 |
|
By Michael Khoo
June 30, 1999
|
RealAudio 3.0 |
Fireworks have been illegal in Minnesota since 1941, but each year Minnesotans flock to Wisconsin and return with
bottle rockets, sparklers, and firecrackers. Governor Jesse Ventura says they
should be able to make those same purchases here at home. But others warn
legalizing fireworks will only lead to more accidents and injuries.
JUST ACROSS THE MINNESOTA BORDER
in Wisconsin, the signs begin:
fireworks, Black Cat bottle rockets, M-80 cherry bombs. Fireworks City in
Baldwin, Wisconsin, calls itself the largest fireworks retailer in the state.
Inside their warehouse, shelves full of smoke bombs and Roman candles rise to the ceiling. And outside in the parking lot, easily half the cars have
Minnesota license plates. Alex Ebenhoh and Lucas Schuweiler
are from southeastern Minnesota. Together, they go through their
newly acquired inventory.
It's Your Turn
See poll results
Schuweiler: These shoot 150 feet; they're Black Cat Star-Spangled Canons. They do, like, an explosion in the air, just like...There are no firm figures on how much Minnesotans spend on fireworks each year. Ebenhoh says he spent $75. But Governor Ventura says the purchases add up, making Minnesota's prohibition an economic issue.
Ebenoh: Just like the fair, just smaller.
Schuweiler: Colored and stuff like that. Then we got some Black Cat bottle rockets...
Ventura: Those firework things are set up solely to entice Minnesotans across the border. Hey, Tommy Thompson's no dummmy. You know, I've always, I sit next to Tommy - Governor Thompson - and he's a very bright man. And I'm trying to be as bright as him.Ventura says he'd like to see fireworks legalized around the Fourth of July holiday for adults. During the last legislative session, DFL representative Tom Rukavina of Virginia introduced a bill to do just that, but the proposal died in committee. Supporters of the current ban say the economic issue is insignificant compared to public health concerns. John Nisja is a bureau chief with the State Fire Marshall's office.
Nisha: Historically, we have a large number of injuries and property damage because of fireworks. You know, clearly they are a danger. Anything you have that explodes is naturally a problem. And that's what, basically, fireworks do, is explode.Statistics from the State Fire Marshall's office show that in Minnesota alone fireworks accidents cause dozens of injuries each year and thousands of dollars in damage. But Ken Cornellier says fireworks, if handled properly, are safe and that most accidents result from carelessness. Cornellier is the owner of Cornellier's Fireworks in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Cornellier: You know, 90 percent of them would probably be, "Hey, Vern! Watch me do this!" You know, if it's done, my daughter's been around them since she's been little. And as long as it's done safely, there's no problems.A safe environment, though, may be hard to come by. Dr. David Williams is an opthamologist affiliated with the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis. He says every year he treats patients with eye injuries caused by bottle rockets, some of which result in permanent loss of sight.
Williams: Until you see one of them, it's hard to imagine the types of damage that these devices can inflict. They can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. They tend to fly erratically, careening in different directions. And they land. And in fact, the most common type of individual injured by a bottle rocket is a bystander.Williams says any direct economic benefit from ending the current prohibition would be vastly outweighed by the costs of increased injuries and accidents.
© 2024 | Home : Terms of Use : Your Privacy RightsRadio Listening : News & Features : Events Calendar : Your Voice : About Us