Deputies assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) worked hand in hand with Los Angeles County Public Health Department officials. On Tuesday, May 27, 2014, and again on Saturday, May 31, 2014, CPU Deputies along with LA County Health Inspectors conducted compliance checks of street food vendors within the city of Santa Clarita and in the surrounding unincorporated areas of the Santa Clarita Valley.
More than 30 vendors were contacted between the two days to make sure their permits were up-to-date and they were following applicable laws relating to public health. At the end of the operation, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials confiscated 10 food carts, pending a hearing, for operating illegally within the Santa Clarita Valley.
“We assisted the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in this operation in response to numerous concerns from Santa Clarita Valley residents, which were shared with both our agencies,” said Deputy Joshua Dubin, noting the health inspections were done at random locations during both days. There were no arrests made as a result of the health inspections.
Each year in the United States there are an estimated 76 million cases of food borne illness. It is estimated that 325,000 cases result in hospitalization and 5,000 in death. To help make sure that food offered to the public is safe, all food vendors must have a public health permit and receive routine inspections.
To report a food borne illness or if you suspect a food vendor is operating illegally, please contact the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health at 213-240-7821.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
89 Comments
cheeseburger,,, cheeseburger, pepsi!
cheeseburger,,, cheeseburger, pepsi!
Not the cuca truck Monceraht Yoguez
Finally! They should be subjected to obeying our laws just like the rest of us who own small business’.
subjected = forced with threat of violence
NO, LOL, they should have to be inspected for permits and cleanliness. Also, they should be paying tax on the goods that are taxable. There is no free ride for our business, so why should they get to have one? We buy lunch from lunch food trucks, and they have to comply with the same regulations as everyone else. It’s only fair.
and what happens if they don’t pay taxes/comply with the regulations/permits/health codes?
Yeeees^^ I wrote a post about driving down walnut st / swap meet…and seeing this going on. Crack down on this and become “legal” in all forms!!
Legal in all forms huh? I guess assuming is the new “in ” thing now a days.
It’s about time!!
Why not Free trade? these people are willing to sell perfectly good products why should the government get involved if people want to support their local businesses?
“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all.”
Is this Mexico? No, we have regulations here, and should respect them. Let’s go after the big business’ that skirt the rules first, then go get the little guys. The big corporations are the worst as far as getting away with breaking the laws, but the corrupt paid off factions that ignore the inspections of their business’ should be looked into. Hey maybe we are like Mexico! :-)
Why can you not make a voluntary decision as an adult to purchase food from a vendor. If you do not feel comfortable with buying from an unlicensed vendor, then by all means take your business elsewhere. However, do not force the individual and other consumers by threat of force to not engage in this voluntary exchange.
Not only is it an agricultural issue (bugs, diseases, poisonings), but it’s a licensing issue, and sales tax issue. It’s unfair to all the other people who have to pay sales tax! Also, if someone were to get diseased fruit (Hepatitis etc.) they can sue the state for not regulating this undocumented food substance. How do you people think we pay for emergency services? It comes from sales tax revenue! Everyone else who owns a licensed business collects sales tax! The licenses are not that expensive, and these food handlers should be trained in food safety as well. It makes our society much safer in the long run.
All of these things can be dealt with voluntarily. The vendor has a motive to sell food that is not ridden with disease. Why? Because, I will not buy food that makes me sick. If you do not trust a vendors goods, take responsibility for what you put into your body and go elsewhere. There are also websites, apps, and rating systems to look at restaurant reviews to make sure you are buying healthy food. Secondly, you are claiming that it is not “fair” if everybody is not being extorted by the state equally. I don’t think the small businesses should have to pay the sales tax in the first place either.
Anyone concerned about what they’re ingesting should be fighting for food labeling and speaking out against the proven poisons & toxins ALLOWED by the FDA. Let’s get real, it’s about the state wanting their fees, plan & simple. Our forefathers would freak if they knew we have to pay the state/government for the ‘privilege’ of earning a living.
