David Schmalz here, wishing you a happy Independence Day, one that need not involve explosions.
I don’t claim to fully understand why some people feel the need to blow things up to celebrate our country’s independence, but it’s probably because there isn’t a good reason—some people, in every country, like to blow things up on occasion—I suppose that’s just human nature.
That being said, I hope you all stay safe out there, and sane.
The City of Salinas put out an extremely macabre announcement yesterday about a man who was missing a hand and flagging down cars near Independence Boulevard and E. Boronda Road with shrapnel in his face and bleeding from both ears. When paramedics arrived, he reportedly told them, “Bad fireworks.”
Also yesterday, Seaside Police and county probation officers did a search of a house on Goodwin Street where a 17-year-old on probation was living and they discovered an astonishing 335 pounds of illegal fireworks.
Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says the search came after several anonymous tips his department received about illegal fireworks being used at the house, and possibly being sold there. The suspect, who was not named, was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors and one felony count for having over 100 pounds of illegal fireworks.
Just like certain guns that are not legal in California, illegal fireworks are a tough thing to eradicate because they’re legal in Nevada—one need only drive across the state line to buy them and then drive back.
But so-called “safe and sane” fireworks, which stay on the ground and don’t launch airborne, are legal in many Monterey County cities—Seaside, Salinas, Marina, Soledad, Gonzales, Greenfield and King City.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we’re in the throes of a heat wave, and the National Weather Service reports that temperatures could get as high as 110 degrees in interior parts of the county. That will be coupled with low relative humidity, meaning that the fire risk—at a time when people are igniting pyrotechnics—will be particularly acute on this July 4.
So I hope everyone stays hydrated, and again, safe and sane. I also hope you have fun—it should be lovely outside, and the grills will be grilling. Happy Fourth.
(1) comment
Did the cops really have to force people watching fireworks from General Jim Moore Blvd away.
It was absolutely peaceful and fun to watch the fireworks going off all over Seaside.
Really disappointing.
Watched them last year sitting in the car on Gen. Moore Blvd.
This year, the cops came along and told everyone not to watch the fireworks.
Pointless.
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