Bang went the Holidays!

Well, some of you have been wondering, how loud is it in Saipan or are they just complaining to much. Well, I had the staff at Karsten2008 go out and buy a Saipan Firecracker just so you, the viewing public, can see what we are talking about. Now, this is not something that shoots nice colors into the air. NO, it is ONE FIRECRACKER! Even in the womb, I hear these minature monuments to stupidity going off until it is time for kids to go to bed, and sometimes after. WEll, it seems even the local legistalure is sick of all the noise. You can read the story from the paper below


Saipan Tribune
Better late than never for fireworks bill
Saturday, December 29, 2007

A ban on setting off firecrackers is finally moving in the Legislature, amid widespread complaints of nuisance, injuries, and property damage.The House of Representatives passed yesterday House Bill 15-205, banning the sale and random use of fireworks and firecrackers.The bill is headed to the Senate. But it may not be in effect long after the holiday season, when fireworks use normally peaks.H.B. 15-205 would make it illegal to sell roadside vending of fireworks or firecrackers. It would also prohibit the use of fireworks unless supervised by the government or authorized by the Fire Chief.Violators would face $500 to $1,500 fine, or up to one year in prison.The proposed penalties are a significant increase from the $25 fine and the 10-day imprisonment provided by existing law.House Bill 15-205, as currently drafted, is a combination of two fireworks control measures that have been sitting in the Lower House for a year now. The original bills were introduced in December 2006 and had been pending in the House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare.On Dec. 18, 2007, the committee finally reported out the bill, allowing for a vote by the full House.“Despite current law, fireworks and firecrackers have become uncontrollable. It has reached a point that [it] is not only a safety concern, but also a nuisance and disturbance to the peace and enjoyment of the general public. [We find] that a broader prohibition on fireworks is necessary in the interest of public health and safety and for the promotion of a strong tourism industry,” the committee said.