Manhattan’s newly combined smoking and vaping ordinance will not completely ban nicotine consumption on bar and restaurant outdoor patios. It passed by 3 to 2 vote.

The City Commission Tuesday changed course on the regulations following outreach from multiple area business owners after having previously passed a first reading of an ordinance that extended the ban to patios and would have applied on golf courses as well. The amended version of the law still prohibits smoking and vaping within 20 feet of access points such as doors and open windows — even on patios — in all Parks and Recreation facilities and outdoor areas, in taxis and ride-share services as well as in tobacco and vape stores.

The ordinance was requested for consideration by the Flint Hills Wellness Coalition and Chair Debbie Nuss says the voter-approved 2009 ordinance had always intended patios would included under the ban. Stan Watt, chairperson for Clean Air Manhattan which created the original smoking ordinance, questioned the negative impact business owners believe would have come of the proposed ban.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Union Pacific’s steam locomotive 4014 is trekking across the country to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. Ed Dickens is the senior manager of Union Pacific’s Heritage Operations and helped lead restoration on the 7,000 horse power, 135 foot long, 605 ton locomotive.

“Nothing gives a testimony better than someone’s firsthand experience watching this thing go by. We try to tell people to please stay back but people want to be up close. They don’t usually get a good picture because half the time they drop their phones,” Dickens said.

Big Boy No. 4014 traveled the rails from 1941 to 1961 garnering more than one million miles.

“The men and women and all the young children and people of the older generation that remember steam locomotives are fascinated with the story of the Big Boy locomotive, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive,” Dickens said.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)