like that, but with suits and briefcases. Sort of. ...[full story] ROCKLAND, N.Y., TACKLES LADIES-ROOM SHORTAGES Sometimes "equal" isn't really equal. ...[full story] YES, STILL MORE HEALTH DEPARTENTS PUT REPORTS ONLINE If you're keeping a running list, here ya go....[full story] NORTH CAROLINA BASTIONS OF TOBACCO FALLING TO SMOKING BANS Turkey, home of the hookah and "Turkish blend," France, and now even Thailand are kicking the habit, at least in public places. ...[full story] MORE TOWNS TRY TO CUT THROUGH FOG Three more cities post new requirements. ...[full story] NORTH CAROLINA BARS, RESTAURANTS ADAPTING TO NEW RECYCLING LAW Ooookay. You gotta recycle glass, aluminum, paper and plastic now. Even if you can't locate a recycling center. ...[full story] NORTH CAROLINA CHANGES INSPECTION FREQUENCY No threat, no problem. If your menu lends itself to safety issues, you'll see inspectors more often. ...[full story] NORTH CAROLINA TURNS BACK CODE CHANGE Small restaurants get a break on what would have been a costly change....[full story] RALEIGH DUMPS DISPOSER BAN IN GARBAGE About a month after passing a disposer ban, Raleigh, N.C., chucks the ruling on advice of experts from Purdue and New York City. ...[full story] TACO-TRUCK BATTLES HEATING UP COAST TO COAST And in Los Angeles, taco-truckers are hunkering down. ...[full story] TWO MORE CITIES EYE GREASE-TRAP LAWS Willmar, Minn., and Stantonsburg, N.C., won't stand for FOG in their water. ...[full story] WATER WOES SPREADING ON BOTH COASTS Last issue, we jested about restrictions spreading to dishrooms some day. This issue, we're not jesting. ...[full story] NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OHIO LATEST TO BAR OBESITY LAWSUITS The ranks of states against obesity lawsuits are, uh, swelling.... full story OHIO RESTRICTS POS PRINTOUT DATA If you use POS printers for electronic credit transactions in Ohio... full story THREE STATES PASS 'MERLOT-TO-GO' LAWS Kansas, Ohio and Rhode Island join states saying you can take it with you. Just don't start driving "Sideways."....[full story] YES, STILL MORE HEALTH DEPARTENTS PUT REPORTS ONLINE If you're keeping a running list, here ya go....[full story] OK | |||||||||||||||||||||||
