It was announced recently that the Street Vendor Project has teamed up with Occupy Wall Street to let those who want to donate food to the movement do so, while also helping local businesses.

Instead of donating food directly to OWS, generous folk can donate to the Street Vendor Project, a nonprofit, which will then use that money to buy foods from local vendors to feed the protesters. This way not only do the occupiers get good grub, but hardworking vendors get paid

The carts affiliated with the Street Vendor Project/OWS include the New York Hot Dog Cart, Sam’s Falafel, Aly’s Breakfast Cart, Coffee on the Run, Bombay Biryani, NY Life and Fruit Salad Bar, Biryani House, 99% Vegetarian and A-Pou’s Taste.

Through this platform, supporters from across the country and around the world can view vendor profiles and purchase food to be donated. Vendors will be able to participate in the growing excitement of the OWS movement and contribute to sustaining it.

Learn more here http://streetvendor.org/ows

The panel was established by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1995 and charged with determining which streets would be closed to vending.

Weprin said the panel has not met in 10 years, and food carts have recently set up in his district in areas such as Bell Boulevard, Hillside Avenue, Springfield Boulevard and Union Turnpike, prompting complaints from residents and business owners.

“Food vendors have a right to do business, but the city must ensure that all food carts operate safely and in appropriate locations,” he said.

One street vendor that has drawn numerous complaints is the Sarwari Halal Food cart that settled on the corner of Bell Boulevard and 73rd Avenue early last week.

“They just showed up last week and 10 businesses in the area and numerous residents complained,” the councilman said.

Business owners up and down the block, from Dunkin’ Donuts to Villa Rustica Ristorante, said the food cart represented unfair competition because it drew customers away without having to pay expenses such as rent.

Shapiro said there was evidence to the contrary.

“We’ve seen a lot of studies that actually show that vending increases business by bringing more foot traffic to the street,” he said.

Cindy Weu, co-owner of Sweet Adele’s, said her customers complained that the food cart was out of step with the neighborhood’s mostly residential character.

Earlier Friday, blowing dust forced intermittent closures of I-8 southwest of Casa Grande. A storm moving into Arizona with winds above 25 mph kicked up the dust.

DPS escorted drivers off the freeway to avoid a potential disaster. Previous storms have triggered deadly multi-car pileups on interstates. As of 4:30 p.m. the freeway is back open.

Weather forecasters are predicting today’s winds could get up to 50 mph.

James Bridgford was selling kettle corn on the side of the road when the dust storm slammed into him.

“My tent went to blow over the fence, and as you can see there, it’s completely destroyed,” he says. “In my eyes, in my ears, in my mouth, and who knows where else.”

No injuries were reported.

Residents and business owners are asking these questions about a popular part of night life on North Davidson Street — street vendors.

On weekend nights during warm weather months, vendors sell their wares along sidewalks in NoDa to take advantage of the patrons visiting popular gallery crawls.

Some residents and business owners worry the vendors could take their business, and others don’t want to see the carts and tables cluttered with anything but original art.

“There are definitely residents who don’t want to see fake pocketbooks sold on the side of the street,” said Hollis Nixon, the president of the Historic North Davidson Neighborhood Association.

Nixon is hearing it from all sides — business owners, residents, people who visit NoDa because they like the artsy, eclectic vibe. A discussion on Facebook got heated. Neighbors are talking. Monday, they’ll have a chance to air their views and hash out the issues.

“It’s not really fair to them to have street vendors come in and take away business from owners here in NoDa who have rents to pay and salaries to pay, and are a big part of what we are here in NoDa,” said Aman Boyd, the owner of Revolution Restaurant.

“I think we need to put some kind of control and some kind of way that it’s fair for everybody,” he said.

He also would favor limits on what is sold. “It’s a question of what really is art. Are they selling something they really made, or is it turning into a flea market?”

John Kurc has a photography studio on NoDa, but also sells his original photography on the streets. Even though he said vendors seem to hawk only original items, he still favors restrictions.

“No counterfeit goods. It would have to be original art, photography, pottery.. which is what we have had,” said Kurc.

But some of the people who headed down to NoDa on Sunday night for food and drinks didn’t agree.

Detra Bennett showed off her feather earrings that she bought from a street vendor not far from Revolution Restaurant. She likes the variety of things she can find on any given night.

“I think it should be a free for all,” she said, “because that’s what sets NoDa apart from any place in Charlotte.”

“With the economy today, everybody’s trying to make a dollar any way they can,” chimed in Mike Prestano. “As long as they’re licensed and they’re not selling anything illegal, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”

Nixon doesn’t know what rules the neighborhood would hope to adopt. Other cities have guidelines, she said, so she knows it’s possible.

