The beginning of July is a time of peak patriotism in the United States, but as surely as you can count on the flood of Red, White and Blue, you can also count on another thing — complaints.
Ordinances regarding fireworks within city limits vary as much as the arguments for and against the pyrotechnics. And, if you live in the county, restrictions are even looser or non-existent.
In 2019 the city of Cassville altered its ordinances to allow fireworks from July 1-3 from noon to 10 p.m. and on July 4 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Outside of those time frames, fireworks are illegal within city limits.
The idea behind the change was partly to allow Cassville residents the opportunity to have some fun with fireworks and celebrate Independence Day. Equally so, it was intended to take an unbearable burden off the police department, who frequently responded to reports with vague location details and ultimately never found the perpetrator.
In essence, make fireworks legal in the city and regulate them to help residents have their time and police to avoid wasting time searching for fireworks but never finding them.
There was also the point that it seemed unfair for the city to allow so many fireworks vendors within its limits, but did not allow the shooting of fireworks.
Since the ordinance was adopted, little to nothing has changed. People still start shooting aerials before the designated dates, and in many cases, after as well.
There was a large gathering and display in my own neighborhood on Sunday, an annual party delayed for whatever reason. They got about 30 minutes of time to shoot their large shells before police arrived a little after 10 p.m. to shut the show down, but not before allowing the final few to be fired.
When it comes to fireworks, my family is mixed. Since I was a kid, we would get a basket full of fireworks every year. Growing up in Little Rock, they were sold within city limits but aerial displays expressly banned.
We generally stuck to Black Cats, Lady Fingers, bottle rockets and fountains, with my dad occasionally springing for a couple larger displays. The Little Rock Police were quick to respond though. We never got to shoot any aerials for more than 15-20 minutes before the cops showed up. Eventually, we just stopped buying them because it was not worth the hassle.
My wife and oldest daughter have mixed feelings on pyrotechnics, especially big ones, and our toddler is hit or miss depending on her mood that night. I tend to be like my dad and want to shoot a couple big ones a year, but with the number of trees and homes near us, the risk is not worth the reward.
This week, I received a letter to the editor from a Cassville resident that details the many points frequently voiced against fireworks within city limits, and they are good ones.
We have a number of veterans in our area who may suffer from PTSD and be triggered by the explosions; injuries are common with pyrotechnics, especially when mixed with alcohol; there is always a risk of accidentally setting another person’s property on fire or littering someone else’s property with debris; and don’t even get me started on the number of dogs in Cassville and their owners forced to deal with an anxiety brought up on their pet for which they have no control.
The debate will most certainly continue just as it has in the past. The letter writer suggested limiting the time allowing fireworks to just July 4, which is a fair suggestion. However, those who elect to see the organized, professionally shot displays would inherently miss out on the opportunity to shoot their own during the specified hours.
Every year as Independence Day approaches, I have to plan where I will get my fireworks and festival photos. Eagle Rock’s show is always the Saturday prior to the 4th, Purdy is typically on the 3rd, and Wheaton, Seligman and Shell Knob all have displays on the birthday of this great nation.
Missing from this list of displays is the most obvious — the county seat, city of Cassville. The closest we have is the Corinth Baptist Church display down Highway AA, a show the Friday prior to the Fourth that we attended and with which we were highly impressed.
The city in 2021 and 2022 launched fireworks as part of TroutFest, which was replaced this year by Outdoor Days. That event ate the $15,000 previously used for the fireworks, but is there an opportunity to do something else?
It would be amazing to see a Cassville organization start up an Independence Day celebration. We ran a photo last week of the watermelon feed of years gone by, and there is certainly an opportunity for an event like that to be a major draw in the county if done right.
Monett’s Freedom and Fireworks is the largest draw now, sprawling through the city’s South Park with vendors, rides and multiple bands.
We love America just as much as anyone else, so why can’t we have our own festival to not only bring people here, but also provide an alternative to being forced to shoot your own if you don’t want to travel the county to see some.
The Cassville Democrat would love to be part of getting a Cassville event off the ground.
P.S. Also, kudos to our letter writer this week. We’d love to run more of your letters and opinions here. To help in that endeavor, we have dropped our 250-word limit and will address letter size on a case-by-case basis. If you have an opinion on this or any other news or happenings in our area, send it to me at ktroutman@ cassville-democrat.com.
Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014. In 2017, he was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers, and in 2022, he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com.
