Fireworks became an ‘ear-splitting’ nuisance

To the editor:

I have lived in my neighborhood for 16 years. Before fireworks were “legal,” of course there were always some.

I used to enjoy the fireworks show over Wasilla Lake. This New Year’s I could not even enjoy my own home. The noise at one point was such that it vibrated the front of my house. The sound was like that of a war zone — and it did not stop at 1 a.m.! For every person who abided by the deadline, there were many who ignored it. On Jan. 1 at around 9:30 p.m. until after 10 p.m., someone decided to shoot off all their leftovers from the night before.

Seven hours — from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. — is way too long to subject people in the core area neighborhoods to continual, resounding ear-splitting noise pollution. The stress is not only on the pets, but on the people, too. One hour would be enough, from midnight until 1 a.m. That is longer that a professional fireworks show would last.

There was a time when homes were not so close together and folks had several acres between residences, and it was not so disturbing to make incredible noise. That time has passed.

Either we should go back to the previous “no fireworks” law or severely restrict the time when it would be OK to set them off.

I will end with a famous quote: “Give people an inch and they will take a mile.” Enough said.

Dolores Waffen

Wasilla