Texas police shut down girls' lemonade stand, demand permit

2 little girls were trying to raise 105$ so they could buy their dad a fathers day present by opening a lemonade stand in their neighborhood.

They had raised 25 bucks when the police chief and a city code enforcer showed up and shut them down saying they needed a 150$ permit.

Ok this is just ridiculous, anyone that buys lemonade from 2 eight year old girls knows the risk they might be taking and are just trying to help the girls out..

They even want their cut of an 8 year olds lemonade stand..

www.kltv.com...

OVERTON, TX (KLTV) -
A little summer fun was spoiled by police in Overton, and state health laws. Andria and Zoey Green wanted to raise $105 for a Father's Day present.

"We were trying to raise some money to take our dad to Splash Kingdom,” 8-year-old Andria explains.

Their mother, Sandi Evans says her daughters have an entrepreneurial spirit.

"The girls are always into making their own money,” Evans says.

The girls initially wanted to start a paper route, but decided on a lemonade stand to make money more quickly.

Zoey describes their business plan.

"We had kettle corn and lemonade. The lemonade was for 50 cents and the kettle corn was a dollar, but if you got both it was a dollar.”

They had been open for about an hour and had already made more than $25, when police showed up, initially because they were set up near the curb in a residential street.

Police state.

Probably arrived in armoured vehicles with assault rifles.



Rightly so... They were clearly just trying to avoid taxes.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

Was this the house destroyed by swat team? Oh no that's another story, this was Mcdonalds raising a fuss and demanding action taken since no one would be thirsty enough for their sweet teas...



The way around this is to not charge for the lemonade and to place a sign, accepting donations .

Do they not have actual crime to fight, instead of ruining adorable summer time fun?

Serves those commie girls right, trying to make money without paying their taxes!
/sarcasm

a reply to: alienjuggalo

What in the actual # ..

What are we going to do with you, Texas?

a reply to: alienjuggalo

The LEO's didn't break either of the little girls bones or execute any pets. They must be the good ones.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

I guess we all shouldl just quit our jobs, deny our obligations, pay no TAXES, observe no laws and open up our own lemonade stands. I'm glad the cops shut down their operation.

a reply to: PrinceJohnson

Right? Today it's lemonade, tomorrow it's crank. Good thing those fine, upstanding officers nipped it in the bud.

This is not the cops fault really. Blame whoever voted in the people that made the laws. Yeah they could have brushed it off, but that could bite them in the ass with our overly litigious society.

Also, it doesn't even end up affecting them.

The Green sisters say they will set up their lemonade stand this Saturday from 10:00am until 12:00pm. This time, though, they will be accepting donations.

This is a dumb story. There's no victim. No one's rights are being trampled. The cops obeyed the law and people are complaining. It would be unfair to allow anyone to operate without obtaining the permit. Next thing you know it's the seedy taco truck and people are vomiting poop. If the kids had been fined or something I would be pissed at the cops. I'm pretty sure almost every police officer in the world thinks this is a stupid policy, I highly doubt they get a hard on when some jackass reports that the kids don't have a permit.

Personally, I would like to know who brought it to the attention of the police. Was it a local convenience store businessman that called it in, since it was cutting into his beverage sales without the requisite expensive licenses and shakedown payout (I mean "taxes")?

a reply to: Krakatoa

My money is on nosy, spiteful neighbor.

a reply to: Krakatoa

I was wondering the same thing.. I mean some ASS had to call and complain for the cops to even show up.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Pretty dang ridiculous! On the flip side....

Someone buys lemonade at the stand, becomes ill and goes to the hospital. They sue the girl's family and, since no permit was issued or laws enforced, they sue the city. Sure, they knew the risk but figured the girls complied with city laws/ordinances.

On another flip side....a man in his twenties sells BBQ without a permit and when he is given a ticket cites the girls lemonade stand as his excuse.

And yet another flip side....

If no permits are required for 8 yr olds, I get my kids to sell hotdogs to raise money for my Chipotle addiction. Hey, you didn't require those other girls, why require mine.

Ridiculous yes but often times the truth is.

a reply to: Domo1

I wonder how well accepting donations with actually work... After all it's all about "state health laws." Gotta protect the citizens from that un-regulated and dangerous lemonade!

This is along the same lines of the "don't feed the homeless!" nonsense, due to "health laws" going on in Florida and other places.

a reply to: PrinceJohnson

Dam! Mr. Grownup Charlie Brown...are you still hating on l'il Lucy after all these years; with all the money you spent at Peppermint Pattie's sidewalk Pych Stand.

originally posted by: Domo1
This is not the cops fault really. Blame whoever voted in the people that made the laws.

No one held a gun to their head to stop there. They still have free choice to drive on by?

Yeah they could have brushed it off, but that could bite them in the ass with our overly litigious society.

Did you know the majority of lawsuits are initiated by lawyers looking for a lot of other peoples money and not by the average American?

I receive little post card sized letters in the mail all the time asking me if I ever bought such and such and may have some money coming my way if so.

When it is all said and down, the ones that respond get a dollar or 50 cents and the lawyers make millions in "Fees"

Does anyone else remember a time when the officers would have stopped and bought lemonade from the girls?


What a world.

Lucky the girls weren't in wheelchairs or had a dog, otherwise they would all be dead right about now.

The New World Order - awesome innit?

Most likely city ordinances, not the state. Quite sad they can't give kids a break. What do they do about Girl Scout cookie sales? Sports teams raising money?