FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Fairmont is the newest West Virginia city to introduce a Private Outdoor Designated Area, PODA, where people can open carry certain alcoholic beverages.

The City of Fairmont announced Friday that its PODA, which it approved back in May, is officially open just in time for Fairmont State University homecoming weekend. Fairmont's PODA allows certain establishments to sell alcoholic beverages in designated marked cups that customers can carry outside within the PODA district, or the "Friendly City Spirits District", which includes parts of downtown and along Merchant Street.

To start, the Joe is the only business offering PODA cups, but the city said it hopes to add more businesses soon. Businesses within the PODA district are allowed to decide whether they will all

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