Town officials in Portland have been conferring concerning the expected arrival of Hurricane Irene this weekend and are making plans to respond to the storm.
One decision that has been made is to cancel the fireworks, this time for the season. Word on that comes from the office of First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield.
Bransfield was unavailable for comment but an aide confirmed a decision was made to hold off on the fireworks until next year. The fireworks are a major annual event that draws thousands of spectators and has been acclaimed as one of the best in the state.
This year the weather was too much with safety being uppermost in the minds of Bransfield and public safety officials. A deluge of rain on July 8 forced a postponement last month because of wet conditions at the fairgrounds. Now it's the approach of Irene. Forecasts call for heavy rain beginning Saturday night. The worst of the storm is expected Sunday.
