Posted by pizza (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Driving through Emporia yesterday evening it was about as dead as I've ever seen it. I couldn't help but think if there were several thousand people milling about with 4th of July activities they would probably have spent a lot more money that those fireworks would have cost. Wonder if the city fathers gave that any thought?

Posted by OutsiderJ (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow its good to know that Lebo had a great fireworks display, and there are still more around. Unless of course you have to be in Emporia near the phone in case your employer needs you. This is my situation and everytime this rag of a paper talks about how great the celebration is somewhere else, its like rubbing salt in the wound of not being to celebrate a damn thing yesterday. Emporia was like a ghost town. I hope all of those other towns made a metric sh*t ton of money on gas and food and the like.

Posted by pencilguy (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)

employees at tyson couldn't even watch all the good fireworks if they went out of town. they had to leave early because they had to work saturday

Posted by blulitespecial (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nonstop fireworks in Americus.We lost power from 1000-1025.They didn't skip a beat, and in the darkened sky fireworks looked great.

Posted by whatajoke (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

FYI. The fireworks in Gridley were Friday night. Gridley has nothing scheduled for the remainder of the weekend.

Posted by dhcc66 (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

if you read news other than on here, you'll figure out that lots of cities including council grove didn't have formal fireworks for the 4th. if you want somebody to blame....talk to the Jaycees. from what i understand, they have put on the fireworks for years. stop blaming the government for not blowing $30,000 on a 20 minute show that hasn't been up to par for years.

now don't get me wrong...i'm as patriotic as anybody around and i love the idea of the 4th of July....but...it's gotten about as ridiculous Christmas starting in October (usually at Wal Mart). The fireworks start about a week before and continue for a week after.

and it shouldn't be about how much mom and dad can spend on fireworks, or whether or not the city gave the Jaycees money for their show. it's pretty sad that people have completely forgotten what it's supposed to be about.

Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

William Allen White wrote an article in the Gazette on August 15, 1896 entitled "What's The Matter With Kansas?" I would encourage the editorial staff at the Gazette to publish it again. I think it is very relevant to today and certainly reflects the many values that seem to appear in this forum. I think one particular passage is relevant at this time.
"...Because we have become poorer and ornerier all and meaner than a spavined, distempered mule, we, the people of Kansas, propose to kick; we don't care to build up, we wish to tear down..."

And there, dear fellow contributors is the crux of the entire problem of this community. It's time to stop the tearing down, both verbally and physically and get busy. What the "state" cannot provide we need to reach back to our New England roots of self sufficiency and provide for ourselves and our neighbors...and yes that means more taxes. We need to have a positive attitude and we need to move forward and stop complaining about court houses, clock towers and all the other issues contained in these pages and pages of rantings. As Mr. White concluded sarcastically :

"What we need is not the respect of our fellow men, but the chance to get something for nothing."

Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 8:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well I ended up in Roswell N.M. for this 4th and was astounded by the GREAT display of fireworks here by both the city and the public. Funny thing is that the city is still standing and noone was hurt. The city here is thriving and buisinesses are booming, there is not much here but what they do have they make the best of. The people who work at these places are some of the friendliest I have met. We could make a great festival in our town. We have a very nice down town, a fairgrounds that could house many many venders and house the display. Remember last years parade? I thought it was great. We could DRAW people and venders in to rent space for their stands. Fill up the hotels for the activities and display. Draw in people from the smaller communities that surround Emporia. We could choose a theme for each year, doesnt this sound like fun? Would you not look forward to the next 4th at home? wouldnt you invite families from out of town to join in? I believe what we need is a change and being here opened my eyes more than ever. To keep people here we need to make things happen. We have the structures, we just need them well managed.

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

dhcc66: Were you watching the same Emporia fireworks displays I was? Apparently not. I viewed the public fireworks displays each of the last six years or so from my front yard and I found them to be quite impressive for a small town. They also lasted far longer than 20 minutes (last year, over 30) and I heard the display cost FAR less than thirty grand.

What I miss even more than the city display, however, are the small family displays in driveways and back yards. Emporia was, as those above described, a virtual ghost town yesterday. Had people been allowed to shoot fireworks in town, imagine how much activity and fun there would have been---and how much money would have stayed in town instead of going elsewhere. I'm sorry, but our city officials are backwoods Bozos for banning private fireworks. Topeka, a city five times our size, allowed fireworks within city limits from June 27th through today and the hospitals reported less than 10 minor burn injuries for the entire period. I was saddened by how dead our town was yesterday when we should have been celebrating our nation's birthday. So sad, and so wrong.

Posted by USNretired (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't have any New England roots, and I would hazard a guess that I am not alone. The fireworks out west of town lasted over 3 hours and everybody I saw had a blast. We watered down the remains, disposed of them safely, ensured no fires and went to bed by 2 am. I am quite satisfied.

Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

justthefacts: I understand your point. However, there have been some outrageous wastes of money by local government in the last few years. You mentioned two (the Courthouse and the clock tower). Outrageous, especially given where we are now. While I see your point that at some point we need to put the complaining to rest, at the same time I think that letting our current crop of local government leaders hear about how much angst we have against the past leaders who wasted our money, in part responsible for the shape that we are in. I keep hearing from people who should know that the City is at the edge of bankruptcy and the County is not far behind. But, the Judges have walnut paneling and we can see what time it is if we happen to be at 12th & Merchant. I think that a little complaining may be in order. This is Kansas, not New England. We don't waste public money building memorials to others' egos.

Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I would hazard to guess that most of those folks involved in those endeavors are gone. Sorry, I looked at a history book that showed because of the puritanic settlements here most eastern European folks that settled in Nebraska and the Dakotas stayed out of Kansas because of the severe populist movement here. Hence the New England reference that seems to have embedded the need to always be on some sort of mission to restrict or ostracize someone or something. Seems to me better to learn the lessons of the past and make sure they don't happen again, rather than dwell on them. I've mentioned before I want to leave a legacy to my kids and their kids besides the fact there were no taxes raised to provide any infrastructure, staffing or services. I stand by the observation that Mr. White appears to be correct about his perceptions of Emporians.

Carrie Nation and her prohibition cause had significant impacts on the entire country, not just Kansas. I vividly recall the stern puritanic scowl and black long dress and the hatchet in her hand to bust up those whiskey kegs.

Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You have a good point, justthefacts. My concern is that if our local leaders are not regularly reminded of the consequences of past poor decisions that the decisions of the present and future may be equally poor. You are correct, though, that there does come a time to move on and perhaps we have reached that point given the dire situation that we are in currently. As an aside, we do have some lineage to New England, especially around Lawrence, but our local lineage is from the South (remember Bloody Bill Anderson and Breckinridge County?).

Posted by smith_ron (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Cross-posted...

OK, so we did not get to shoot off any fireworks, and we did not get to have a public display. How about rather than spending the next 11 months moaning and groaning about it, we start working toward solutions to these problems.

How about all the local civic organizations band together to raise funds for a public display.
Or, why not ask the chamber or main street programs to organize a Fourth of July committee that would oversee the festivities.
Or why not just ask for community volunteers to raise money to hold a display.

This town is rich with traditions that celebrate our veterans and the wars they fought to guarantee our freedom. We ought to figure out a way that we can keep our Indepence Day traditions alive, too.

And since the city has passed a law that prohibits shooting off fireworks, why not We the People of Emporia, who elected the commissioners to work for us, tell them that we ARE NOT happy with this law and want it changed.

Folks: Words are great but action is even better.

Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thats what I like to hear, lets do that. I will be back in town in a few weeks and would love to get together with others and get a petion going. I am disgruntled about the fact that if we did not have a public display, at least give the people the right to fire off their own. There was anouther poster on an eirlier article that was offering his experience to help, if memory recalls right it was "renegade". My wife and myself have been wanting to get more involved in the community and I cant think of a better topic to indulge in than the celebration of our country.

Posted by purplebutterflyhippie (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have only lived here for 2 years and I have not seen the display that you guys have had here (last year I had to work).
DHCC66: You say something about everyone forgetting what the 4th of July stands for... Well here it is... OUR FREEDOM... And guess what, I didn't see any on the 4th. Setting up all these fire work stands and then saying "Nope not this year." My family and I had to drive to Reading just to shoot off the $70 some dollars that we had in in fire works.
I will not take the 4th of July away from my kids or out of my life because some stupid Town says they can't afford it. If they could not afford it they why ban it so the ppl who can or want to spend a few dollars for their family can enjoy it. Its just another way for stupid ppl to control everyone else. Well guess what I am not giving in to it and nor will my family. The 4th of July is about FREEDOM and we should still have the FREEDOM to light off fire works.

Posted by chicana7 (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 9:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

YOU KNOW THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR MY KIDS DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE FIREWORKS IN EMPORIA CUZ EMPORIA WAS TO POOR TO BUY FIRE WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE TO SEE.LUCKLY WE WHERE AT MELVERN TO SEE THE FIREWORKS.YOU KNOW MY KIDS SAID IF EMPORIA CANT AFFORD IT WHY DONT THEY START COLLECTING MONEY AT THE STORES.FOR ENOUGH OF MONEY.INSTEAD OF USING MONEY TO BUILT NEW TURNPIKES. OR OTHER THINGS WE DONT NEED RIGHT NOW

Posted by CassieJo (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MORE FIREWORKS CITATIONS ARE WRITTEN

Emporia Police handed out a few more citations for illegal fireworks use Friday night. Police have been enforcing Emporia's no-fireworks ordinance for the first time in years, and it has resulted in about 10 citations so far this holiday.

Posted by wyse_guy (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 10:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well why dont we open an account at one of the banks here in town,for a fireworks fund.Anybody can go in and donate what ever they feel like.We already have people who can shoot them off so how ever much the amount of money there is they can spend it on firewoks for the year.If the city commissioner dont like it to bad so sad he can go out of town for the holiday.then it will be our money that bought the fireworks so nomore excuses from the city.Its just an idea to think about if we want something done do it ourselves.

Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What is your idea ? A suggestion is nothing but mearly a start of something. If we can get enough suggestions we could make something work and TY wyse_guy for at least giving some ideas of what we can do as a community of people who are ready to stand up for what we believe in.

Posted by CassieJo (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How about a “Dunk a Commissioner” fundraising event? All proceeds go to a firework fund!

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 10:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CassieJo! That sounds like a great idea; but where do we find a dunk tank large enough for a 12 foot Great White to swim around in while waiting for the dunkees to fall?

Posted by slipandslide (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

is it possible the jaycees will put on the show if the money is raised, then we could give the donated money to them. although i do like the dunk a commissioner idea, bet it would raise alot.

Posted by Deepthoughts (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

That dunk tank idea for the commissioners was on another thread about a 4th festival for next year, wasn't it? CassieJo - are you arranging this for next year - if so I want to volunteer to help.