I am now going on my 6th night of sedating my dog and keeping her in the house to keep her from going crazy from the pops and bangs of what can't possibly be legal fireworks.  The neighbor said he saw someone putting spray paint cans under a metal bucket and light them and see how far they fly.  How is this considered celebrating our Independence?

As for the yay hoos that talk about other states that have legal fireworks...they forget these states get plenty of rain and are nice and green and the fire hazard is low.  California is DRY...duhhhh...

Saturday afternoon I stopped at one of those fireworks places.

There are no "good" fireworks. Just outlaw them, please. It's kinda like if Adam West was to play Batman in the next movie. Ya, I love the guy, he is THE Batman to a generation but now, he wouldn't even be a shadow of himself.

The person in the booth handed me a flyer, I looked it over, all 4 pages front, inside, back. Snakes...Poppers, fountains and whistlers? No jumping jacks, no firecrackers? I wasn't expecting Roman Candles or bottle rockets but COME ON!

New Hampshire sells fieworks under a loophole, you had to sign a paper saying that you are using them for Agricultural Purposes (ie: scareing crows, blowing up woodchucks)

Let them all be avalable or none at all.

www.youtube.com/watch

If air quality is the mantra here, then we must do away with ALL forms of outdoor cooking as well. Wood pit? Gone. Charcoal burning? Gone. Fireplace? Forget the no burn days, just GONE. If you are going to espouse these sorts of convictions, why direct your repugnance to fireworks only? After all fireworks, in the grand scheme of things, contributes an infinitisimal amount of air pollution in comparion to to the forementioned. Even sitting around a fake fire is questionable, since coal had to be burned to create the electricity. Educate yourself, at least mildly, the the way our world actually works before declaring others selfish and terrible, and comparing those who enjoy lighting a few bucks worth of legal fireworks in the front yeard to share a few smiles with their family on the 4th of July  to DRUNK DRIVERS. I take pity on all political automatons of every kind, your brains have been washed and rinsed so often you do not see the forrest OR the trees.

Excuse, Excuse, Excuses....how terrible & frustrating that you find fireworks to be your choice of celebration.  It's almost as bad as thinking you deserve to go out & drink & drive on your birthday, New Years, etc.  The air quality in our county is beyond bad.  The fireworks haven't even started and early in the a.m. I can see just how dirty the air is.  Why on earth would you want to satisfy your own needs (selfish) when so many people here in the valley suffer from chronic lung problems?!!  I just don't get how we have become a community thinking of only ourselves & satisfying our wants.  It is a true shame that we put ourselves above others. 

There was a blog posted by OD a week or so ago about the good ol' days ..... bring those days back when we actually displayed common courtesy and thought of our neighbors.  I would love to see this come back to life.  Celebration of our Nation is a great opportunity to teach our children the history...make a game of it.  Play those old fashion yard games, make homemade ice-cream, decorate your windows, your front yards, involve your neighbors and have a block party.  We just don't need to add to the dirty air.  If you care about how your children will survive (not only the debts of our nation), but greener, cleaner air...start at home and show them, teach them...and best of all, have fun with them, without the fireworks. 

Last weekend the neighbor boy swept the leaves and dirt off my roof so he could earn extra money.  While he was up there, he brought down a burnt out bottle rocket to show me.  Durned good thing I don't have a shake roof eh?  I regularly hear firecrackers going off in my neighborhood year round.  Obviously legal or illegal, people where I live don't care, they're gonna have their fireworks whenever they choose.

Fireworks wouldn't be so bad except that there is a huge percentage of people abusing them.  They leave their trash in the street.  The air is full of sulfur until people like me with asthma are choking and can't breathe.  I have to stay home on the 4th to comfort my dog or she goes insane.  And it's not just in the evening after dark, it's ALL DAY, every day from July 1st.

Then we get to go through it all over again on New Year's Eve.  I haven't been able to go out for years. 

It's not patriotism.  It's idiots looking for an excuse to blow something up.  Whatta waste.

The 4th of July isn't about fireworks.  And, in most all cities they are not used to celebrate.  People still get together with family and friends. They still have parades and cookouts and parties.  They still let the kids run through sprinklers and have fun. All around the country.  And, in the morning, the air is clear, the shelters aren't overflowing with lost frightened dogs, there aren't dead dogs on the street who have been hit by cars when they've panicked and run out in the night, people and kids with asthma aren't suffering from the air and the streets aren't full of trash- and taxpayers are not paying for tons of extra refuse going to the landfill after one night, at a time when money is tight.  Everyone says taxpayer money should be spent in a more frugal way, but we must be sure to pay for the costs extra law enforcement costs both regular time and overtime, extra fire department costs, additional animal control costs,  and extra landfill costs for for post-4th firework refuse while cutting JV sports and other school  and community programs.  After all, we need 30-minutes or an hour of small explosions, but the kids don't need sports or music.   All of the costs add up big for the taxpayer.

