Residents of Citrus Heights exercised their freedom to celebrate the nation’s 238th birthday in a variety of ways, from setting off fireworks in the street outside their homes, to barbequing with family, to reading the Declaration of Independence, to watching the new “America” documentary at the Greenback theater.
Although City Hall was closed in recognition of the day, Citrus Heights Police Officers were on the job, responding to calls of illegal fireworks in conjunction with Metro Fire, according to a post on the Department’s Twitter feed.
Near the heavily trafficked Sylvan Corners, a volunteer group from New Hope Street Ministry took the opportunity to fund raise by selling fireworks at a TNT booth — spending the evening at the Corners until the 10 p.m. deadline the group said the county imposes on fireworks sales.
Through a deal with TNT, Pastor Patrick Cornell said his group makes 50 percent profit on all sales, which resulted in nearly $7,000 being generated for his ministry last year.
Although most residents had at least a portion of the day off work, the big screens were running all day at the Century 16 theaters on Greenback Lane.
After cancelling plans to watch fireworks at Cal Expo due to smoke from a nearby fire, 20-year Citrus Heights resident Charles Baldwin spent the evening with friends watching “America: imagine the world without her,” a controversial documentary film released in theaters this week.
“Even though we didn’t see the fireworks for real, the fireworks were on the big screen,” Baldwin said, referring to the fireworks shown on screen at the end of the movie — or perhaps referring to the “explosive” portions of the film, like its critique of President Obama’s healthcare plan, and the National Security Agency’s spying program.
An assistant manager with the Greenback Lane theaters said the film “fit the time” for being released near the 4th of July, and that ticket sales had been doing “pretty well” for being an independent film.
Although Citrus Heights has no parade on July 4, its annual Red, White & Blue Parade is held each year towards the end of June. The parade originally had its roots in the birthday of the City in 1997, but has since taken on a more patriotic theme that many tie in with Independence Day.
—
The Sentinel asks: How did you celebrate the 4th of July? Post a comment below!