Did you say take responsibility Stephen? No no no that’s the government’a job to think for me and to make rational decisions for me. Duh. Are you stupid Steven? Thinking for yourself isn’t the cool thing to do nowadays. You must be a loser. It’s not like the fruit at a farmers market or regular market is touched by a ton of people with germs or anything and it’s not like you can take your produce and wash it in the sink. Didn’t you know eating produce without washing is the way to do it? Pesticides and other crap they put on our food is good to ingest and builds your immune system
Always messing with the working people.
“Those People”
I love roach coaches though
They work hard for what they have
They can just go get a license, it’s not that much money, and then it’s fine.
I think the people who regularly buy produce out of the back of a truck are well aware that there’s a certain level of cleanliness being traded off for convenience or support of the business or whatever…
I mean I see this particular truck roll by with boxes of oranges sitting on the back bumper…
Burning oil like a son of a gun..! That slightly bluish white smoke drifting from it’s exhaust, right over the fruit as it drifts into the atmosphere..!
Trust me Mr health inspector, your saving no lives and doing no good…
These people know what they’re buying..!
They made sure to rinse it off before they ate it..!
Quit tripin..!
If they want to waste tax dollars cracking down on these guys, why not pull em over and make em pass a surprise smog check..?
People of color can never catch a break in Santa Clarita
Melissa
The victim mentality will get you know where.
People of color? Has nothing to do with it but since you brought it up why should “ppl of color” have special privileges. It should be the same for everyone.
Meanwhile the bank robber is driving down the freeway!!
Thank God they are cracking down on food vendors instead of investigating actual crimes.
Yay they saved the day.. Go get the real bad guys like the drug dealer selling to school kids
Just think what it costs to run an operation like that… Wtf if my taxes are paying them, I want say on what they waste my money on…!!!
There is nothing wrong with the Sheriffs doing inspections
Say that to the individuals who are now out of work
I will also that to the other vendors who have proper licenses and welcome inspections
How dare these people voluntarily exchange goods with willing customers without permission. OUTRAGEOUS.
U don’t have to buy from them but cops interfering us too much!!!
Why don’t they assign a task force to catch real criminals. I am all for food and safety but would much rather have my tax dollars going towards actual crime
The truck guys can just get a license, it’s not expensive, and this way they collect sales tax from the customers. It’s how it’s done in California. If someone were to get sick from the food on the trucks, they could sue the state because they were not inspected or regulated for food safety, which will cause you the tax payer to fork up more money on your taxes. It is only fair, and saves us in taxes, and food service safety. I do support and own a small business, and believe me it’s not fun having the freakin inspectors coming in and nit picking at every little thing to get more money, then you have to pay them for the privilege but it’s for the best in the long run. The rules and regulations are there for a reason, and unfortunately people who are coming from other countries don’t always know that they need certain licensing to operate their business’ in the state. I wish them luck, and hope they are serving their communities in a successful manner.
Typical county bulling to make a buck on the poor and that means the middle class. Go to the dollar store is what the county is trying to tell the Poor
Yeah and the majority of food there has passed it’s expiration. But it’s a dollar.
I just wish that they fruit trucks wouldn’t signal their arrival to a new section of the block by blaring their version of “la cucaracha”. My 6 month old has had to learn to sleep through the noise. Oh well.
The cost of the license is less than what it will cost to replace all the confiscated goods. I think it sucks that they probably lost their income but if they did it right in the 1st place this wouldn’t have happened. Don’t get me wrong, they serve a need for people without transportation. But they can serve that need legally. Where they are required to meet health codes.
There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.
Stephen Meyer those trucks and carts need to operate under the Same laws as the rest of us. I have to pay corporate taxes every year on top of my own personal taxes. Then I have to pay the state franchise tax board to do business in California. Just because they want your business doesn’t mean you may not get sick. If they do not want to pay for the opportunity to do business in ca then they can do business somewhere else. It is not tyranny to mage sure all business is equally legislated. If they didn’t do it then it would be tyranny by selective enforcement. By selectively enforcing certain vendors to have permits but not others it would throw off the balance.
