Way to go, Kankakee /s
Tuesday, Jul 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kankakee County’s public health department wasn’t great during COVID, but they were sure Johnny on the spot when a little Black girl opened up a lemonade stand. And now there’s a new state law because of it…
Illinois’ children are finally safe to sell lemonade without fear of government overreach.
Hayli’s Law was signed into law July 9 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker after unanimously passing the Illinois House and Senate. Hayli’s law ensures children under 16 can run a lemonade stand without a permit or license.
In 2017, Hayli Martenez started her Haylibug Lemonade stand to raise money for her college fund with the help of her mom, Iva. In a violent neighborhood where people are reluctant to go out, Hayli brought together her Kankakee, Illinois, neighbors as she happily sold 50-cent cups of lemonade.
“It was kind of scary [at first] because we liked to stay in the house. We didn’t like to come outside because of all the stuff happening around here,” Hayli said previously. “As we kept doing it, I got to see everybody smile when they tasted my lemonade. It was just … wow. They were lining up to get my lemonade.”
Shortly after being profiled in the Kankakee Daily Journal, city and county health department officials paid the 11-year-old a visit and told her to shut down the stand or face fines. They cited the lack of water and sewer service to the Martenez’s home – the result of a billing dispute – even though bottled water for the lemonade was purchased at the grocery store.
* Related…
* Illinois law loosens school team uniform rules
- Common Sense - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 6:15 am:
Top of the list for Illinois problems are unregulated lemonade stands. They are ruining our state
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:24 am:
How many kids have had unregulated lemonade stands in our lifetimes? How many of us did?
This is a good learning exercise for children. If the City is so worried about the unregulated stands maybe they could get a clue.
Maybe they could issue permits at a very low cost, like a dollar so the kids can learn about regulations.
- The Eastern Block Strikes Again - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:37 am:
If only she had an online lemonade stand so we could make a donation to her college fund.
- Common Sense - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:37 am:
Ever go to a “lemonade stand” only to find out the kid is actually selling Kool-Aid? That should never be allowed.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:54 am:
I wonder if the new law addresses allowing the team to put the number inside the arc of the letters in front? That’s another crucial issue. /s
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:50 am:
Now do Will county, where the VP of the antivax “moms for america” group, sits on the county board public health and safety committee.
The number of reasons to abandon the county health department model in favor of a centralized state office, grows larger with every passing day.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:58 am:
“abandon the county health department model in favor of a centralized state office”
Maybe use IDHS has a blueprint.
Sound as the pound, they are.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:06 am:
== Sound as the pound, they are. ==
You jest, but that would *still* be better than the current situation in many counties.
In my county, we had to watch in horror as the county health department knowingly and specifically authorized a pizza buffet to operate in the middle of the spike last winter.
Many health departments have become nothing more than an extension of the local chamber of commerce group, and/or a landing spot for political appointees.
- KSDinCU - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:17 am:
I would like to know how it’s ok to remove water and sewer service to a home over “a billing dispute.”
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:32 am:
Yeah those unlicensed lemonade stands have been due for a crackdown for some time now. This is an example of a ticket quota, or some such. A little common sense goes a long way sometimes.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:35 am:
~KSDinCU~
Exactly
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:19 am:
This girl and her family live in a home without running water and sewer service, and the “wrong” that the government focuses on is her lemonade stand?
- Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:38 pm:
Note to self: never move to Kankakee.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:57 pm:
==Kankakee County’s public health department wasn’t great during COVID, ==
They also weren’t great on two Governors that came from the county: Len Small and George Ryan.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 4:57 pm:
“They cited the lack of water and sewer service to the Martenez’s home”
So they’re more upset that a child somehow got access to drinkable water than they are that there are children in their community without running water.