FRANKC29... YOU ROCK, DUDE!

Let's have a clean air day on July 4 started off by an early morning bicycle parade with patriotic decorations.  Everyone can ride the bus for free around town and do friendly neighborhood strolling in the evening after a huge meal cooked without stinking, fossil fuel impregnated charcoal.

Looks like we got alot of supporters this time! We def need more fireworks shows, where it doesnt take 2 hours to get out of the parking lot at the end. I loved the BC show, just hated the parking lots afterwards....

There are most definitely too many idiots with illegals or alternated legal fireworks. You go Lois Henry!

It's easy to call for a ban, or to support one, if it involves an activity that you have no vested interest in. Don't like fireworks because they are loud and smelly and make your yapping dog pee his crate? Well then obviously it's an activity with no merit and needs to be done away with. After all, if there are risks involved and you cannot personally see the benefits, what good is it right? However, analyse your own interests, hobbies, and recreational activities. There must be SOMETHING there you and your family enjoy that involves risk to yourself and/or others which someone else surely fiunds fault with. Do you like camping and sitting around a campfire with your loved ones, roasting marshmallows? Well it's a fire hazard, and a total outright ban would surely result in fewer fires in the state of california, less property damage and loss of life. Hire a professional to put on a campfire display that you could pay $10 to sit close to. It's for your own good. Do you like off roading, perhaps on a quad or dunebuggy? Well we all know how dangerous THAT can be. Let's ban the activity altogether. It's unnecessary after all, and a danger to yourself and others. Hire a professional to slowly tour the trails for you in a dunebuggy that sits 20.  Don't forget to bring a camcorder. How about motorcycles? Helmet laws notwithstanding, how dangerous are those? Very. 4 wheels, an airbag and preferably a hybrid engine are much safer, so let's ban motorcycles. This rosy path of safetiness will eventually lead us to a glorious day when we are all rolling around in giant hamster balls. The wussification of our country is being built brick by brick in this way. It starts in the heavily populated urban centers and spreads like a disease to outlying areas. As soon as a city reaches a certain level of population and sprawl, sure enough here come the risk police, to suck all meaning and pleasure out of life, one law, one rule at a time. I wish I could jump in a time machine and live in the horrible post war decades of the 50's 60's and 70's. Surely you had to walk over a pile of corpes just to get to work, but you had a little more freedom. Plus no internet, so the annoying masses that congregate in places like these had to be content to sit at home dateless and write by hand to their congressmen, while everyone else had FUN.

We can't burn a fire in the winter because of particulate matter, but fireworks are ok and only God knows how many tons of soot we thrust into the air every 4th. Where's CARB???

I couldn't agree more.  And to me the air quality gets worse as the temps rise.  Just today I noticed very early in the morning just how bad the air was, and knew it would only get worse as the day went on. 

I've always had an eerie feeling on the 5th of July...streets were deserted with the exception of trash from fireworks littering our streets.  The air feels & looks nasty.   

Freedom isn't about destroying what we have....freedom is enjoying what we have.  Find new ways to celebrate...use your imagination.  Surely you have had to use it on other occasions....so why the heck plan personal fireworks around the celebration of America.  Plan something new.  There are many other ways to celebrate our Nations history.  Put out flags, have your children wave flags, it's safe for everyone.  

Sure, there will always be illegal fireworks.  But they are far & few.  It will be easier to catch the illegal fireworks.  If you do not get satisfaction from one deputy, call 911 and request another.    

There once was a time when it was cool to celebrate with fireworks, but our country has grown by leaps & bounds.  People have multiplied by tens of thousands....adding more pollution into the air that we breathe.  Time for us all to re-adjust our thinking on celebrating.   

Personally, I'll once again stay home with the dogs to keep them sane and in the morning scoop up any dog that has escaped from their yards out of fear.  Which brings me to: keep your dog tags current so I (we) can get in touch with you when we find your lost & panicked pet.  Check out flyer's, the Californian, TBC, craigslist,  etc. if you have lost your pet(s) during this time. There are numerous ways to find your lost pet, but unless you follow the guidelines mentioned above, your darling pet may just end up in a new home.   

