2 Teenagers Were Eager to Shovel Snow..Then Police paid

[The Captain]

a visit.

www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/nyregion/new-jersey-teenagers-eager-to-shovel-snow-and-an-encounter-with-the-police.html?_r=1

Ok, first off I don't think this should be spun as an anti-police thing.

But seriously, you need a permit to ask people if they want their sidewalk shoveled?

Unbelievable.

[Opti]

"News media vans descended on the town; Glenn Beck talked about it, calling the situation a confrontation between young American entrepreneurship and the limits of an overly bureaucratic government."

Makes me wish I still got the Star Ledger on a regular basis. I hadn't heard about

this story at all. Town rule is pretty strong in much of NJ, plus if they were walking across

yards instead of the road and up the driveway I can see how someone might choose to

call the cops.

Another 'cops got called, what are they going to do?' type story.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

What a shame. With so many kids just hanging out at malls, or getting into all sorts of trouble, here's 2 young men who decided to be enterprising and provide a service of shoveling neighbors' walks for some extra money.

Too bad someone had to rain (or rather snow) on their parade. I guess every neighborhood has their own grouch.

[gooddecisions]

It doesn't surprise me at all. The police were just following up on a complaint and people love complaining. I'm on a neighborhood facebook page that is actually a swap page, but people use it to complain sometimes. There are over 1000 members and my neighborhood has 1600 homes. Somebody posted about a car with a woman inside just sitting in it and how suspicious it looked. It was more than likely somebody looking to buy a home in the neighborhood since there are several for sale. But, 30 people commented about it being creepy and called the cops on her. Why somebody didn't want to just say hello, I don't know. She checked out okay.

Another person posted a picture of a truck with snow still on the roof and ranted about how dangerous it was and also reported the license plate to the police after encouragement from other members of the site.

Another person posted a picture of a car running a red light and ranted about how reckless they were. Once again, reported to the police.

Another person posted pictures of two teenagers jaywalking across the street. More bandwagon and how they should have the police come visit.

I hate it. There are places that are actually dangerous and need the police. Our neighborhood is not one of them.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Street trades permit.  I had to get one for my paper route when I was 12.  I was supposed to renew it every year but didn't find that part out until about 5 years after I was done with the route.    I think it was a $10 fee for the year. 

I had the paper route for 4 years.  I sort of inherited/paid my older brother for it when he got a stocking job at 17. 

[ArchietheDragon]

How are they going to afford their tanning?

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Permits for a kid to shovel snow or deliver newspapers? Ugh - how ridiculous! Glad I live where I do.

What do they do about Girl Scouts selling cookies?

[Wisconsin Beth]

Feb 20, 2015 14:24:00 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Permits for a kid to shovel snow or deliver newspapers? Ugh - how ridiculous! Glad I live where I do.

What do they do about Girl Scouts selling cookies?

Well, that's one way to look at it.  Another is that it's trying to get a list of who's selling what - in order to get any taxes or handle complaints.