|
Post by jhawkr on Jul 5, 2020 7:35:51 GMT -5
Wichita basically cancelled all the professional fireworks shows and reiterated the $300 fine for fireworks that shoot over 6ft high. That didn’t slow down the activity one bit around here! Covid-19 or not, this city celebrates Independence Day! I was surprised at the quantity and quality of displays going on in every neighborhood all across the city. Largest overall display I’ve ever seen.
|
|
GmanNJ
Wholenote
somewhere deep in the swamps of Joisey
Posts: 315
Formerly Known As: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gman
|
Post by GmanNJ on Jul 5, 2020 8:05:01 GMT -5
more so this year than the past in NJ. So much that my backyard got filled with smoke poor doogies had a horrible time last night.
|
|
|
Post by themaestro on Jul 5, 2020 8:08:39 GMT -5
Up here in Valley Center (a small town north of jhawkr's Wichita), there are no restrictions on fireworks. The place is non-stop explosions, some of them quite big. I've noticed that in the past ten years, the fireworks are getting bigger and bigger. Some of it rivals the commercial stuff. The entire town becomes enveloped in smoke. You'd think it was a war zone. I feel sorry for those with any form of military PTSD and for the animals. This morning there will be half-burnt cardboard shells all over the streets.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on Jul 5, 2020 8:10:23 GMT -5
Our Property Owners Association doesn't allow fireworks, but there are no restrictions in our son's community 10 minutes away. So he and his neighbors put on quite the show last night, everyone staying in their own driveways. The grandkids had fun. When we got home it was clear that not all residence were adhering to the community standards. Scofflaws! ✨
|
|
|
Post by gato on Jul 5, 2020 8:17:50 GMT -5
Fireworks strictly prohibited in my city, but since the borders align with three cities where they are legally sold, we had our usual 4th of July war zone as dusk approached. Haven't been on my morning walk yet to assess the damage of grass fires, severed fingers and strewn fireworks trash.
|
|
|
Post by HenryJ on Jul 5, 2020 8:24:55 GMT -5
Our neighborhood was filled with smoke last night. It looked like fog, but smelled like smoke from fireworks.
|
|
|
Post by budg on Jul 5, 2020 8:39:15 GMT -5
The city here decided to do a "neighborhood based" fireworks this year. We have a ton of city parks and they utilized the parks for a smaller display of fireworks. This allowed alot of people to watch from their houses. Pretty cool actually.
|
|
|
Post by gato on Jul 5, 2020 8:50:41 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by stratcowboy on Jul 5, 2020 9:11:02 GMT -5
We're not in a neighborhood...whether here at the ranch or over at the winter house. We do have "neighbors," but it is not in the traditional sense of the American experience. So at the winter house, there's never a July 4th scenario with explosives--that's just how the neighbors around there are. Plus many of them have pets, soooo...
Here at the ranch, folks are far away. But as I've mentioned elsewhere, we border Carson Nat'l Forest. National forests NEVER allow fireworks. But on adjacent lands that are private, is where the problem can actually start (and has in the past). But I walked the pastures with my binoculars yesterday in the afternoon to see how folks were behaving on their lands. While they were camped out in high-density enclaves, I didn't see any obvious bad behavior. Then it started pouring rain. Which it did on Friday as well. So at least things got good and wet. During the evening/night, I went out from the cabin periodically to both check the full moon as well as listen for explosions. Nothing. Which was great. On dry years, grass fires will easily take off and run for the surrounding forests. But folks behaved themselves last night and the rain sure helped, too.
In the town of Taos (15 miles away) last night (I wasn't there), their plan was to do a commercial show from a central point in town that everyone could see without leaving their home. A good idea, for sure. Though obviously the pets still paid the price.
|
|
|
Post by jhawkr on Jul 5, 2020 9:30:31 GMT -5
We had heavy smoke from fireworks 🧨 all over Wichita. As the wife and I were motoring back from the son’s house which is 2 blocks from the city limit line, near Goddard on the west side of town, there is a lot of elevated highway. We live 11 miles east so we could see most of Wichita. The smoke was hanging in the air and very thick. Wind was a very light breeze last night.
|
|
|
Post by 6l6 on Jul 5, 2020 10:02:13 GMT -5
Heaviest FW's I've ever heard here. Several fires started as a result...
