Georgia Police Bust Girls' Lemonade Stand In Midway

MIDWAY, Ga. -- Police in Georgia have shut down a lemonade stand run by three girls trying to save up for a trip to a water park, saying they didn't have a business license or the required permits.

Midway Police Chief Kelly Morningstar says police also didn't know how the lemonade was made, who made it or what was in it.

The girls had been operating for one day when Morningstar and another officer cruised by.

The girls needed a business license, peddler's permit and food permit to operate, even on residential property. The permits cost $50 a day or $180 per year.

One girl, 14-year-old Casity Dixon, says the three had to listen to police and shut down.

The girls are now doing chores and yard work to make money.

Comments

[Andrew Bott]

01:21 PM on 07/18/2011

I think the police chief needs to read Title 48 of the GA Code again. I am pretty sure a lemon aide stand is considered an “exempt business practice” in the Georgia Statutes.

[TheAlchemyst]

01:20 PM on 07/18/2011

Nanny state hard at work. Is this the America we grew up in? Is this the America we want our children to grow up in?

[NorwegianBoatOwner]

07:24 AM on 07/18/2011

Good Lord! An illegal Lemonade stand? What is today's youth coming to!?
Think about the losses in taxes alone!
What'll they do next?! Undeclared work mowing lawns and walking neighbours dogs!
I SAY!

(sarcasm lol)

[roc-o-rama]

01:33 AM on 07/18/2011

Wondering if these are the same cops that shut down the girl scouts for selling with out a permit last cookie season? Another red state infringing on your freedoms.

[johnfkennedyjr]

06:10 PM on 07/17/2011

Common sense and police, the 2 often don't mix. Nice going officers, you just made the national news for being an idiot.

[123deanna]

03:51 PM on 07/17/2011

Mr.Albertson is on to something, in my small town the Sherriffs will hold a DUI bust, or a no seatbelt bust but, forget about the drug dealer or the illegals, they just aren't that interested!

[stopnlisten]

12:10 PM on 07/17/2011

The Cops should have given them a buck, drank some lemonade, and told them that they were doing a good job earning their money and to have a nice day.

[traumabob]

09:16 AM on 07/17/2011

Maybe they should have held a gun show to raise money instead. Then the NRA would have come to their defense.

[uwilnotgtridofme]

07:19 AM on 07/17/2011

Maybe they should've pulled some survailenc­e on the Lemonaid stand . Then they could've maybe located the sourse and busted up the Lemonaid Lab itself and taken down the leaders of the Leomonaid cartel .”

[mudshark12]

03:42 AM on 07/17/2011

These laws were made for adults running a business, not for children out to earn a little petty cash. If Midway Police Chief Kelly Morningstar also didn't know how the lemonade was made, who made it or what was in it, they could have asked and maybe even paid the whole 10 cents and sampled a glass. Honestly, there are sometimes when police should look the other way and this is one of them.

[Andrew Bott]

01:34 PM on 07/18/2011

Yes, I believe you're correct, specifically Title 48 of the Georgia Code, which regulates businesses. The technical reasoning is the fact the children are really asking for a "donation" as opposed to "selling" lemonade. It falls into the category of an Agricultural activity that would be exempt much like trading at a county fair or a type of school event. Since the girl's or not required to registered to collect sales taxes, they would not be required to register their stand with the city.

[mudshark12]

03:39 PM on 07/18/2011

Nice, you sound like you are familiar with Georgia's laws. Would you be so kind to send chief Morningsta­r a printed copy of this? I would, but I'm way too busy and have an over full schedule. Thank you and fanned.

[52centameters]

12:04 AM on 07/17/2011

And you wonder WHY people have lost respect for policing ! These cops are out right idiots !

[Ty2010]

11:50 PM on 07/16/2011

From the news stories lately I can only come to one conclusion, America hates lemonaide.

[stopnlisten]

12:07 PM on 07/17/2011

and tea....

[Jamiinvegas]

11:45 PM on 07/16/2011

Maybe that's why they still haven't caught the gang of elementary /middle school kids who tried to shoot my husbands cousin and car jack him. Too busy busting lemonade stands

[ringmaster]

09:01 PM on 07/16/2011

Here I am
sitten' on tha pooper
just gave birth
to a Georgia State Trooper.

[Pembrokelib]

08:29 PM on 07/16/2011

Kids all over my neighborhood have lemonade stands. Maybe RI police have more brains and sense than Georgia rednecks.