Do you truly believe that some of these food cart vendors are actually making enough to claim on taxes? I don’t know what type of a business you are running, but the idea you placing them in the same caliber of yours makes me laugh a little. And I can attest that in dealing with a good number of these vendors they actually pay their taxes.
You’re right I could get sick, but guess what, responsibility comes with risks and if I make bad choices I will have a higher chance of risk
You’re right I could get sick, but guess what, responsibility comes with risks and if I make bad choices I will have a higher chance of risk
“It is not tyranny to make sure all business if equally legislated.” First off if you absolutely believe that, then you must be willing to prosecute/shut down all food vendors, including lemonade stands and other small scale sales, since after all they haven’t gotten the proper licenses.
Would a 100% tax being “equally legislated” on all vendors be tyrannical? or as long as it is equal, it is okay?
because, we need a special task force to take down these menacing felons.
Our tax dollars at work! Lol
Well thank god! we are all now safe from vegetables!
For now…
Sheriffs wasting tax dollars what a joke. Should be concentrating in the drums on the street
I don’t see anything wrong with making sure everyone doing business is doing it right. Unfortunately doing business in California comes with strict rules and laws. Some crazier than others.
More Government intervention into American lives!
Now go for the Ice cream Trucks….
Some morons here commenting as usual. Every business owner must abide by laws in order to legally operate. The food industry is arguably more important than retail because the health of the public is at risk. No license means no health inspection. If these people aren’t willing to obtain licenses to operate then I am glad they are losing their carts/merchandise. Why should one guy have to operate under the law but these people don’t?
You’re right there are a lot of morons commenting, thanks for adding to the list. Anyways, I saw an unpermitted lemonade stand being run by some pretty shady 6 year olds, you might want to report them for their lawlessness.
Stupid moron kids and their illegal lemonade stands. They also handle the lemons without gloves. This is a matter of food safety! I could get sick for only paying a quarter so I’ll be sure to do what most Americans do and sue those kids and their family!
Good
Amber Martinez obviously they make enough to get a permit. Out of 30 vendors, only 10 were in violation. If they cannot afford to get the proper documentation than they run the risk of getting shut down. There is a legal way to do things and the non legal option. Don’t get me wrong, I think it sucks that they lost their carts. But if they spent the little extra to be legit ,it wouldn’t have been an issue. Right?
Wow….. Ice cream men are next
and then the lemonade stands
Were they checking residency status too? Or we only enforce certain laws here?
What About Busting Santa Clara River Junkies. Robbing People On The Bike Path?
The haves are criticizing how the have nots should pay for things. Also for the people that think of this as good for health reasons, which one of you uppity Santa claritans would go out of your way make a transaction with one of these carts? These guys do business in a lower income housing area and don’t even bother going to these wealthier neighborhoods in Valencia or Saugus. The people that buy from them are people that know the risks and it is much cheaper for them to buy produce of these trucks. All the regulation and red tape means more fixed costs in turn increases price making it hard for lower income families to afford produce. It is so sad that the police out here have nothing better to do than shut down people trying to put food on the table by a means that isn’t anything close to selling drugs or selling their body. If anything these trucks are conducting capitalism in its raw form without all the gov. Regulation. Shouldn’t this town and its republican majority be applauding these people? Waste of tax dollars and time. Go actually fight crime
Agreed, but republicans are far from capitalists, closer to big government corporatism. Every Republican president since and including Herbert Hoover has increased the federal government’s size, scope, or power–and usually all three.
Agreed, but republicans are far from capitalists, closer to big government corporatism. Every Republican president since and including Herbert Hoover has increased the federal government’s size, scope, or power–and usually all three.
Leave them the heck alone and concentrate on REAL crime!! They aren’t asking for a handout…just a chance to make a bit of money to support their families!
They’re mostly all illegal anyway, don’t turn Santa Clarita into the next Tijuana, deport them all..including the ones who hang out @ Home Depot bumming for work…..
Good.
What people dont realize about these food vendors is they are watchout for neighborhood drug dealers, and even mexican cartels operating in those neighboorhoods. So it may seem like a low blow, but its hard for law enforcement to crack down on them, because they watch each others backs.