Several people badly hurt by bullets falling back to the ground.
And this is in Silicon Valley.
6
|
|
|
Post by Taildragger on Jul 5, 2020 10:34:02 GMT -5
Crazy. Lots of M-80s and gunfire. I think people used this to express the level of frustration they're feeling about one thing and another these days. There were still sporadic explosions going on until 4-am.
Our dogs didn't dig it, but handled it better than could've been expected. I sprayed a bit of that Thunder Shirt pheromone around and that seemed to help calm them down.
I understand people wanting to celebrate and all, but 8 hours of it was "a bit much".
|
|
|
Post by stratcowboy on Jul 5, 2020 10:37:27 GMT -5
Several people badly hurt by bullets falling back to the ground. Gee...makes for a memorable holiday. Dontchya' think? Sheeeeeeesh!
|
|
|
Post by rok-a-bill-e on Jul 5, 2020 11:17:48 GMT -5
Nashville cancelled it's big fireworks show but local individuals put on a pretty good substitute and we could see large displays going off all over town for several hours. The city did arrange for a short surprise of LED Drone "fireworks", which are a pretty cool thing but are not fireworks.
|
|
Shoes
Wholenote
Posts: 162
|
Post by Shoes on Jul 5, 2020 11:47:38 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by guildx700 on Jul 5, 2020 11:48:57 GMT -5
Our entire small village was completely enveloped in a dense fog of fireworks smoke last night...literally. Of course I helped in that. It was crazy, the most I've ever seen, went on past midnight.
|
|
|
Post by Taildragger on Jul 5, 2020 11:51:12 GMT -5
Heaviest FW's I've ever heard here. Several fires started as a result... Several people badly hurt by bullets falling back to the ground. And this is in Silicon Valley. 6 These days, the schools are evidently so busy teaching kids about "their feelings" that there's no time left to learn about basic physics.
"I'm (choose one) excited/angry/depressed so I think I'll point my pistol skyward and empty the magazine."
"Say...uh...you do know that what goes up eventually comes back down someplace, right?"
"Huh...?"
|
|
|
Post by NoSoapRadio on Jul 5, 2020 12:34:28 GMT -5
*TRIGGER WARNING*
Our town which is on the ocean, has a 60-70 year tradition of celebrating the 4th on the 3rd with dozens of private fireworks displays all along the beach. When we first moved here over thirty years ago, residents of each street that ended on the seawall would build massive bonfires that would be lit after dark which was a signal for the fireworks to commence. It was truly spectacular.
Over the years, the local authoritarians started a campaign to squash the celebration to the point that it's almost impossible to build a fire without interference by the police or FD. But they haven't been able to do squat about the fireworks. It should be a surprise to no one that fireworks are illegal here in Mass. -- which stops exactly no one since they are readily available just over the border in the free state of NH.
This year for some reason, the State claimed that the were going to really "crack down" on fireworks. The local PD dusted off their (our) Humvees and the State Police parked their Bearcats at strategic points along the beach. The celebration went off as usual. It was a little less intense than usual but I expect that was more due to the night being overcast and a little drizzly.
No one died, no one got hurt, nothing was set on fire and hundreds of people enjoyed flipping the bird at the Karens who wanted to interfere with the very celebration of American independence and liberty.
Try again next year.
|
|
|
Post by jazzguy on Jul 5, 2020 13:35:44 GMT -5
they've been setting them off for at least 2 months now into the wee hours every day, tons of complaints in this area
|
|
|
Post by Ragtop on Jul 5, 2020 16:08:57 GMT -5
We're in a Stage II Fire Restriction around here because it's been very dry, so no fires of any kind are allowed (except for propane grills). No fireworks at all.
We live 5 miles outside of town, mostly retired folks around us, and I didn't hear a single one. Which was good, because we had 4 dogs here (three visiting).
When we lived in Omaha, it was ridiculous for 10 days. Big booms every night. My poor old dog couldn't handle it, and I got real tired of it.
|
|
|
Post by stratcowboy on Jul 5, 2020 16:33:50 GMT -5
Ragtop...you been getting any of this rain? Poured buckets here on Friday. Then again yesterday for the 4th (way better type of celebration in my book) for a few hours. We just had a major cloudburst here for the last 1/2 hour, and hopefully more in a little while.
