NEW TYPES OF FIREWORKS AVAILABLE WHEN SALES BEGIN IN CAPE MONDAY

"Brachiosaurus. Monozlonius."

Youngsters and adults alike may have problems pronouncing some fireworks available for 1994.

"The Purple Dinosaur and Barney Dinosaur have been popular characters the past year," said E.C. Younghouse of Younghouse Distributing Co. Inc. of Cape Girardeau. "It was only a matter of time until dinosaur-oriented fireworks followed."

"Brachiosaurus and Monozlonius are not the only new items in the fireworks line this year," said Younghouse, whose firm sells fireworks retail and wholesale throughout a 100-mile area. "There are more new items this year than ever.

"We have a multitude of multishot fireworks," said Younghouse. "They include items with from five to 96 shots. They're colorful, and they're noisy."

Younghouse said a new type of Roman candle was available.

"It used to be that Roman candles shot five or 10 balls," said Younghouse. "Now they crackle and pop."

Another new item is the "strobing night parachutes," said Younghouse. "These are parachute fireworks with a strobelight effect."

As many as a dozen new retail businesses in Cape Girardeau will be hoping to add a sparkle to the city's economy during a 15-day run that starts Monday.

Another dozen fireworks businesses will open in the area in the near future. The fireworks selling dates at Jackson are July 1-7, and at Scott City they are June 25 to July 4.

The Hoffman family was busily constructing its fireworks stand along Independence at Town Plaza Shopping Center Tuesday. The Hoffman family will be operating five stands this year, one each in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Chaffee, Scott City and Advance. Kinder Fireworks also operates a number of fireworks stands throughout the area.

"No one has picked up licenses in Cape Girardeau yet," Regina Pearson of the Cape Girardeau merchants permit office said Tuesday. "But a number of people have picked up applications and information on the seasonal businesses."

Cape Girardeau vendors can start selling at 8 a.m. Monday. Stands may be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from Monday to July 4, and from 8 a.m. to midnight on July 4.

State and county dates for selling fireworks are from Monday to July 10 and Dec. 10 to Jan. 5.

"Each incorporated town, however, may establish its own selling dates within the state dates," said a spokesman from the Cape Girardeau County collector's office. "State, county and city licenses are required for those operating fireworks stands."

There are usually about 2,000 fireworks retailers scattered throughout the state.

Firecracker sales have been permitted in Cape Girardeau for nine years. The city council approved the sale and discharge of firecrackers for the 1985 Fourth of July season.

Missouri is one of 29 states where Class C fireworks are permitted to be sold. That includes such items as sparklers, fountains, spinners, bottle rockets and firecrackers.

A total of 13 states ban all Class C fireworks and nine states allow only sparklers and other novelties. They include Illinois, where people are permitted to discharge only sparklers, smoke bombs, and a few other small novelty items.

Fireworks may be used between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day starting Monday and continuing through midnight July 4.

Persons who violate any fireworks codes are cited with a court summons and their fireworks are impounded as evidence.

Violations include: selling fireworks to anyone who is under 12 years old; discharging or selling fireworks within 100 feet of a gas station; smoking in fireworks stands; discharging or selling fireworks within 300 feet of a church, hospital or school building; discharging fireworks within 75 feet of a place that sells fireworks; and shooting fireworks at people or cars.

Vendors must have a city and county merchant license as well as approval from the Missouri Department of Fire Safety. City fees for the permits are $10 plus a gross receipts tax of $1 per $1,000 of gross receipts over $10,000; county permits are $5; and state permits are $25.