It would be a form of unjust rule if the government selectively enforced laws on some people but not others. We do not live in a tyrannical society. Stephen Meyer would you be upset if the government knocked at your door and arrested you for breaking a law that your neighbors were breaking but the police said it is okay for them to break the law because they didn’t have as much as you? Which review seems more tyrannical? Making sure everyone has to abide by the same laws or deciding which people have to abide by the laws and giving others a free pass?
That’s already how it works….we have a progressive tax system. Also my point is that it is immoral to forceably shut an individual’s business down for a nonviolent fully voluntary interaction, whether that individual makes 1000/month or 100k.
Stephen Meyer – Your “tyrannical society” would work just fine until families started coming down with salmonella or something. Then you would be wondering why these food trucks were not certified as they are supposed to be. Then here comes the lawyers and now we as citizen get to pick up the tab for the lawsuits and the judge will mandate all food trucks must be inspected and certified. Michael Erickson is correct.
These trucks have been selling their produce for years and no one has complained or gotten sick. This is now an issue due to the gentrification of newhall. The quality of the produce is the same as at the newhall farmers market. If one gets sick from this produce it’s probably because that person is stupid and didn’t wash the produce. If someone doesn’t like those trucks DON’T SHOP THERE. there’s no need to get one’a panties in a wad. I understand that businesses should be treated fairly, but ultimately if you look at this country’s track record, huge corporations get so much more special attention and laws passed benefitting them due to the corruption in lobbying, so for one to argue that all the businesses need to follow the rules take a look at Monsanto and go eat their produce and see how healthy that is for you.
no one seems to be getting their panties in a wad so to speak as much as making sure businesses follow rules. Just like if A guy set up an illegal pizza cart outside Vincenzo’s Pizza, in Saugus, or Newhall would the owners be upset? and what if they were taking business from you and were not following food safety rules. If you read the article it was not only produce trucks that were targeted. They targeted over 30 vendors who sole corn, hot dogs, ice-cream as well as produce. Out of 30 only 10 were cited. that means 2/3’s had the proper permits to do business here in the county of Los Angeles. The article also states that it was the county who cracked down not the city. The Sheriff dept only assisted. The fact that you do not feel food safety is important and you work in the industry will have me think twice next time I order pizza. Especially from Vincenzo’s Pizza, Saugus or Newhall. I respect your opinion and I understand you feel the little guy needs a chance but every big business was once the little guy who needed to go by the books to stay in business.
Really? “Against food safety,” for wanting something done privately rather than by the government, that’s like saying somebody that doesn’t want state control of grain, doesn’t want people to eat.
I wonder if you would drink the water in Mexico Stephen Meyer. Government standards is why we can brush our teeth without using bottled water. I find it laughable that everyone keeps responding to me like I’m some evil dictator for believing laws have a place in our society. I am sure when you buy a burger at a local drive through you appreciate the fact that they have been inspected and are forced to carry a certain level of insurance to pay you in case you do actually get sick. It is laughable that you seem to over look the fact that 2/3 of the people they inspected did in fact pass and did not have their carts taken away. this means they know the cost of doing business and it certainly is not fair to the 20 out of 30 carts that are legit, if the government didn’t enforce the other 10 to do the same.
Please do not put words in my mouth Michael. I never said that I do not care about food safety or do not find it important so please do not tarnish Vincenzo’s reputation by misquoting me. My personal opinions, which you assumed incorrectly, are not the opinions of the owner of Vincenzo’s or any of the other employees. I wasn’t specifically targeting you in my comment and if I was I would have inserted your name but if that really hurt your feelings that bad that you have to snoop on my profile to look up some personal information about where I work and falsely assume that the business I work at doesn’t enforce food handling safety then I apologize for offending someone with such high sensitivity. I also would dare someone to open an “illegal pizza cart taking business from us and not following food safety” in front of Vincenzo’s because they’re product does not compare to ours and if they are making people sick then it would only increase out business since that persons product is so crappy but if they need to put food on their family’s table, I’m not going to call the cops for such a low priority crime and waste the police’s time when they could be arresting real criminals that can really injure someone but I guess since Santa Clarita is so “safe” most of those types of criminals are off the streets and that is why the police and the county for that matter are pursuing this. It makes my argument that there are more pressing issues at hand if this wasn’t the city but the county. There is a huge drug problem in the county let alone the city but produce that is bought by people who knowingly accept the risk and can be easily cleaned by washing it is where our resources should go because that will definitely better the community more! Finally, i feel if you really respected my opinion you wouldn’t feel the need to tag Vincenzo’s. To me, it seems like a pity attempt to get me reprimanded by my employer because of your negative comment towards him and his business. This may not be the case but that’s my opinion and you respect my opinion right? ;)
No, I would not choose to drink the tap water in Mexico. Mexico’s water is run by the state, what are you getting at?