Stage II restrictions are obviously still in place. It'll take a good bit more rain for those to be lifted. My guess is that many folks beyond our region don't get the significance of what those restrictions imply for life and limb. Certainly many IN our region don't get it.
|
|
|
Post by Blacksunshine on Jul 5, 2020 16:43:41 GMT -5
Dang it! This thread just reminded me, I have a box of M-60s sitting in the back of my safe. They were included in a box of ammo that was given to me when I bought a rifle from an estate. Not that I would have lit any last night. I don't think. As to the original question, lots of goobers in my neighborhood lighting them last night until at least midnight. My cat was freaking out, he hates loud noises like that.
|
|
|
Post by Ragtop on Jul 5, 2020 21:09:20 GMT -5
Ragtop...you been getting any of this rain? Poured buckets here on Friday. Then again yesterday for the 4th (way better type of celebration in my book) for a few hours. We just had a major cloudburst here for the last 1/2 hour, and hopefully more in a little while. Stage II restrictions are obviously still in place. It'll take a good bit more rain for those to be lifted. My guess is that many folks beyond our region don't get the significance of what those restrictions imply for life and limb. Certainly many IN our region don't get it. s/c, yes! Glorious rain, three days in a row!
.3, followed by .2, followed by .1 today. Such a gift! Humidity is up, all the cactus on my place bloomed overnight, and the grass is standing tall. A miracle!
Yes, Stage II still in effect. But we'll take what we can get.
My wife and I still talk about our previous home in Nebraska, where the clouds would roll in and we'd get thunder and lightning and 3 inches of rain in an hour. Loved those storms! Certainly don't get those up here, and I miss them!
|
|
|
Post by Taildragger on Jul 5, 2020 21:42:32 GMT -5
|
|
michael
Wholenote
Recent Retiree
Posts: 620
Age: old enough to know better and not care
|
Post by michael on Jul 5, 2020 21:52:23 GMT -5
i think the county seat cancelled their show, but there were enough around to make up for it... we walked out about 10 pm and while we live out in the boonies, it sounded like an artillery barrage.
i could see some flashes off in the distance...
my dogs always hated fireworks. the one i just lost was terrified. there was no consoling or comforting him. he was a 75 lb lab mix and would crawl onto my lap shaking like a leaf and trying to put his head under my arm. i talked to our DVM about him and she wrote a prescription for a chill pill. it calmed him down, but he was drunk. i really felt sorry for him and felt badly that i had to do it. he slept thru the fireworks and wasn't terrified.
|
|
|
Post by Taildragger on Jul 5, 2020 22:05:37 GMT -5
Yeah we have one dog that's pretty much indifferent to fireworks unless they're real loud ones and pretty close by. The other dog is quite skittish and does the whole, droopy-ears/tail-between-the-legs/shaking uncontrollably thing. She used to be even worse about it and would cry, get really panicky and scuttle about looking for a place to hide, never quite being able to find one that sufficed. It's common knowledge that many pets are utterly terrified by the dang things, so I start getting pretty P.O.-ed when it gets out of hand for hours on end.
I had to take a nap today after being up most of last night trying to comfort the dogs.
|
|
|
Post by stratcowboy on Jul 5, 2020 22:33:27 GMT -5
Glorious rain, three days in a row! Yup. Bunch more rain tonight. Great stuff. Let's hope the pattern for monsoon is being set.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on Jul 5, 2020 22:41:37 GMT -5
I happen to dislike them, and honestly our area is too populated. When they are in the distance it’s tolerable, but when they are close, it’s irritating.
The idea that people who are shooting off fireworks are celebrating our independence is probably as true as people putting up a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but that’s a whole other issue.
They’re illegal here, but as of last year, legal 5 minutes away in New Jersey. So they have been a nightly occurrence since a Father’s Day. Last night they were heavy for about an hour and a half, and that was it.
Police say every year they’ll crack down, but nothing ever seems to change.
|
|
|
Post by K4 on Jul 6, 2020 0:40:12 GMT -5
This year was the best, or worst, depending on your position. I didn't have to leave the house to see lots of fireworks. Nor did I have to spend any money. Down side? I had a ton of ash on my car today. So I had to wash it
|
|
|
Post by K4 on Jul 6, 2020 0:50:18 GMT -5
Even in Dodge City, Wyat Earp allowed gun fire on the 4th of July and Jan 1st.,
|
|