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6,300 bulbs illuminate Clanton’s streets
Published Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Christmas lights cost the City of Clanton a total of $3,832 last year. Crews are already at work putting up the 80-plus light fixtures, and the city will flip the switch on Thanksgiving Day.
Each fixture has an average of 78 bulbs, meaning there are more than 6,300 decorative bulbs illuminating the city’s streets from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
Photo by Scott Mims
Angel of light: Willie Abercrombie installs and checks light bulbs on one of the City of Clanton's Christmas ornaments downtown Wednesday morning.
“The electric bill definitely goes up on us,” Street and Sanitation Superintendent Dale Collins said. “Most of our lights stay on 24/7 when we plug them up.”
Electricity used to power Clanton’s Christmas lights is not metered but rather measured by the watt, Collins explained. Each bulb in most of the fixtures is 5 watts.
The decorating seemed to be going smoothly until Collins found out that one of the most recognizable fixtures had been destroyed.
Apparently, someone ran over the train light fixture in Clanton City Park with a vehicle.
“I went up there and somebody just smushed it,” he said.
The Clanton Christmas Parade is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. Lineup will take place at approximately 4:30 p.m. in and around the ball field parking lots at City Park.
More detailed information will be released at a later date.
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Comments
Posted by Likeitreallymatters (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 6:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Not yet!!!!! Please not yet!!!
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does that $3,382.00 include time/salaries putting up decorations? Or is that JUST the power bill? Either way, it's chump change for Clanton. They are so far in the black, fiscally, it really doesn't matter. I would believe under the watchful eye of a pretty darn good mayor and council, this is going to be a longterm tradition. I remember when the old decorations, the red/white garland boots that have been used in the past few years in the West End community, were the ONLY decorations in downtown Clanton back in the 70s. I may be wrong, but I believe former council member Ann Baker was instrumental in the current updated decorations. If I am correct, thank you Ann.
On a side note I remember when the city of Clanton had all of the fire hydrants painted like little firemen and policemen in 1976. They were like the little roaming nome from travelocity. Anyone else remember that?
Posted by urentitled2myopinion (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I do remember the "little people" on all the corners and in some yards. There were still parking meters in front of "Watsons" (Bennett's) then too,wasn't there? And a drive in movie too!!
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yup! Pat Seale was the meter maid who marked tires with chalk up and down Second Ave from the old First National Bank, (now it's the tag office), down to the hill top across the train tracks past the old Wadesonian theather. Now, can you tell me where all 4 theaters were?
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
1. Wadesonian, 2. next door to Bill Hays barber shop, 3. behind the old Jack's (now Three Amigos) and 4. the drive inn.
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dang November. That tilts the next tab to me!
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