" George, I don't think it is so much about the strawberries, but the other vendors that cook in their backyard then sell their goods. Re=read the article about that guy and the horrible conditions he cooked under. The strawberries you can look over and make your decision, but if you enforce the law it will have to be for everyone. I do like the strawberries and they are usually so good. "

" As much as I despise the majority of Napa Police officers , not because of what they have done to me, but what I have seen them do to the least of us, ( Hispanics ), I have to disagree with Mr. Bachich at this time. There is a large and semi exposed shadow culture of underground economy elements in Napa and most cities that enjoy a reasonably sized Hispanic community. The police department should not be monolithic in it's approach to the crimes and the problems in any area. The Napa Police are sending an informational signal to those in our community who are foriegn to the way legitimate business is run in the U.S., by laws and regulations. TMS SMP "

" Maybe the permit fees the vendors obtain (they DID go to city hall and obtain them, right?) will offset the police costs.
There is one letter today in the Register mentioning the obvious: laws apply to ALL of us. Any question about that? "

" I agree with George that the time spent and cost of busting the strawberry vendors was probably excessive. I belive there is a bigger issue here and that is one of lawlessness. You have an illegal immigrant, selling unchecked fruit ,without a vendors license ,in a residential neighborhood without bathroom facilities. Is this fair to the licensed sellers of strawberries? I'll bet the strawberry growers on Silverado Trail are both here legally and have a business license, maybe not. Is being poorer a legitimate excuse for flaunting the laws of the land? I see a disturbing trend in both the Hispanic and Anglo community of lawlessness. Just read Donna Long's letter. The prevailing attitude today seems to be, I'll do what I want, legal or not, and to hell with society and the greater good. By supporting and condoning illegal activities gives me license for my own lawlessness. "

" Excellent letter, George. It might be different if the police were not crying about being "understaffed" and "overworked". Besides, we have to get out of this "nanny state" mentality: the governement must run every facet of our lives, protect us from every single danger in our lives... "

" To the casual observer, the strawberry vendor looks pretty inocuous. However, think about this; these men are picked up in the S.F. or Oakland produce markets. Many carry no ID. They are dropped off in the morning on a street corner and left until the end of the day. They have no place to go to the restroom, (except in nature). They stand on the corner, often in residential neighborhoods, with little to do but watch what time people leave their home and what time they return.

Their customers often make abrubpt and unsafe traffic moves to pull up and buy the product.

Their out of town bosses pay none of the things legitimate Napa businesses do, such as payroll taxes, business licenses, workers comp insurance, utilities, etc..

The point is, the issue is more complicated than it may look. The police are doing what needs to be done to prevent crime, enforce the laws on the books, and maintain some level of order and quality of life. These are all equally important as catching felons. "

" The simple truth is that we all want those strawberries even if they don’t carry the Napa City Council’s pompous seal of approval. If there were not a real demand for those berries, the vendors would not be able to sell them. The fact that we buy them is proof that the vendors are performing a desired service. They should be rewarded for their industriousness and willingness to serve, not harassed. There is a demand for illegal narcotics too and illegal laborers and many other things that are outlawed so who gets to decide which laws are ok to enforce? I would personally love to start selling venison jerky a BBQ, there are deer running all around my neighborhood and I know there is a market for venison jerky. The law says these deer are not salable do you think its Ok to harvest them for my profit? Sell the meatat a roadside stand ? I think tresspassing signs should be ignored and I should be able to fish any farm pond or cross private property to fish the river, lake stream etc. (this is by the way a vieled request for farm pond access) but I respect the laws (maybe reluctantly at times) as should we all and we should SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT when they attempt to do the same. "

" Rudy Gulliani made a huge difference in NY when he enforced minor infractions on the theory that these were perpetrators of other crimes. To a large degree, he was right. Dan Monez' point is quite valid...if these guys observe homeowner's patterns it may be an innocuous way of casing a neighborhood for other crimes. I think that it is inhumane to have these non english speaking vendors stranded on street corners without a means to eat, drink or toilet themselves. They should be discouraged if for no other reason than the inhumanity of their circumstance. If they are illegal....that's another enforcement opportunity too. "

" With the hundreds who have been sickened by tomatoes recently, one would think that any raw vegetable or fruit whose pedigree is in question should be under close scrutiny. I would never purchase such items that were handled by a vendor who does not even have sanitary facilities available. "

" One of the best ways to push drugs on the street in mass quantities is to hide the illegal narcotic with the 'legal' wares. Nobody would bat an eye watching somebody had over cast and march away with a bag of oranges, a flat of strawberries along with two ounces of pot and half ounce of meth. "

" Let's see, no health care, barely making a living and they sell strawberries. Why not communicate with them to discover a real solution so the Police who would rather not spend their time in this type of operation can focus on crime. They're not 'its' but people. Wait immigrants like us.

Maybe someone out their can help them organize into a coop and make a better life that will help both them and the community? "