Fewer communities are allowing their residents to use fireworks this year, the second Fourth of July holiday since Iowa lawmakers legalized fireworks sales in the state.
Many cities made changes to their fireworks policies after receiving numerous complaints last year. Marion, in Linn County, is among the communities limiting when fireworks can be used, limiting them to a period from noon till 11 p.m. on the 4th.
Marion Police Department spokesman Tom Daubs is hopeful it will mean fewer complaints than last year.”But, if you have too many people violating that, and too many people are upset and present a case to cancel the fireworks, I can see a case where we would go along the lines of a Waterloo or other communities and cancel it,” Daubs says. “But, I don’t think we’re to that point yet. I hope we’re still hoping people will use their common sense and be respectful, and we’ll see how it shakes out.”
Waterloo Fire Chief Pat Treeloar says local leaders banned the personal use of fireworks after getting about 800 complaints last year. He hopes this will be a quieter Fourth. “We’re certainly under the impression that the first year, last year…I think the novelty will wear off a little bit,” Treeloar says. “We’re sure hoping that our complaints and calls for service go down.”
Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Dubuque are among the other cities not allowing the use of fireworks this year. Cities such as Council Bluffs and Sioux City, like Marion, are allowing their use, but for a shorter period of time than last year.
While cities can limit the use of fireworks, they still have to allow them to be sold in their communities, which can often lead to confusion among residents.
(Thanks to Michael Leland, Iowa Public Radio)