I have been against fireworks...noticing even as a child what dirty air we had the day after.  It is now worse than ever. 

With N. Korea threatening our homeland, our nation just may become the fireworks for the world to see.

I hate to see personal fireworks go by the wayside, but it's high time we start acting like responsible adults and realize this is creating worse air.  

Please join in on the new wave, and find alternative ways to celebrate our history.   

I say ban the personal use of fireworks.  I've lived in communities that outlawed the use of personal fireworks and have done just fine.  We usually go the nearest event for aerial fireworks approved by the city.  I don't understand why some folks are making a big deal out of this.  I wouldn't want to be breathing pollution in my neighborhood.  But my neighbors are free use personal fireworks on their property, preferably inside their own living room or enclosed garage. 

God forbid you people teach your children how to properly handle fireworks, so homes and train depots aren't burnt down.  In South Carolina and other states fireworks, far more powerful ones than are ever sold around here, are sold YEAR ROUND, and people don't start forest fires or burn down their neighbors' homes.  More and more Californians keep relinquishing their rights so they can be babysat, instead of taking responsibility for their lives and their actions.  Pitiful. 

Wait. We're talking about expecting "personal responisbility" from a population that can't even understand the concept of a speed limit? Tell you what. Everyone drives down Ming Ave. at 45 miles an hour between Stine and the Marketplace, we can keep fireworks, deal?

Pete, you couldn't have said it better!

"Here's the thing about freedom. Sometimes you have to accept things you don't like so others can have the same freedom you want to have in your life."

This is why marriage is for everyone, not just the 'elite' heterosexuals. (Sorry. Off topic, I know, but I'm still bitter.)

Why do people insist on using slippery slopes in their arguments? Didn't anyone take public speaking? Use some concrete information in your argument! To say that if we were to ban fireworks, we should also ban Tylenol makes no sense at all. Well we're at it, lets also ban chemotherapy and xrays! Those are really harmful for the body, right? See how that makes no sense?

Stick to the topic people!

"If guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns."

If fireworks are all made illegal, only illegals will have fireworks.

We could be in for a much quieter cinco de mayo.

 Nancy

Aerials are ILLEGAL.  How would you like one to land on your roof, or in that patch of dry grass next to your fence?

BAN THEM ALL.  All this talk about the air quality in this valley.   It's so thick on 4th of July you practically need a respirator to step outside.

Lois,

Sure, those things have restrictions, but that's not what you're proposing is it. You're proposing a complete ban. 

Yes I absolutely wear a seatbelt, by choice because its stupid not to. Some people still don't (like those that got busted recentely). This shows that the restrictions aren't working too. Should we ban cars?

There are restrictions on guns too. People still get their hands on the illegal ones and even commit crimes with them. Should we ban guns? The restrictions clearly aren't working.

Here's the thing about freedom. Sometimes you have to accept things you don't like so others can have the same freedom you want to have in your life. A little boom boom and smoke on one night isn't too much to ask. Just think about war and how lucky we are to not have to endure daily bombings.

dirtyshirt, I too came from an area where fireworks have been banned and I'm pretty stoked to be able to use them safely here.  I hope they aren't banned just because of a few idiots. 

I said last year (got to copy and paste this for next year)~ I'd love to see a big community fireworks show,for free....we'd have to have how many of those to serve our community, and exactly where? Work that out,and let me know......

I have lived in communities that have outlawed fireworks also. Lois is correct that this is not an earth shattering big deal. Life goes on, the fourth remains a fun holiday, etc.

The city and other officially endorsed entitites can put on their own shows; this is a lot of fun also, as they can put REAL money into it every year. This is how many folks around the country are celebrating the 4th, and have been for decades. The atmosphere is a lot like a drive-in movie, with people driving up to a rural spot and picnicking while the show goes on. Trust me, it's a great time.

However, I still think we should try a little public education first.

Pete,

There are lots of things that have been restricted for the masses because of iditos. Nearly all the things you mention, as a matter of fact:  guns (restrictions too numerous to mention), cars(do you wear a safety belt? because you want to or were told to?), food (how it's grown, manufactured, packaged and sold), power tools (not supposed to buy or operated by under 18), skates (where you can and can't skate, helmets), skateboards (ibid).

Fireworks have been restricted. See any real sparklers these days? But the restrictions haven't worked and the situation is out of control and unsafe in my opinion.

Midterm,

Many communities have banned all fireworks, other than professional shows. In my last column on this issue (same time last year) I featured Torrance as one community and how they overcame the issue of charities and activities.

