Fireworks

A proposal to decide whether Huntington Beach voters should make so-called "safe and sane" fireworks legal beyond a two-year test run failed this week. The City Council did not get enough votes for a ballot measure that would let voters decide whether the sale and discharge of fireworks should be included in the city charter. Such a charter protection would prohibit future city councils from outlawing sparklers, fountains and other small fireworks allowed by the state. Authority of whether residents can continue to sell and set off legal fireworks — as they did for the first time in 25 years this month — will remain with the council for the duration of the two-year trial period.

Ten nonprofits were selected Monday to sell safe and sane fireworks in Huntington Beach during the Fourth of July holiday. The organizations were randomly selected during the City Council meeting from among 33 that applied to sell fireworks as part of their fundraising efforts. A blindfolded Miss Huntington Beach Hana Smith helped the Fourth of July Board choose the nonprofits. The council in January lifted the longtime ban of selling fireworks in the city. It will be in effect for a two-year trial period.

In reading your article in the Independent today, you seem to illustrate the negatives of the fireworks program.  It was set as a two-year trial period; in the first year, 10 local nonprofits benefited from more than $400,000 in revenue for four days of effort. It is anticipated in 2013, with additional groups totaling 20, the sales volume will increase to more than $1.5 million gross and at least a 50% increase in funds raised for local nonprofits, totaling perhaps $750,000 dollars.

You can't say he didn't start things off with a bang. One of Mayor Don Hansen's first orders of business after being appointed last year was to try and lift the 24-year ban on state-approved fireworks in Huntington Beach. In December, Hansen outlined his concept of a two-year pilot program that would allow what are called "safe and sane" fireworks on sidewalks and alleyways on Fourth of July only, from noon until 10 p.m. Additionally, the plan includes "fireworks-free zones" to be located in parks, at beaches, within environmentally sensitive areas and downtown.

The Huntington Beach Lions Club donated the money it raised from selling fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday to nonprofits in the city. The club gave $5,000 each to the Huntington Beach Therapeutic Riding Center and Huntington Beach Boy Scout Troop 1, said club President Steve Christy. The Lions Club was one of 10 organizations that was chosen through a lottery to sell "safe and sane" fireworks in the city for the first time in 25 years. Other organizations threw their names in the hat, including the therapeutic riding center, but were not picked.

The Huntington Beach City Council voted Monday to place a measure on the November ballot that would prohibit the city from banning the sale and discharge of "safe and sane" fireworks. The council voted 4 to 3 in favor of placing the measure on the ballot after a long debate and a slew of comments from residents who described a chaotic Fourth of July holiday. "There was nothing but a war zone surrounding me," said resident Joseph Lascola, who showed pictures of large fireworks going off in his neighborhood.

The Huntington Beach City Council voted Tuesday to charge almost $6,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations looking to obtain permits for selling fireworks in Huntington Beach this Fourth of July. The resolution to establish the charge was approved, with Mayor Don Hansen and Councilman Matthew Harper opposing. Councilman Devin Dwyer was absent. The $56,000 estimated cost for police and fire services and signage needed for the legalization of fireworks will be divided between the 10 organizations that will be permitted to sell the so-called "safe and sane" fireworks.

Bryce Alderton Sparks flew in a debate over moving the fireworks back to the beach, but in the end law enforcement concerns extinguished the notion. City Council voted to keep the fireworks at the Huntington Beach High School stadium, rather than move them back to the beach at Pier Plaza as recommended by the Fourth of July Executive Board. One of the executive board's reasons for wanting to move the fireworks was that this Independence Day would hold more meaning in the wake of Sept.

Elaine Turnbull I can't believe the public is so incensed about not having fireworks in Huntington Beach. We have many more important issues facing us than that. Also, I'm sure we can find better ways than shooting off firecrackers to show our patriotic support for "our sons and daughters serving in harms way in the Middle East" as Barry L. Williams put it (Sounding Off, March 6.) My husband and I remember when we had fireworks shot off the end of the pier in the past.

Bryce Alderton That familiar "popping" sound and spectacle of glowing reds, blues and greens illuminating Surf City's night sky on July 4 may be switching spots. The Fourth of July Executive Board, made up of seven volunteers each appointed by a city council member, is trying to move the fireworks display from Huntington Beach High School to the beach said Margie Bunten, chairwoman of the fireworks division of the board. "Citizens have told us they would love to have them on the beach," she said.

