MISSOULA — The owner of a bar in Turah says she's had to resort to breaking the law to keep her business afloat.

Peggy Bjornberg says business declined 70 percent in the first three weeks after she implemented the smoking ban required when the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act took effect for bars last Oct. 1. She decided she'd have to allow smoking and pay the fines to stay in business.

Erica Rollins heads Tobacco Free Missoula County. She says Bjornberg's Turah Pines Bar is the only bar in the county blatantly disregarding the law. As of Tuesday, Turah Pines faced $1,300 in fines and Rollins was preparing documentation to turn over to the county attorney's office.

Health officials hope public pressure will help bring the Turah bar in line.

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