Clark County commissioners say they just haven’t had time to study the impact of the Fourth to limit days allowed or the size of explosives. I believe if what happened to us would have happened to them, they would find time.
Last year, two large rockets with wicks tied together were ignited late on July 4 in front of our house. One left vertically a split second before the second. It caused the second to tip over and fire horizontally into our yard. The subsequent explosion destroyed most of the plants, trees, roses, junipers, mail box plus most of a 50-foot double-walled cedar fence.
Faced with legal advice that we would spend more fighting to prove guilt, we turned to our $1,000 deductible insurance. The damage was assessed at $2,500, of which insurance paid $1,500. That amount was not enough to provide labor after plants, bark dust and new fence were purchased. So at age 86, I supplied all the labor. Neighbors watched but didn’t offer help.
Then our $1,200-a-year insurance was increased by $1,600 for a fire we didn’t cause.
So this year I’m 87 and was hopeful that laws would be changed to bring some sanity back to the Fourth. The M&M boys seemed to have no trouble hiring Don Benton without study. Guess fireworks needs a couple years or more.
