Chronicle Editorial

Killing cancer 1 penny at a time
Franklin County’s reputation as a generous community is well known throughout the area, so it’s really no surprise local fundraising efforts for cancer research earned high praise recently.
     The county’s annual Relay For Life event was honored by the American Cancer Society for raising an outstanding sum in 2015. Local contributions reached $85,850, which was the sixth-highest amount for counties with populations of 10,000-14,999 in the entire country. It’s an incredible accomplishment that can be attributed to Franklin County’s many volunteers and generous donors.
     The acknowledgment was fantastic, but it wasn’t the only honor our county received recently for its efforts in the fight against cancer. Both West Fork and Hampton-Dumont were named Schools of Hope for their contributions to the annual Coaches vs. Cancer event. This year, the two schools joined forces to raise almost $10,000 for future cancer research. The event was made even more noteworthy when Hampton resident Heather Holm buzzed her hair to spread awareness for those battling cancer. She raised $2,500 in the process, and her haircut proved to be one of the main highlights for those that attended Coaches vs. Cancer.
     These recent accolades only complement the county’s previous charitable endeavors. Be it community projects, families in need of help or annual fundraisers like Relay For Life, Franklin County residents and businesses are always willing to break out their checkbooks and donate in droves. Local volunteers and organizers should also be commended for their efforts. Though several Iowa communities host events like Relay For Life and Coaches vs. Cancer, not many are as successful as ours.
     Here’s to hoping for many more prosperous events in Franklin County. Local fundraising efforts have a lot of momentum right now, and there’s no reason to slow down. Every penny counts towards defeating this terrible disease that affects so many families each year.
 
Lawmakers reignite frivolous fireworks debate
     For the third year in a row, lawmakers have renewed debate over legalizing fireworks in Iowa. And for the the third year in a row, the proposed legislation faces long odds.
     An Iowa Senate panel last week voted unanimously to resurrect a bill that would legalize the sale of fireworks across the state. The House passed a bill last year that would have done the same thing, but it failed in the Senate. Proponents claim the legislation would end decades of “head in the sand” policies banning fireworks while simultaneously generating tax revenue for the state. Conversely, opponents believe the bill would endanger public welfare by creating more accidents, fires and other issues.
     Both sides have been banging the same drum for the past three years. While additional tax revenue would be a nice boost for Iowa’s budget, those in opposition of the bill have a valid counter-argument. Legalizing the sale of fireworks would no doubt make them more accessible to children, which would lead to more accidents and other mishaps. Fireworks were outlawed in Iowa seven decades ago for similar reasons – two fireworks-related incidents destroyed significant portions of downtown districts in Spencer and Remsen. There’s no need to stick our heads in the sand now when history has already taught us a lesson.
     Fireworks are still dangerous, and statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission back it up. Nearly 10,500 people were treated for fireworks-related injuries in 2014, with around 3,675 of those injuries occurring to individuals under the age of 15. Additionally, the National Fire Protection Association estimated that 17,800 fires were started by fireworks in 2011. Those are alarming figures that should spark concern among state lawmakers.
     It’s clear these things are dangerous no matter who’s lighting them off. While Iowans can still get their pyrotechnic fix by crossing over into states like South Dakota or Missouri, current state law creates a deterant by making these explosives more difficult to obtain. Increasing access by legalizing fireworks would only exacerbate the risk of injury and fires here in the Hawkeye State, which seems like a pretty reckless thing to do.