Update on New Bedford Hot Dog Man

The other day, I wrote about a fellow hot dogger named Corey Hanks. He runs a cart called Fenway Sausage Works in New Bedford, MA. Or at least he did. The City of New Bedford shut him down on Easter eve. On an ironic note, the cop who shut him down had the last name "Jesus." The city said he wasn't approved for a fixed location. Of course, no one told him he couldn't operate at his location until after they collected $480 in permitting fees from him. So the guy is out all that money, and he needs to find a new location.

Corey reached out to me and asked if I could help him some way, so I wrote a rather scathing, un-objective, one-sided article and sent emails to the mayor, the health inspector, and all the City Councilors. I spoke with two councilors who are sympathetic to Mr. Hanks' situation and they are going to propose a new ordinance that allows mobile food vendors to operate with less restriction in the city.

These things usually take some time to pass as the political process moves at its own pace, but Mr. Hanks and I are both optimistic it will get done. The councilors I spoke with seem enthusiastic about a new ordinance.

I had also planned to write a newspaper article about this and send it out on the wires, but I live nearly 60 miles from New Bedford, so I'm not what you'd call a "local," even though Hot Dog Nation knows no boundaries. I contacted the New Bedford Standard Times and they decided to run with the story! They are sending a reporter out to see Corey this weekend.

While it is too soon to say whether  all this will have a happy ending or not, through a little (not so subtle) media  pressure, both Mr. hanks and I were able to get his cause, and the  cause of all mobile vendors in New Bedford, "out there," and that's a good thing. Corey also tells me he has found a new location in a neighboring community, so that's good too.

I just hope he's set up in time for National Hot Dog Month!