June 22, 2003 8:42 PM

I suppose it's easier than making a drug bust, eh?

Girl's lemonade stand back in business

It makes you get lots and lots of money. It's really fun.

- Avigayil Wardein

On the scale of threats to our way of life, a sidwalk lemonade stand would seem to rank somewhere near the bottom. That is, of course, unless you live in Naples, FL. Because of a curmudgeonly neighbor who complained about the permit-less sidewalk business, six-year-old Avigayil Wardein has become a cause celebre. (What, the little girl was about to corner the Naples lemonade market?)

Forget about the Gulf of Mexico. Who cares about the breathtaking sunsets. Never mind the romantic lure of the Naples Pier.

Something sour has put Naples on the map.

Media from all over the United States have swarmed to now-famous Avigayil Wardein — a brown-haired, 6-year-old who just lost two front baby teeth.

Naples police busted Avigayil on June 13 for selling lemonade without a city permit. The story filtered through the news wires and quickly became a topic on CNN, MSNBC and Fox news networks, as well as the "Today" show and "Inside Edition."....

It turns out not many folks knew someone needs a city permit to operate a lemonade stand. Even Naples Mayor Bonnie MacKenzie bought lemonade from the small setup before Avigayil was forced to close it.

"I've been a customer of hers more than once," MacKenzie said. "That means I've aided and abetted. You know what, I'm not one bit sorry. It's good lemonade."

On June 13, Naples police responded to a complaint from an anonymous neighbor who grumbled about the permit-less lemonade stand on the corner of Sixth Street and 11th Avenue South.

Although the Naples police officer who answered the call was only doing his job, he felt so bad he bought a cup of lemonade. City officials shook their heads in shame. So they waived the permit fee, which was $35.

After a temporary shutdown, the city allowed the business entrepreneur to reopen.

Yep, only in America can a 6-year-old take on City Hall and end up with her very own college fund. God, I LOVE this country....

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on June 22, 2003 8:42 PM.

Blame Canada, eh? was the previous entry in this blog.

This is why I'm seldom in touch with it is the next entry in this blog.

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