With many celebrating the fourth of July this upcoming weekend, it’s likely there will be a number of fireworks set off to celebrate the occasion.
Some sanctioned fireworks shows will provide booms and blasts to wow crowds, but Shawano Interim Police Chief Dan Mauel reminds the public that they will be aware of the use of illegal fireworks.
“There’s only a few legal fireworks out there,” he said. “If it shoots in the air, spins, or goes bang it’s not legal. Just because you can buy them legally doesn’t mean you can possess or use them legally.”
With that said, Mauel explains his department will provide some leeway for the holiday.
“If you use them smartly, we’re not going to go around and just look for it, but we will respond to complaints. The complaints seem to come when it’s too soon, or too late and I’m talking now or into August, or if it’s late at night.”
If officers respond to a complaint, offenders are unlikely to receive a citation unless it becomes an ongoing issue.
They advise to be safe when around fireworks, but ultimately recommend getting your fireworks fix by attending Shawano’s fireworks show held July 3 at the airport grounds.
Gas Prices Lower than Normal for Upcoming Holiday Weekend
Gas prices normally rise between New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July, but the exact opposite is happening this year.
Analyst Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy.com says it’s the first time in the website’s 17-year history that July 4th gas prices will be lower than the start of the year. He says it’s because of an unexpected drop in the price of crude oil. Unless there are unexpected refinery problems, DeHaan says we may have already seen our highest fuel prices for 2017.
In Wisconsin, Gas Buddy says the average price is two-dollars, 23-cents for a gallon of regular unleaded Tuesday. That’s only two cents more than what Gas Buddy projects nationally for the July 4th holiday.
That national price is 12 cents cheaper than on Jan. 1, and it’s the lowest fuel price in 12 years for an Independence Day.