INSIDE Bear killed after destroying bee hives > page 4
Volume 57, Number 27 • July 7, 2011
Photos by Ken Odor
Caleb Worley limbers up his Glo Stick as he and his dad John wait for the fireworks to begin Monday night. Strong thunderstorms and heavy downpours passed through the county, causing a half-hour delay in the celebration.
Fireworks zoom in Goochland despite downpour By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Fireworks around the area were canceled or postponed Monday evening, as powerful thunderstorms passed through the area. But Goochland’s display of patriotic lights went on as planned, with only a 30-minute delay due to the rain. Parks and Recreation Director Derek Stamey
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said if they had had to cancel the show it would have been rescheduled for Tuesday night but luckily that was not necessary. “We had to meet with our fireworks vendor to determine what was needed to get ready for launch,” said Stamey. “Once we did that we determined we had to push it back 30 minutes.” Stamey said that news was sent out on the county web site, Facebook and by text messages. It must have worked.
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Although some folks came early, anticipating the 9 p.m. start, the bulk of spectators began trickling in just after 9. One family that showed up early was the Worleys. John and Sara brought their son Caleb, 7, who came prepared with his Super Jumbo Glo Stick to add to the festival nature of the event. As the crowd waited, many huddling under
umbrellas in a slow, steady drizzle, others played pick up baseball and football games as they waited. Almost on the dot at 9:30 the lights dimmed and the sound and fury began, with about a 20-minute fireworks show. As the show progressed, the rain slowed until at the end umbrellas were no longer needed. Recreation Manager Michelle Swalin said Monday attendance was about 6,000.
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