Nightcrawlers For Sale Once Again

A few days ago I blogged about the Connecticut boy who was selling nightcrawlers that he dug up in his back yard. The local planning and zoning commission had sent him a letter telling him to stop, since his back yard wasn't zoned for commercial use.

This story was just a curiosity here in Chicago, one of those news items that makes you shake your head as you click on the next story.

But it was big news in the local area in Connecticut - front page news. And today the news is good.

In a unanimous vote, the commission rescinded what some members said was an "unauthorized" July letter sent to Joey that told him to close down his night crawlers business - an action that triggered international outrage against the order and support for the young entrepreneur.

The backlash also prompted finger pointing among town officials who blamed each other for the black eye given the town's reputation.

A lot of angry people showed up at a special meeting Tuesday night. Sounds like New England style democracy at work.

"I'm excited," Joey said after the meeting. He headed home to put up the 18-by-18-inch sign, "NITE CRAWLERS," that drew town officials' attention to his worm business on Washington Road in the first place.

Worms turned.
Officials burned.