The plane's racy design, smooth fiberglass-composite body, BMW-like interior, dazzling computer instrumentation and an onboard parachute ready to float both the plane and passengers to a life-saving landing, if necessary, formed a clean break from the past.

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Here on Washington Avenue, a group of residents is hard at work battening down the circus float they made the other week, emptying the built-in cooler of Miller-High Life and assembling board games for the long nights to come.

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