“If we had some simple guidelines that weren’t over the edge, we could preserve some integrity of the street scene,” she said.

“What’s the conflict, what’s the feud” asked Cooper

“There is a competition, this is one of the best spots in the city,” said the vendor.

And while that battle plays out ? there’s a bigger one playing out. Street vendors vs. taxi drivers.

It’s clear the area around Columbus Circle is a taxi stand, signs are posted all over.

But the taxi drivers say the street carts block their view, and make it difficult to pick up and drop off passengers who have to maneuver through the carts.

Fernando Mateo who is the head of the Federation of Taxi Drivers says the street carts clog the sidewalks.

“It is very difficult to have to pull in between one of these food carts to drop people off,” says Mateo. “It’s inconvenient and it takes up a lot of space.”

That’s where Councilwoman Gale Brewer comes in. Brewer would like to propose new rules for food venders, that will move them off the crowded Columbus Circle sidwalks.

“Food vendors will not be allowed to be positioned at a taxi stand, that’s what the legislation calls for,” says Brewer.

Brewer says that general vendors who sell clothing and books aren’t allowed to sell at taxi stands, and neither should food vendors.

Joe Kurtz who works at the Waffles and Dinges cart says the legislation is not necessary, and that this is just life in the Big Apple.

” We leave enough space between each cart, at the end of the day we’re all just trying to make a living, says Kurtz.

For now, it’s a match that has no winner ? although Brewer says she expects the legislation to pass in a few months.

During a judiciary committee meeting recently, Law Director Joseph Martuccio discussed his memo to council outlining proposed changes to legislation introduced by Councilman Bill Smuckler, D-at large.

The new version is expected to include the following:

• Mobile vendors who sell food or merchandise within the Special Improvement District, which includes downtown Canton, would be charged $125 per month with the option of paying $1,000 per year.

At an earlier work session, Councilman Joe Boomhauer, D-at large, suggested the fee structure. Boomhauer also has noted that there is not an abundance of mobile vendors downtown.

Smuckler’s original legislation proposed a mobile vending fee of $250 a day within the Special Improvement District.

• Vendors who operate without a permit would be fined $250 per occurrence.

• The permit fee could no longer be waived. Currently, if the vendor has a permit or license through the Canton Health Department and the state, the existing $125 annual fee is waived, Martuccio said.

• Vendors would be restricted to certain areas. At the committee meeting, Majority Leader and Councilman David Dougherty, D-6, cited safety concerns and suggested limiting the number of vendors allowed to operate at the same time.

Martuccio said the revised legislation could be written to allow two mobile vendors at the north end of Central Plaza in downtown Canton and two vendors at the south end.

The legislation has been controversial.

Some local vendors have argued that the originally proposed fee would have made it financially unfeasible to operate downtown.

Meanwhile, some downtown restaurant owners have argued that mobile vendors enjoy unfair advantages and should pay a higher fee and face tighter regulations.

The city of Naperville’s process to consider vendors for its 2012 Downtown Mobile Vending Cart Program is now under way. License applications are being accepted through Nov. 2.

The city has four available locations for free-standing vendor carts, and vendors awarded licenses will be authorized to operate in the 2012 calendar year.

Desired vendors should be able to introduce a food element not currently found within the downtown to cater to an unmet need, city officials said. Proposed vending operations must enhance, not detract from, the pedestrian and family-friendly atmosphere of the downtown and also contribute to the overall downtown ambience, according to the city.

One vendor is currently operating a free-standing vendor cart in downtown Naperville. Joe Hornbaker runs Joey’s Rod Hots from a food truck stationed near Chicago Avenue and Washington Street. Last month, the City Council voted to lengthen the vendor’s hours to 1:30 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The city wishes to fill all four of its available locations next year to continue to enhance the overall ambience and vitality of the downtown area by providing an accessible outdoor location for visitors and employees to conveniently dine.

The city announced the winners of this year’s 19 new street food vending licenses in a chilly morning downpour behind city hall April 4. The winners will join 17 food vendors who won spots last year in a city lottery. The city hopes to see the new vendors operating by early summer. In total, there will be about 100 vendors on city streets.

Sadhu Johnston, deputy city manager, said staff short-listed about 100 applicants to 54 contenders. A panel of judges reviewed the applications for their business plans and food and referred about 25 finalists back to staff, which considered the panel’s recommendations alongside results of the city’s online survey. The survey on street food garnered nearly 2,000 responses and revealed strong public demand for Mexican, Indian, Thai, barbecue, organic and healthy foods.