There are more pressing matters in this city than this one. Drugs and DUI are going to hurt more people than someone selling unregulated produce to low income families
now i won’t heat that annoying sound going by my house lol sorry they lost their business but should be done legit like everyone else . I don’t have lots of money but I’m still legit no excuses
Dk Persing 1st I didn’t tag you intentionally. Every Time I Typed the name it came up. 2nd I didn’t intend to go to your page but when I clicked on the notification because you replied to my post directly, it took me to your page. I was honestly surprised to find out you worked at a place in which I have been purchasing pizza from probably since you were in kindergarten. I mentioned the place because I was disappointed to see a place where I have eaten salad at had someone handling my food who feels that way. I’m sorry if you are offended at no time did I personally attack you or call you names for believing what you believe. But on a side note if you are going to reply to someone, expect that they might click on your public profile to see who they are responding to. See had I clicked on your profile purposefully I may not have responded as I did. But seeing that we share a similar educational background I was a bit disappointed to see that my old high school and college have obviously stop teaching what we learned when I attended. Again sorry to offend. It was not my intention and I’m sure you are a good person. We just believe differently about the purpose of the law. We can agree to disagree. I do want to note in my comment about where you work I also made sure not to mention your name.
Michael, you don’t understand the argument that he is making or I am making, it is not that we hate healthy food, or we are okay with dirty food, it is the opposite. I believe a voluntary market is a more efficient market aka better quality, more choice for consumers. A government monopoly on this service is obsolete to private health organizations, reviews, and reputation.
Here is the reality, the people who live in the areas with these vendors are generally lower income. I did say generally so I understand there may be exceptions. A person who is on that pay grade generally is not paying for health insurance. These trucks go there and a CHILD buys from them and gets sick. The government which everyone is against is now forced to foot the bill for that sick child who bought a corn from a vendor. Those medical bills can cost the hospital and the government thousands of dollars. A child does not have the ability to make the choice whether or not to trust the corn guy, the Ice Cream truck guy, or the guy who sells produce to that family. There is a much bigger picture here. In the U.S., about 76 million people get sick each year from food-borne illnesses, and more than 300,000 are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although food-related illness is often short and mild, it can sometimes be life-threatening. About 5,000 people in the U.S. die each year from food-borne illnesses. take the children who are part of that equation and they are the innocent victims. If YOU or I make a choice to eat from them, that is OUR choice. Take the guy who sells fruit in front of Placerita JR high, those 11 year old kids are just spending the $2 or $3 they have thinking it is okay. later they end up in the hospital sick and the parents do not know why. They cannot find the person who got their child sick because he is not registered with the government and is not licensed to sell food. these people are stuck paying the bill or the tax payers are. In no way do I think CA is easy to do business in, but if you get sick from a licensed vendor at least you have recourse or someone to sue. I understand your point but I just feel that your view is solely siding with the unlicensed vendor. Critical thinking forces us to take all issues into consideration. If you little brother or sister got sick because they bought a ice-cream from a vendor who was not licensed would you feel different? If you had to see your beautiful family hit hard in the pocket and by illness would you still view the 10 out of 30 vendors who do not abide by the law as the victims? I’m sure you are an extremely intelligent person and I have no doubt that you may continue to disagree with my view. In the end as I said to the other gentleman we are going to have to just agree to disagree.