I have always been very happy that I live in Tama rather than Toledo, except recently when the Toledo City Council banned fireworks in their city limit. Lordy, how I wish that would happen in Tama!

For an entire week, fireworks have been going off during early evening and have continued on until midnight. I live near downtown Tama and close on three different sides, the west, north, and east, fireworks have been exploding continually. Yesterday, on the Fourth, they started before noon and lasted well into midnight.

These weren’t just “kid” fireworks, these were huge and went off like hand grenades, double-barreled shotguns, and machine guns, often sounding right outside my door and windows. I looked out my front door in early evening before darkness had even arrived, and a huge layer of smoke lay suspended over at least six blocks of homes in our area including mine. I watched as torpedo type flares went high above tops of our big trees and sparks flowed down upon them. I wondered which one would catch fire first. It was like living in a war zone.

The next morning I walked around in my front and back yard and picked up shards of fireworks, then even saw some laying up on top my shingled roof. To allow this is absolutely ridiculous. I can see allowing individual fireworks but only within restricted areas, times, and with enforced laws with heavy fines for violators. It would be reasonable to allow one day (July 4th only) for those who love explosives to be allowed in a broad clear public area (still allowing safe social distancing), such as the parking lot at the elementary school or the ATV Park near the bridge south of town…. but ONLY there, not right here within residential areas. And allowing one day and night a year ought to be enough for any pyromaniac and still save the sanity of the rest of us, not to mention our pets and many wildlife.

-Mary McBee — Tama, IA