Fireworks

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.

JERRY PERSON For more than half a century, "El Generalissimo" William Gallienne was the mastermind in planning our world-famous Fourth of July celebration. This coming Monday, we will again have the opportunity of watching our historical heritage as it unfolds. Unfortunately, it will be without this legendary gentleman. This week, we'll look back at a parade in which El Generalissimo definitely had a big part. The year 1961 marked the 100th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, and for that year's celebration, the theme would reflect it as "A Salute to the Civil War Centennial."

Mesa View teacher is a stellar example On Sunday, Feb. 2, more than 200 seventh- and eighth-graders from Mesa View Middle School met at 5:30 a.m. to volunteer throughout the entirety of the Pacific Shoreline Marathon. Their task was to distribute water, give encouragement and cheer on the runners. I spoke with many of these students later, who said, "I had so much fun, I loved volunteering." The man who accomplished the feat of motivating these students was science teacher Jay Du Val. Du Val is one of those rare teachers who is not only a superb instructor, but he goes the extra mile to teach by example how important it is to be a contributing community member.

The city of Costa Mesa reported a marked decrease in fireworks-related incidents this Fourth of July holiday, according to a report released last week. This is the second time Cosa Mesa Fire and Police departments have formed a joint task force to patrol against illegal fireworks -- and it seems to be working, said Costa Mesa Fire Marshal Thomas Macduff. Between June 28 and July 6, Costa Mesa Fire responded to only two fires: a dumpster fire on July 4 and a burning fireworks stand on July 5. "Usually we have something worse, like maybe ... a couple of roof fires," Macduff said.

Many residents are outraged -- and with good reason. The City Council decided last week to cancel the fireworks show this Fourth of July, rather than "take the risk" of shooting them off a barge in the ocean. The Fourth of July Commission went before the council to ask that the fireworks be moved back to the beach this fourth, as Huntington Beach High School will be undergoing renovations and will not be available. Council members, citing the riots of years past, decided by a slim margin that it was just too dangerous.

Cindy Adams I have lived in Huntington Beach my entire life. I am 36 years old, and I knew early on that my family's Fourth of July celebration was only as good as the fireworks display at Huntington Beach High School. I am a Huntington Beach High School alumni, I graduated in 1984. I have watched the fireworks from the field there at the school, I have parked on Edwards Hill, back in the 70s, and watched them from the side of the dirt road, I have parked on the original Clay Street with all my friends, I have sat on the sand at the beach wrapped up in a blanket, and for the last 24 years I have watched them from my mother's home and front yard in Seacliff.

Jenny Marder One of Surf City's most explosive debates -- fireworks at the beach -- will be reignited Tuesday at the City Council meeting. The Huntington Beach Fourth of July executive board is hoping that the council has changed its mind since last year and will approve fireworks at the beach for the city's centennial Independence Day celebration. Last year, the council narrowly denied the event for 2003 due to safety concerns. The fireworks display would have been the largest Fourth of July extravaganza on the West Coast and second only to Manhattan in the nation.

Jenny Marder Surf City residents have always taken the Fourth of July fireworks show for granted. This year, many are grudgingly making other plans. The prospect of Huntington Beach holding the second largest fireworks display in the country was snuffed out last week when the City Council voted 4 to 3 to cancel the event altogether, citing safety concerns. The decision has left the town reeling in disbelief and shock. "It's all over the place," said Pat Stier, chair of the Fourth of July Commission, adding that she has heard numerous complaints.

Jenny Marder Sparks of hope flew through the council chambers but were swiftly snuffed out Tuesday night when a plan to hold an extravagant fireworks show at the beach was denied for the second year in a row. It would have been the largest Fourth of July display on the West Coast and the second largest in the nation, second only to Manhattan, said Margie Bunten, chair of the Fourth of July Parade Committee. "We've outgrown the high school and we need to move on to bigger community events," said Ron McLin, president of the Huntington Beach Restaurant Assn.

Jenny Marder The fireworks flame was briefly sparked and then just as quickly extinguished when the City Council narrowly voted Tuesday to cancel plans for what would have been the second-largest fireworks show in the country. After a series of impassioned speeches, the council voted 4-3 to cancel the fireworks display this Fourth of July, rather than hold it at the beach. Council members Gil Coerper, Cathy Green and Dave Sullivan strongly opposed the idea of relocating the fireworks to the beach due to potential health and safety concerns and Council members Debbie Cook, Pam Julien Houchen and Jill Hardy were in favor.