In reading your article in the Independent today, you seem to illustrate the negatives of the fireworks program.  It was set as a two-year trial period; in the first year, 10 local nonprofits benefited from more than $400,000 in revenue for four days of effort. It is anticipated in 2013, with additional groups totaling 20, the sales volume will increase to more than $1.5 million gross and at least a 50% increase in funds raised for local nonprofits, totaling perhaps $750,000 dollars.

The Huntington Beach Lions Club donated the money it raised from selling fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday to nonprofits in the city. The club gave $5,000 each to the Huntington Beach Therapeutic Riding Center and Huntington Beach Boy Scout Troop 1, said club President Steve Christy. The Lions Club was one of 10 organizations that was chosen through a lottery to sell "safe and sane" fireworks in the city for the first time in 25 years. Other organizations threw their names in the hat, including the therapeutic riding center, but were not picked.

A proposal to decide whether Huntington Beach voters should make so-called "safe and sane" fireworks legal beyond a two-year test run failed this week. The City Council did not get enough votes for a ballot measure that would let voters decide whether the sale and discharge of fireworks should be included in the city charter. Such a charter protection would prohibit future city councils from outlawing sparklers, fountains and other small fireworks allowed by the state. Authority of whether residents can continue to sell and set off legal fireworks — as they did for the first time in 25 years this month — will remain with the council for the duration of the two-year trial period.

The Huntington Beach City Council voted Monday to place a measure on the November ballot that would prohibit the city from banning the sale and discharge of "safe and sane" fireworks. The council voted 4 to 3 in favor of placing the measure on the ballot after a long debate and a slew of comments from residents who described a chaotic Fourth of July holiday. "There was nothing but a war zone surrounding me," said resident Joseph Lascola, who showed pictures of large fireworks going off in his neighborhood.

Congratulations are in order to Mayor Don Hansen and the other four city councilmen who voted in January of this year to lift the ban on the sale and use of "safe and sane" fireworks in the city of Huntington Beach. I know this is going to be disturbing to the two liberal members of the City Council who voted against the lifting of the ban, but when adult citizens are left to be adult citizens, they tend to act like adult citizens. Maybe even more disturbing to the left in this city is the symbolism that comes with an entire city, block by block, enjoying a freedom that they had been denied for almost a quarter of a century.

A man was severely injured by fireworks on the Fourth of July, authorities said. It was the first in many years that legal fireworks, which are officially dubbed "safe and sane," were permitted in Huntington Beach, but the man was reportedly injured by illegal fireworks. Huntington Beach Hospital sought the Fire Department's help in transporting the man to the UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange for treatment at 8:55 p.m., said Deputy Fire Marshal Bob Culhane. "The patient got to Huntington Beach Hospital on his own," Culhane said.

Sunday marks the first time in 25 years for Huntington Beach to allow the sale and discharge of so-called "safe and sane" fireworks. And although both the city's police and fire chiefs expressed strong opposition to lifting the ban because of the departments' already strained resources and the possible fires that could generate, the departments say they are prepared to keep things under control. Despite the possibility of fireworks-related incidents, police enforcement plans are much like last year, mainly because the city doesn't have enough officers to schedule, said Lt. Mitch O'Brien.

Ten nonprofits were selected Monday to sell safe and sane fireworks in Huntington Beach during the Fourth of July holiday. The organizations were randomly selected during the City Council meeting from among 33 that applied to sell fireworks as part of their fundraising efforts. A blindfolded Miss Huntington Beach Hana Smith helped the Fourth of July Board choose the nonprofits. The council in January lifted the longtime ban of selling fireworks in the city. It will be in effect for a two-year trial period.

The Huntington Beach City Council voted Tuesday to charge almost $6,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations looking to obtain permits for selling fireworks in Huntington Beach this Fourth of July. The resolution to establish the charge was approved, with Mayor Don Hansen and Councilman Matthew Harper opposing. Councilman Devin Dwyer was absent. The $56,000 estimated cost for police and fire services and signage needed for the legalization of fireworks will be divided between the 10 organizations that will be permitted to sell the so-called "safe and sane" fireworks.

You can't say he didn't start things off with a bang. One of Mayor Don Hansen's first orders of business after being appointed last year was to try and lift the 24-year ban on state-approved fireworks in Huntington Beach. In December, Hansen outlined his concept of a two-year pilot program that would allow what are called "safe and sane" fireworks on sidewalks and alleyways on Fourth of July only, from noon until 10 p.m. Additionally, the plan includes "fireworks-free zones" to be located in parks, at beaches, within environmentally sensitive areas and downtown.