In a January 1 story about new year’s celebrations, the Columbus Dispatch reported that there were fireworks at First Night Columbus’ countdown celebration. Unfortunately, the fireworks didn’t go off. That led to two corrections and a corrective article. First correction:
There were no fireworks Downtown on New Year’s Eve for First Night Columbus. (For an explanation about why, see Page B2 in today’s paper.) Because of incorrect information provided by the organization and an early press deadline, a story that ran on Page A1 yesterday was incorrect. Link
Corrective article:
People expecting fireworks at First Night Columbus’ countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve had to be satisfied with confetti cannons instead.
Organizers originally had intended to shoot off stadium fireworks near the Downtown celebration’s new midnight location at Broad and High streets, but then found out that they needed a permit, First Night spokeswoman Lindsey Weiker said.
Unable to get a permit at the last minute, the group changed its schedule lineup, but it had trouble spreading the word. “It was just a lot of miscommunication,” Weiker said.
For years, the event featured a people’s procession that led to a fireworks show at midnight at Genoa Park on the west bank of the Scioto River, said Mike Collins, First Night director.
But with a new location of the grand-finale extravaganza this year and the recent closing of the Town Street bridge, the group no longer had the option of shooting fireworks over the river, Collins said.
– Encarnacion Pyle
Second correction (to corrective article):
The need for a permit was not a factor in the decision to use confetti cannons instead of stadium fireworks at First Night Columbus’ countdown to midnight. A story on Page B2 of yesterday’s Metro & State section was not clear in explaining that organizers knew they didn’t have a place to set off fireworks once the Town Street bridge was closed. Link
Thanks, Ray!
