Community Corner
Border Towns' July 4th Fireworks Brace for Chicago Influx
Cash-strapped city drops crowd-pleasing lakefront shows as Navy Pier plans smaller holiday displays.
Ancient Rome used to provide bread and circuses for its populace, but modern-day Chicago is scaling back on the circuses.
Its new mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, says the city has to spend its dough on essentials and can't spare any for the traditional July 3 fireworks that usually draws nearly a million spectators to the lakefront, according to news sources. Navy Pier will hold smaller fireworks shows on July 2 and 4.
Last year the city went from one grand display near Grant Park to fireworks at three separate lakefront locations. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, city records showed that police expenses for security alone were nearly $750,000.
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Some sources speculate Chicago residents may head for the suburbs, especially those that border the city such as Skokie, Niles and Morton Grove.
Skokie will hold a parade the morning of July 4 starting at Oakton Community College and will have a fireworks show at Niles West High School at dusk.
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In Morton Grove, near Dempster Street and Fernald Avenue.
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