Kristi Noem is ordering $350,000 worth of fireworks to impress Il Duce at Mount Rushmore on July 3:
The state of South Dakota has selected a company to produce the July 3 fireworks show at Mount Rushmore for up to $350,000.
The company is Pyro Spectaculars. Jim Souza is president and CEO of the company in Rialto, California.
“I know that everyone has been cooped up with this COVID, and it’s a terrible disease out there, but everybody does want to celebrate and we’re fortunate that we’re going to kick it off on July third,” Souza said.
…Pyro Spectaculars has never previously worked at Mount Rushmore but has produced shows at other iconic locations, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and the Space Needle.
Souza said the Mount Rushmore show will last 18 minutes. It will include music and a tribute to health-care workers and the armed forces [Seth Tupper, “State Awards $350,000 Contract for Rushmore Fireworks,” SDPB, 2020.06.05].
The state’s Request for Proposals #1936, issued on Valentine’s Day, set $350K as the maximum amount for bids. The RFP requires that the show run between 15 and 30 minutes. Everything Pyro Spectaculars launched must be “constructed of 100% biodegradable casings, tapes, glues, and strings.” The RFP specifies that the fireworks display shall begin around 9:45 p.m. If the weather turns bad, “the display will be cancelled and not rescheduled. The decision to cancel the display shall be made by the State and NPS Incident Command Team.” The RFP also asks bidders to include clean-up of debris and unexploded ordnance to be completed within five days of the show, with the admonition that cleanup efforts must not delay the reopening of the monument on the morning of July 4.
Pyro Spectaculars has to following guidance in a 162-page report on fireworks safety at Mount Rushmore prepared by Weeth & Associates for the National Park Service. That report recommends that “Along with the mandatory dud sweep after the show, a sweep for smoldering debris in the discharge site(s), the fallout area(s) and especially any area downwind of the fallout area should be conducted. A fire watch should also be maintained overnight at the display site with at least one wildland fire team and apparatus at MORU on standby.”
In some fortunate counterprogramming to the constant claptrap of our honored guest and his preening host, Pyro Spectaculars is a family company founded by an immigrant from Portugal and which does successful international business from high-wage, high-tax, high-public-investment California.
Oh how unique a fireworks display is! (yawn) Yes the public gathering is valuable. No, faux flag wrapping “patriotism” is not, imo. Neither is a trump campaign rally.
But we can afford popping off above a National Forest while the RC mayor has to threaten other NECESSARY public programs because he and his police chief, with all their military weaponry, have at their disposal to police a couple of downtown protests?
RC politicians driving $80k gas guzzlers queer global warming science yet cut back snow removal funding because budgets are stretched with extraordinary early season storms.
Imagine the depth of police science our mayor has absorbed in his LEO career. When he lets his trumpism reassert itself like now, we are led astray. We need your good judgement, not your politics Mayor Allender.
On a related gripe: ANTIFA NOT… thread, 6.4.20 @12:52 Ryan says:
“And I am a person who appreciates clarity….People on here call me racist all the time for advocating for equality, all the while they are spouting constant racial prejudice and discrimination, completely oblivious to their hypocrisy.”
Pffssstt. He wraps himself in this sanctimonious bullsheit flag.
Pardon. @11:52
Does this include a crew to “rake the forrest floor” prior to the display for fire prevention? That recommendation comes right from the top, ya know. ;-)
Last Joop sighting: Jan 2019 Tupper reported-“Among the 65 Chinese investors in SDIF Limited Partnership 2, one withdrew a residency application, but the other 64 were awarded permanent residency.
The partnership awarded two loans totaling $32.5 million to Tentexkota in 2010 and 2011. The money helped Tentexkota [Big&Rich related corntry music execs] develop a former gold-mining slime plant into the Deadwood Mountain Grand….Judge Kornmann has already discarded two assertions by the Tentexkota members….”
Chinese investors filed their lawsuit seeking repayment of the loan in 2016…attorney Haven Stuck, of the Rapid City office of the Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun law firm…filed a memorandum stating that the balance owed to the Chinese investor partnership would grow to $43.71 million by Oct. 8, due to the accrual of interest.
Republic voters have denied Stuck’s elected office bids.
This responded to Marvin Kammerer’s AHLERS post concerning related SD GOP “economic development“ ruses with other people’s resources.
Ok, ok, i’m going home!
The fireworks I see every year from my front lawn are courtesy of the Village of Shorewood Hills and last about a half hour, although we usually get chased inside by mosquitos. We watch from our kitchen window before wandering outside again for the finale.
If I lived in Rapid City still, I would much prefer the july 4th Heritage Festival fireworks to the Mt. Rushmore stuff. The Heritage Festival fireworks would last about a half hour, too. I’m not sure if they do that anymore, though. The kid and I used to walk over to Memorial Park and watch my tax money go up in smoke. If I could be sure Trump would go up in smoke, I’d enter the lottery, but otherwise I’m not interested in being a part of this narcissistic endeavor.
After that 18 minutes, I will feel like I do after every fireworks display: “There went a lot of money.”
For the record, I will not attend, even if I win the lottery.
Also for the record, I am not against fireworks. I wouldn’t mind seeing a fireworks show over Lake Minnetonka when Minneapolis wipes out its police department.
Bob Newland, the Minneapolis City Council just voted to disband the police force there. So it looks like the racist sob union boy is gonna be looking for work. Probably find it with NOem here. Don’t know about fireworks though
n Sunday afternoon, a veto-proof majority of Minneapolis City Council members will announce their commitment to disbanding the city’s embattled police department, which has endured relentless criticism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, on May 25.
“We’re here because we hear you. We are here today because George Floyd was killed by the Minneapolis Police. We are here because here in Minneapolis and in cities across the United States it is clear that our existing system of policing and public safety is not keeping our communities safe,” Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said Sunday. “Our efforts at incremental reform have failed. Period.” https://theappeal.org/minneapolis-city-council-members-announce-intent-to-disband-the-police-department-invest-in-proven-community-led-public-safety/
Seems like a good idea all the way around. Militarized police are not meant to service they are meant to kill and we taxpayers have provided them with all the military toys they can play with to do just that. America’s overseas wars have come home to roost with America’s streets the new battleground.
The Crooked Kroll led cops will retaliate with their own criminal acts in addition to whatever they can to terrorize citizens. Yes. I expect the police force to deliberately terrorize citizens of any skin colors.
Minneapolis may contract with Hennepin County for public safety.
I didn’t know if the city would actually do it or not. POC must feel as if an enormous weight has been lifted.
Loren, I didn’t catch anything about raking the forest floor. Maybe Kristi and Donald will go out and do that with golden rakes as a photo op.
In related threads leadership, Mayor Allender and defunding police and DOJ is/ can be further discussed in coordination with the pandemic and BLM demonstrations.
From what I read, there are several local Firework Companies who could have fufilled the contract that was awarded to an out of state California Company. Great Governor looks like she continues to care about the People of So Dakota. $350,000 dollars for an 18 minute Clown Show. Why?? Well folks, to pat her self on the back.