Night Food Market in Downtown OKC

[Martin]

that's so sad! we swung by just before 8 but didn't stick around. it looked like everything was shaping up to be a good time. wow. -M

[Larry OKC]

Am curious, in the article in the paper, I didn't notice any mention of beer etc, so not sure where ABLE would come into play. Even if they were, why shut down the whole thing? Were Big Truck Tacos and the other established vendors trying to sell stuff without a license? Shut down the individual vendors as needed. There is definitely more to the story here. Hopefully we will find out soon....

[BBatesokc]

More and better details to come. But I heard a health department guy in a blue shirt tell some people that there was inadequate electricity to the food trucks.

[Steve]

Steve you showed up too late. The trucks left right before you got there.

Yep. Didn't think arriving at 8:30 p.m. would be that terrible, seeing as it started at 8 p.m. Not convinced I got the full story tonight. This event really warranted a response by more than two dozen city employees working overtime? Odd.

[okcboy]

Hopefully the city council will use this opportunity to consider special event liscensing reform. It is currently very complicated and hard to understand. Even for who
enforce it. Most organizers are also willing to abide if they just knew what to do.

[dankrutka]

Contact your city rep to complain. Ridiculous.

[Steve]

Guys, I have a story going in the paper, but it won't answer all your questions because I'm pretty sure I wasn't getting the full story myself tonight. Open Records Requests are being readied and my questions won't be fun for anybody. Why did they send a force of more than two dozen city and state agents to shut down three food trucks? What prompted this? And were these serious violations, or is this akin to the following scene in Ghostbusters?

[dankrutka]

Here's what gets me - the city obviously knew about the event. So much so they planned this sting with at least a dozen health inspectors (and the ABLE guys had holstered weapons). This took planning and had no goal except to ruin a social event. Why in the heck didn't they think to call the event organizers in advance and ask if they could work with them to see that all laws were being followed? This really leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth and certainly discourages other business from wanting to participate in things like this in the future.

Exactly. They are clearly a-holes.

[Steve]

http://newsok.com/article/3598829

[okcboy]

Anyone get a citation?

[SkyWestOKC]

Absolutely pathetic. Big league city, my ass.

[Celebrator]

I really hope they re-organize and hold this event again and build momentum with it.

[Watson410]

What an F'n JOKE!!!! Great job OKC, GREAT JOB!! I was really looking forward to this event too!

[CurtisJ]

The fact that there were 15+ ABLE and Health inspectors that showed up rather than a group of two or three clearly shows that they arrived with the intent of shutting the event down. I didn't even know how to react the the holstered weapons, I guess they heard "food market" and thought "violent riot".

A lady working one of the carts (it didn't have a name on it) told me that she was shut down because the burner on her grill was too small. Hopefully the organizers will persist and not let a potentially great thing cease due to small minded menial government officials trying to flex their muscles.

I'm aggrivated.

[CurtisJ]

On a side note, great job to the organizers, It really looked like it was going to be a great turn out. I hate to see your efforts wasted like this, please try again!

[Skyline]

What can we do about this??

Do we email or call someone with the city or state, if so who??

[mcca7596]

Reno and Walker, were you involved in trying to shut down competition? jk lol (I know you're probably not even open after 8)

[Reno and Walker]

Like I said before, This is a very very small town. you guys can read between the lines on this one.

[Skyline]

Seriously , Friday night in The Big League City and this is how are tax dollars are spent, by sending 2 dozen state and city officials out with overtime pay to shut down 3 trucks.

[Questor]

I am tired of ABLE. First the Bricktown craziness and now this. Someone start an initiative petition to abolish them and their budget -- I will gladly sign.

[Larry OKC]

http://newsok.com/article/3598829

Bailey said the crackdown was part of inspections being held citywide Friday night.

How many other places were shutdown citywide? There were a grand total of THREE food trucks? The horrors! Electrical problems? Aren't food trucks mobile kitchens with there own generators etc?

Thanks Steve, knew it was going to be difficult getting info after hours on a Friday night. Little surprised we even got this much this quick. Good job. Please keep us posted as the story develops.

on edit: noticed the article mentioned ABLE being there, but why were they there? Was there alcohol being sold in violation? There wasn't any mention of it (so far). Does Big Truck Tacos or any of the other vendors normally serve beer etc?

on edit edit: this was a citywide crackdown. How many City/County/State employees were there? How much overtime etc?

[blangtang]

I heard the health department showed up because there were people present without dog walking permits, but I'm sure this info is inaccurate

[mcca7596]

Larry, I believe Coop Ale and Ludivine were serving alcohol.

[MikeOKC]

http://newsok.com/article/3598829

Thanks , Steve, for getting this much that late on a Friday evening. I have no doubt you'll be asking the tough questions. Thanks for your work. Really.

[BBatesokc]

I heard the health department showed up because there were people present without dog walking permits, but I'm sure this info is inaccurate

What is a dog walking permit?

I was there when the blue shirt mafia showed up to shut things down. Everything coming out of everyone's mouth was licenses and the trucks either not having their own electricity or the cords going to the trucks being too small. The really bad part was the attitude of the city employees. They really seemed unsympathetic and to get a high from the power they had.