[angkor]

Read the Plain Dealer story. A completely different account.

Which is not to say that the coop owners/employees weren’t scared, intimidated, and felt “abused”. That’s to be expected.

But from what I read it appears that they were told to get an operating license and refused over the course of one entire year.

I’ve never, ever heard of any kind of food outlet (resto, store, whatever) being exempt from local health, cleanliness, and business codes - including licensing - and most of us wouldn’t want that.

Case closed.

[WayneS]

..and most of us wouldn’t want that.

Speak for yourself, Sheep.

[DJ MacWoW]

The case isn’t closed as a co-op doesn’t need to be licensed. Police don’t come into a home, guns drawn, over non-government approved food. Totally ridiculous.

[Wallace T.]

The difference in this case is that it is a co-op, not an establishment catering to the general public. It thus should not fall under the category of public accommodations as would, say, a McDonald's or a Kroger. It is not organized for the purpose of circumventing laws against prohibited substances or illegal activities. As such, the local government should not extend its authority over such a voluntary, closed organization.

[Still Thinking]

I’ve never, ever heard of any kind of food outlet (resto, store, whatever) being exempt from local health, cleanliness, and business codes - including licensing - and most of us wouldn’t want that.

I don't know. I'm not sure I disagree either, but I'm really not accustomed to thinking something would work better if only government had a little more control over it.