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| FESTIVAL DEL HABANO STARTS IN HAVANA |
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Page 1 of 2  Plus: Arizona retailer’s suit against the state impacts more than just one store!Los Angeles, February 25 – Sunday marked a momentous day for Cuba as the shift from Fidel Castro to his brother Raul was formalized by the Cuban National Assembly. The 614-seat body unanimously elected 76-year-old Raul Castro to the presidency, replacing his 81-year-old brother, who did not attend. Despite whispers of a new generation coming into the government, Jose Ramon Machado – who also fought with the Castros in the 1950s – was elected to the vice-presidential slot, replacing Raul Castro. Commentators are writing and talking themselves silly about possible changes coming to Cuba under Raul’s direction, but the new Cuban leader made a plain indication that he won’t be straying too far from his brother’s path by proposing that he “consult” with his brother on all major decisions. Monday begins the 10th Festival del Habano, Cuba’s “cigar week” which will feature new product introductions, a series of seminars and contests and visits to factories and fields. About the same number of registrants is expected in 2008 as in 2007, which had 1,600 attendees. Of that number, some 948 were from outside of Cuba – almost 60 percent – with the largest contingents from Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France. And, of course, there were some Americans mixed in as well. The highlights will be trips to the famed San Juan y Martinez tobacco–growing district in the Vuelta Abajo sector of the Pinar del Rio province and to the La Corona and H. Upmann factories in Havana. The gala dinner and auction that ends the event will take place on Friday. In the past, the after-dinner auction – run by Simon Chase of the British distributor Hunters & Frankau – has often included one or more humidors signed by Fidel Castro. With the senior Castro now out of power, will there be a humidor or two signed by the new Cuban president? Arizona law challenge impacts more shops: The suit filed by Magnum’s Cigars, Wine & Liquor of Phoenix, Arizona against the state’s Department of Health Services over its interpretation of the voter-passed Arizona Smoke-Free Act of 2006 turns out to be about more than a single cigar store that has a small bar in it. Reporter David Woodfill of the East Valley Tribune wrote Saturday that “Craig Jones, owner of Matchstix Fine Cigars in Chandler, is openly defying repeated warnings from health inspectors to either stop selling beer and wine from the tiny refrigerator in the back of his store, or tell his customers to smoke outside. “‘It's the principle of the thing,’ he says in short, rapid-fire bursts that pause when he takes a puff from a fat cigar in his hand. ‘They can't write the law.’” The state’s Health Services Department sent notices to about 70 businesses last October that either food or beverage service in the store is in violation of the Smoke-Free Act. And inspectors have been handing out violation notices to stores, although Matchstix has not been fined as yet. |
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Did you know?
“Cigars were introduced to the American Colonies by British Col. Israel Putnam on his return from Cuba in 1762.