I also spoke with several local charities that used to sell fireworks and now do other things (of their own accord) to raise money. It can be done.

I posted this over on Stephen M's blog too, but I'll repost it here for those not following that one:

You know, I went to grad school in a town where fireworks were banned (Davis). Instead of personal fireworks, everyone gathered at the main park for a big bash put on by the city and private groups. The whole day was a celebration. During daylight hours, it was like a street fair with vendor booths and musical acts. Once the sun set, the fireworks display started. You could pay to get the good seats or you could opt to watch the aerials for free. Very few people drove to another place to get fireworks to set off. You didn't have to worry about your home burning down and you could spend a whole day celebrating with the community. I rarely heard anyone complain about the lack of personal fireworks and charities could still raise money by having a booth at the park during the celebration.

I completely agree that they should ban the use of personal fireworks. Aside from the environmental problems and safety concerns that everyone has already covered in depth, there are also the large number of asthmatics and people with allergies being affected. These people (myself included) suffer for days after the fourth. I no longer perform fireworks and I'm sure if there were much fewer being used around town (i.e. firework displays for LARGE groups of people), this wouldn't be as big an issue. Instead, the majority see the fourth as an opportunity to duct tape five explosives together, put them in a cardboard box, and set the whole thing on fire. I think that a large gathering to view a firework display as a whole community would display much more 'patriotism' than would setting a cardboard box on fire in your front yard to watch it explode. This issue will only hit home to the people it's effected already. Your house catching on fire from an aerial-bound firework; a third degree burn from improper use of a firework; your dog running away from the high-decibel fireworks; your child going to jail for injuring/killing someone by accident with fireworks being used incorrectly. And as for those who sell fireworks to make money, there are literally hundreds of other ways to do so. If firework sales are your only source of fund raising, then your organization probably hasn't gotten very far in its cause.

I've said it every year~ this year is no different. 

NO. Keep fireworks. Ban grills:-)

H.E.A.R.T.S. is selling fireworks this year in the Home Depot parking lot(Gosford and District) starting on the 1st.

H.E.A.R.T.S. offers services to the disabled children,and their families,of K.C.

Cannabis can be eaten or vaporized ( no carbon or tar ) ...

--virgil

Witbee, smoking seven joints a day over a projected period of time and it is thought to cause cancer - because of the carbon and tar.

Other studies, however, show  a different picture in that cannabis can be deleterious to the apparent causes of certain brain disorders, for example,  like Alzheimer's.

--virgil

Smoking cannabis causes cancer. 

Or cures it.  Jury's still out, and there are non-smoking ways of ingesting it, too.  I believe you will not be able to find a single case where cancer was directly attributed to cannabis use.

But let's assume you're right.  Is there a legal substance which  is smoked and causes cancer?  Perhaps cannabis should be treated as similar to *THAT* product.

"One person's right to use them ends where another's right to safety, sanity and breathable air begins..."

Let's ban big diesel trucks then too. They're loud, they stink, and just hope you don't get hit by one.

Of course this is true, but I'm failing to see how the legal ones cause fires, unless people are using them in some way that perhaps turns them into illegal ones.

I believe the "safe and sane" types have been implicated in fires (don't know about locally).  It's for sure they caused a lot of the 10,000 injuries reported in California last year.

Smoking cannabis causes cancer. Cancer can kill you.

I agree. Ban 'em. One person's right to use them ends where another's right to safety, sanity and breathable air begins, and the fact is that those rights continue to be pervasively trampled on each July 4th. That's not patriotism; it's selfish irresponsibility. Many other cities and counties have woken up to this fact, but Bakersfield and Kern, as ever, remain behind the curve when it comest to basic civic responsibility.

And whom does Tylenol kill? People who use it responsibly?

Yes.  And irresponsibly.  About 500 per year in this country.  

And cannabis can kill if you operate farm equipment after partaking. Just like NyQuil...........

And alcohol, and tobacco.   Ban all of them, or ban none of them. 

The difference is that tobacco and alcohol kill from their effects on the user *AND* from impairment of machine operators.  Cannabis doesn't.

And whom does Tylenol kill? People who use it responsibly?

And cannabis can kill if you operate farm equipment after partaking. Just like NyQuil...........

I sense a conspiracy.

The rate of deaths due to aspirin is frightening.

Roughly the same as tylenol deaths, Pete.  Both pikers compared to tobacco and alcohol, of course.

So we should make Tylenol illegal because cocaine is illegal?

