Sriracha Kerfuffle Documents Revealed: 'THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF NOW, NOT LATER!!!!!'
reason.com
by Zenon Evans
July 11, 2014
The public just got some new insight into one of the last year's spiciest (and fishiest) political kerfuffles: the push by the city council of Irwindale, California to shut down Huy Fong Foods, the makers of Sriracha hot sauce.
The tireless freedom-of-information requesters at MuckRock yesterday published internal council documents, revealing theatrically furious communication among the local government officials and a desire to exploit regulations to force the company into submission. First, to recap the situation. The squabbling began last October when reports emerged that some residents of the 1,500-person industrial town experienced watery eyes and sore throats due to the smells emitted by the Huy Fong factory. However, L.A. Weekly's Dennis Romero was skeptical, noting that "most of the odor complaints have come from four nearby homes, one of which is occupied by the relative of a city councilman. That councilman, Hector Ortiz, recused himself from discussion and voting on the matter because, he says, he owns property near the plant." And, the city was trying to sell property next to the factory at the time.
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