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Police in Texas shut down girls’ lemonade stand, demand permit

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OVERTON, Texas — Two girls wanting to raise money to purchase a Father’s Day present had their lemonade stand shut down after police demanded to see a permit.

Andria and Zoey Green wanted to raise $105 to buy their dad a present, according to KLTV.

“We were trying to raise some money to take our dad to Splash Kingdom,” 8-year-old Andria told KTLV. Splash Kingdom is a water park in Canton, Texas.

The sisters were selling lemonade and kettle corn for about an hour when police showed up because they set up their stand near the curb on a residential street. A code enforcement officer told the girls’ mother they would need a permit to sell lemonade.

The city agreed to waive the $150 fee for a “Peddler’s Permit,” but according to Texas House Bill 970, the “sale of food which requires time or temperature control to prevent spoilage” is prohibited. Because lemonade must be refrigerated to prevent the growth of bacteria, an inspection and permit is required.

The sisters said they will again set up their stand on Saturday, but this time they will be accepting donations.