* * *
WHERE YOU CAN BUY FIREWORKS
Papillion: Bellino Fireworks Inc., 1218 Washington St., and Papillion Spirit Football, 8420 S. 71st Plaza. (Opens Thursday)
Gretna: Chamber of Commerce, 20635 Nebraska Highway 370 (Opens Thursday)
Waterloo: The United Methodist Church, 307 Lincoln St.
Springfield: Wild Willy's Fireworks, 710 First St. (Opens Thursday)
Eagle: Popper's Fireworks, 340 Nebraska Highway 34
FIREWORKS SHOWS IN OMAHA BLUFFS
FIRST NIGHT 2012
What: “A Night to Remember” is the theme for this New Year's Eve celebration of the arts throughout downtown Council Bluffs. Activities and events at 12 venues include musicians, performance art and artistic displays. Activities for kids are at Bloomer School. Food vendors and art displays will be at City Hall. Shuttle service will be available among venues. The grand finale will feature a fireworks display.
When: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday (Children's events end with a finale at 6:30 p.m. The Union Pacific Museum will be open until 9 p.m.)
Where: Bayliss Park, 599 First Ave., Council Bluffs.
Admission: Buttons for admission cost $10. Children 12 and under get in free. Admission buttons can be purchased at Council Bluffs HyVee and No Frills supermarket locations, the Treasurer's Office in City Hall or online at firstnightcouncilbluffs.org.
Information: 712-328-4601 or firstnightcouncilbluffs.org
TD AMERITRADE FIREWORKS
What: Part of the Holiday Lights Festival, approximately 30,000 spectators are expected for the fireworks display. J&M Displays choreographs the shells to explode on cue to a musical score that will be broadcast on radio station Star 104.5. Families are encouraged to bring battery-powered radios and tune to the station.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Gene Leahy Mall, 14th and Farnam Streets (Elderly persons and citizens with disabilities are welcome to view the fireworks on the fourth floor of the W. Dale Clark Library.)
Admission: Free
Information: holidaylightsfestival.org
* * *
A forecast of unseasonable warmth has some Omaha metropolitan area fireworks sellers expecting sales for New Year's celebrations to blast off.
Starting in 2010, the Nebraska Legislature allowed fireworks to be sold and discharged during a three-day period for the New Year's holiday, with local approval. Last year, fireworks sellers said, frigid weather inhibited sales.
That shouldn't be a problem this time around.
AccuWeather, the World-Herald's weather consultant, expects clear skies and high temperatures in or near the low 50s, and lows in or near the low 30s, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Don Bellino of Bellino Fireworks Inc., in Papillion, is looking forward to getting a bigger bang from his cash registers than in 2010. Papillion allows fireworks to be set off Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
"Last year, there was terrible cold and wind over those three days (of sales), and it just wasn't a good time to sell fireworks," Bellino said. "But we think people are getting used to the idea of winter fireworks and, with the nice weather, that should help us a lot."
Brad Stauffer of the Gretna Chamber of Commerce said this will be his group's second attempt at winter fireworks sales. The profits are used to help finance Gretna Days.
"We did OK last year, but it was just so cold," Stauffer said. "We're hoping that this year people get out and take advantage of the weather."
Nebraska Assistant Fire Marshal Jim Heine said 28 retailers across the state are licensed to sell fireworks for the New Year's season, down from 41 last year. More than 800 Nebraska retailers are licensed for Fourth of July fireworks sales.
Papillion, Gretna, Waterloo, Springfield and Eagle are the five communities in the area with fireworks stands for the New Year's holiday. Heine said residents should check their local ordinances because each community regulates the times that fireworks can be sold and discharged.
Omaha and Bellevue are among the state's communities that allow summer sales of fireworks but not winter sales.
Still, fireworks can be set off in Omaha on Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday, New Year's Eve, from 8 a.m. until 1 a.m. Sunday, New Year's Day. In Bellevue, fireworks can be discharged from 9 p.m. on Saturday to 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Nebraska retail vendors can offer anything allowed under federal law, except bottle rockets and other rockets on sticks. That means that stands in Nebraska now can sell everything legally sold in Missouri, Heine said.
State statutes prohibit consumers from bringing fireworks across state lines.
In Iowa, only sparklers, snakes and caps are allowed outside of a professional fireworks show.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