No, we should make Tylenol illegal because it kills people, and cannabis legal because it doesn't. 

witbee, by applying Lois' logic to other things, we absolutely should ban tylenol. We should ban aspirin first though. The rate of deaths due to aspirin is frightening.

So we should make Tylenol illegal because cocaine is illegal?

"Making *ALL* private fireworks illegal would make the illegal ones easier to spot, of course."

I can live with that, midterm...but you should allow them the same two-week window the fireworks nuts seem to get.  It's only fair.   But in keeping with the Founding Fathers theme, maybe limit it to patriotic cannabis like George Washington grew?

I'll meet you half way. Ban them on New Year's Eve. New Year's Eve is a bigger disturbance of the peace.

Hey, Random!!!  You are absolutely, positively, 100% correct, again.  I am not a hypocrite! I support the use of safe and sane fireworks on the 4th of July.  I also support the right of anyone who wants to use cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, PCP, etc., to use those substances------on the 4th of July only, so they can honor the founding of our country in the manner they deem most patriotic. 

What I think she's proposing is banning the legal ones not because illegal ones exist, but because the *LEGAL* ones actually cause a greater problem (fires, air pollution, trash) than the illegal ones do.  It's a valid point, I think, which is obscured by her arguing the numbers of citations issued.

Making *ALL* private fireworks illegal would make the illegal ones easier to spot, of course. 

Well, no (I wouldn't mind though because I would use them safely). It just doesn't make sense to ban the legal ones because some people buy and use illegal ones. Unless I read that wrong, that is what Lois is proposing.

I have neighbors who start the fireworks days before the actual holiday and days AFTER the holiday. I wouldn't care but it scares the dogs and it freaks them out. It is a huge nuisance. Plus all the smoke it causes, like our air quality isn't bad enough. So yeah, I agree. Personal fireworks are a pain.

Pete, you ignore the fact that we're actually talking about the currently-*LEGAL* type of fireworks.   Or are you arguing for the legalization of bottle-rockets and M-80's?

Wow, what an amazing piece of logic here. 

Some people buy illegal fireworks, some people get injured or cause property damage using illegal fireworks. Some people even act dumb and hurt themselves using legal fireworks, so let's ban them all.

Using that logic, we should ban guns, cars, food, power tools, skates, skateboards, among lots and lots of other things because some people act dumb and use them dangerously and get hurt or hurt others.

By Lois' logic, we should ban cars especially. There are people that drive drunk or irresponsibly, run red lights and cause damage to personal property, great bodily harm and death. Some of them are also disturbingly loud. We should ban them then, right?

If fireworks bother you that much, plan a vacation on the 4th of July. If you're worried about your thatch roof catching on fire, well perhaps you should think about using a more non-flamable material for your roof, or on the other hand you could replace it with dry straw.

God... I hate this city and county.  It seems that everyone here wants to make sure there is NOTHING fun to do ever.  They bitch and moan and groan about new shopping centers or anything that tries to come in to town.  I just don't flippen get it.  This city is just full of a bunch of complainers.  GROW UP.  CHILL OUT.  Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to take it away from everyone.  WHERE DID THIS SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT COME FROM! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! I just don't get it.

Try using that logic on other banned substances - like drugs

I'll take that at face value:  those who support the right to use fireworks ought, to avoid hypocrisy, to support the private use of drugs.  But they always seems to think freedom is for them, not anyone else.

I just don't understand folks saying there shouldn't be a ban because folks will just go for the illegal fireworks anyway. Try using that logic on other banned substances - like drugs and automatic weapons. It just doesn't fly. The point is not to put every 'beer laden" suburbanite whose "brains have flown out their backside" (both great descriptors) on equal footing with scofflaws, the point is to tamp down the general acceptance and availability. If the city and county ban the fireworks, most folks will abide by the ban. And the problems will decrease.

That being said, I actually agree with sioxcity's snarky comment. I think Halloween is being killed for very little reason - the dangers to children being largely mythical; I think folks banning creches are going overboard (we should be welcoming menorrahs and atheist displays at the same time instead); Holidays are meant to help us mark the passing of seasons, to allow a break between periods of work.

Celebrations, if enthusiastic, are bound to involve some problems. I believe in education. We haven't tried enough of that. We have a block party on our block also, and have the folks who were buying illegals to stop and join us. It requires community building and effort on the part of a few. But it works.

Good memories are made on July 4th - with legal home fireworks on the agenda.

No depriving my kids of the fun I had as a kid.

Sawwwwy....