The city didn’t disclose the points received by the winning vendors, but those with the highest scores had the first choice in spots. All of the 2011 victorious vendors chose locations downtown with one in Gastown, although spots in other business districts were options.

Johnston said the city was surprised so many vendors chose big food vending trucks rather than carts. One quarter of the vendors approved in the last two years will occupy curbside spots instead of sidewalks. Johnston estimated half of this year’s winning vendors are food business newbies and half have a food business background.

Some applicants secured two locations this year. Re-Up BBQ, which won a spot in last year’s lottery, secured a second spot near Robson Square where it will sling beef brisket sandwiches and chili.

Roaming Dragon won a spot for Asian fusion, including pork sliders, soba noodle soup and duck salad at Burrard and Smithe, plus a second spot for comfort foods including shepherd’s pie and matzo balls at Burrard and Robson.

Ryan Spong, a partner with Tacofino, says it makes good financial sense to run two trucks from one commissary kitchen. Jason Sussman of Tacofino will operate Kiss Kiss Banh Banh, selling Vietnamese subs, salads and coffee at Howe and Robson. Kaeli Robinsong, his wife, will sell Baja-inspired tacos at Denman and Davie.

Andrew Fielding, owner of The Kaboom Box, which sells Oceanwise Certified seafood, burgers and poutine at Granville and Robson, said when it comes to earning a living from a street food business, “Let’s just say I’m an optimist.”

Off the Wagon tacos, which was unlucky in the lottery last year, won a spot this year. “We’re totally stoked,” said Dana Whaley.

Off the Wagon chose a curbside spot at Howe and Dunsmuir to offer flexibility in case construction pops up. Cartel Taco will sell Korean fusion tacos at Dunsmuir and Richards. Chawalla will sell stuffed paratha at Howe and Robson. Other new vendors will sell Greek food, English-style kebabs, grilled cheese sandwiches and Japanese takoyaki, or octopus balls, with juice and smoothies in Gastown. None of the vendors said they would sell items that cost more than $10.

Charles Gauthier, executive director of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, said street food trucks and carts would compliment brick-and-mortar restaurants in Vancouver and that street food vendors are “integral to the downtown economy.”

And with two other food trucks up and running and at least two more set to hit the streets soon, the confusion may continue.

Poor Piggy’s BBQ & Catering ran into problems last week when city officials told owner Ed Coulbourn III he was not operating on the specific parcel for which he had received a temporary-use permit. He had set up on the adjacent property, which offered more room and visibility. Both belonged to Re/Max Essential on Military Cutoff Road.

The permitting process seems to be the root of the misunderstandings that have arisen since food trucks first hit the local streets in August.

Wilmington zoning regulations do not directly address food trucks, said John Fullerton, the city’s zoning administrator. But those that set up in one location within city limits for more than “one or two hours” at a time need a temporary-use permit in addition to the property owner’s permission and privilege license required for such businesses to operate, he said.

Food truck owners said they’d heard time limits of 30 minutes and 40 minutes from zoning officials during various conversations throughout the process of setting up their businesses.

Fullerton said the time limit in the code is 45 minutes, but zoning officials have been writing one hour on food truck applications.

But if a food truck is going to a different location every day, the duration should not pose an issue, he added.

“There’s no one enforcing that hour,” Fullerton said. “We don’t have enough code officers.”

The trucks are a booming business in the city as hundreds are walking up to get a taste of the Bay thanks to a boom in food truck rallies

“I think it’s great,” food truck fan Suzie McFarland said. “It gives us one more thing that Tampa has to offer to everyone who lives here.”

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said he loves the trend in food trucks and can’t wait to see even more cooking in the city.

Local food truck owners said the food truck rallies are about more than just getting food to the customers, it’s also about growing their business.

A few weeks ago, Cooking Channel’s ‘Eat Street’ show was in town highlighting some of the best food trucks in Tampa.

“If we’re going to get the spotlight for anything, this is what we need the spotlight for,” food truck fan Lourdes Malagon.

“‘If you just go park on the street corner, we’re not going to make enough money to support the trucks,” Sam Dudding, owner of the Fire Monkey food truck, said. “So, it takes these kinds of rallies to make the income we need.”

Dudding’s truck is based out of St. Pete, but for now, the city of St. Pete does not allow food trucks to operate in the city. Dudding feels the long lines in Tampa show there is a demand for food on wheels in the Tampa Bay area.

“Largo’s got one planned. St. Pete Beach called me on Friday and wants to organize a rally on the beach. So, it’s already happening,” Dudding said.

With the masses lining up to take a bite, food trucks in Tampa are getting the green light to keep on rolling.