Provincetown News for July 2009

This month's episode features an update of the sewer back up, events and how Provincetown did over the 4th of July weekend. Varla Jean, Miss Richfield, Dina Martina and more...also, other summer fun in Provincetown.

Provincetown News Bullets

• Tourism is down in Provincetown. Over the Fourth of July Weekend, all sectors of business reported weak performance. Retail, restaurant, transportation (ferry, bus and plane), entertainment, art galleries and hotels overwhelmingly concur that the combination of the poor economy and rainy weather in June has impacted Provincetown.
  
  
• The town sewer backed up over the Fourth of July weekend and created a mess along the entire length of Commercial Street. Homes and businesses were awash in raw sewage. It even seeped out of manhole covers. Beaches were closed, businesses impacted and some renters had to switch their accommodations at the expense of the owners. There has been a huge loss in revenue due to this incident. It is reported that a cell phone flushed down the toilet in the East end triggered a valve failure which caused the system to back up. The town has disinfected the streets with bleach.
  
  
• 14 arrests were made over the 4th of July weekend. 12 males and two females were arrested for disorderly conduct and assaulting an office. One incident involved a knife attack in the Stop and Shop parking lot.
  
  
• The Secret Garden Tour will take place this weekend from 10AM-3PM. The tour will guide walkers to 12 secret gardens in Provincetown. The cost is $30.

For questions please email Michael.dubour@century21.com

The Fourth in Provincetown to go off with a Bang!

Thanks to a combination of 124 businesses and individuals, the Independence Day pyrotechnics spectacular, will shoot off over the bay Saturday night.

Through a fundraising effort led by Rick Murray, co-owner of The Crown and Anchor Inn, close to $46,350, the cost of the fireworks was raised to pay for the display. In addition to the contributions from donors, the Visitor Services Board gave $5,000. Stop and Shop will provide food to feed the extra police officers needed to help keep order in the crowd that can blossom to over 50,000 sparkler gawkers.

The only thing that will stop the show is rain or fog. This was the case a few years ago when a rain storm threatened to cancel the celebration. The show started a few minutes before heavy rains and clouds moved in. The grand finale exploded through thick clouds giving the viewers an interesting perspective.

Have fun this weekend and please refer to last week’s entry or July’s video news (link on home page of http://www.mikedubour.com) for a list of events and parties.

Thanks for reading and email me at michael.dubour@century21.com if you have any questions.