Neil Cleary is sending out a call for help regarding the unfair treatment the Bean has been getting from the Burlington City government. Neil writes:

The Radio Bean has come under fire from the city recently over a fire code violation, and is in danger of being penalized out of existence. Please read the letter below and RSVP to let me know if I can attach your name to it. Let me know too if you're comfortable with me listing credentials with your name (as in: "Bill Clinton -- Former President of the United States"), and let me know how you want them listed. Don't be shy. Hopefully we can help the City Council see how important the Radio Bean is to all of us.

The text of the letter can be found here (I couldn't find it on the Bean's site--feel free to link to the Candleblog page with the letter as you spread the word). I'll update here as I learn more.

It may be relevant to quote my reply to Neil...

I saw this coming and I'd do anything to help Lee and the Bean. The capacity restrictions are ridiculous. One is never more than 12 feet from an exit in the Bean. Limiting the capacity to "one person per seat plus three standing at the bar" (that's how it was described to me by Erin) is foolish and based upon arbitrary regulations and not on common sense or an actual desire for safety. Add my name (use "filmmaker and new-media proponent" or anything really) and please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. The Bean is where I met Emily. I have it pinned on my Google Earth. It's like a second home.