Thoughts from the Publisher

I find it hard to believe that 2015 is halfway through its life span. Wasn’t Valentine’s Day just a few weeks ago? It looks as though the older I get the faster time flies— or, as is written in Latin on the face of our family’s grandfather clock, tempus fugit.

Because we are so close to the first of July, and with Independence Day just three days later, I want to let our readers know that it is indeed illegal to have fireworks in the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill.
Yes, many of us baby boomers who grew up in those cities played with reportedly “safe and sane” fireworks. We were excited and practically giddy at the thoughts of our parents going to one of the local pop-up fireworks stands that sprouted up around the first of July. We just knew they would bring home a brightly colored box full of small explosives— not that we were allowed to touch them, except for the snakes. Most moms and dads turned a blind eye when it came to the snakes (ashy, worm-like things that emerged from black tablets when lit with a match). My friend Becky and I loved the snakes. They resembled very long and smelly grey Cheetos. Ah, sweet memories. My guess is that parents didn’t worry much about the little wormy manifestations because they didn’t emit any sparks, just toxic materials that will no doubt cause all of us to die prematurely.
Now, back to my topic: fireworks are illegal in Long Beach and Signal Hill unless they are part of a professionally run, city-sanctioned event.
According to a press release provided by the Signal Hill Police Department, possession, sale, or the discharge of any type of fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks, are prohibited within the city of Signal Hill, and violations will be enforced.
Long Beach echoes that sentiment. Details on fireworks from the City of Long Beach’s public information office reads as follows: With the 4th of July holiday rapidly approaching, the City of Long Beach is reminding people that all fireworks are illegal and dangerous. Furthermore, they are encouraging people to attend professional fireworks shows, which they say is the best way to enjoy fireworks with family and friends.
Other information shared with me from Long Beach include a few statistics from the National Fire Protection Association:
• Fireworks caused an estimated 15,500 fires, eight deaths, dozens of injuries and an estimated $36 million in direct property damage in 2010.
• U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries in 2010.
• Fireworks and sparklers are designed to explode or throw off showers of hot sparks, with temperatures that can exceed 1,200 degrees.
• Fireworks are more than twice as likely to injure children ages 5 to 14 than the general population.
The National Council on Fireworks Safety does report some promising news; for the past several years, there has been a decreasing trend in the fireworks injury rates. A major reason has been the increasing popularity of professional fireworks shows. 
So, with this information in mind, start planning your Independence Day festivities now, and plan to find a truly safe and sane way to celebrate.
P.S. Let me know if snakes are illegal, or not, and if not, where I can buy them.