St. Louis bar asks judge to block city’s smoking ban

A south St. Louis bar is asking a circuit court judge to block the city’s smoking ban. Herbert Krischke’s The Trophy Room, 5099 Arsenal St., and other bars were granted a five-year exemption from the city’s smoking ban, which went into effect in 2011. But those exemptions expire Jan. 1, 2016. Krischke brought suit Dec. 24 against the city, claiming the ban is unconstitutional and that it unfairly grants exemptions to casinos. The suit, filed by John Steward of Meyerkord & Meyerkord LLC,…