A Good Night's Sleep

Although I could just barely hear far away fireworks going off last evening, my Aussie did not.  So we all had the our first good night's sleep since the 3rd.  By the way, my search for fireworks trash with very unproductive yesterday morning.  The only trash I found was over at the intersection of McKenzie and Varsity Place.  Later . . .

The Barrage Continues

Being able to read a calendar is apparently not an ability needed by folks that get their "rocks off" blowing stuff up.  What began on the Southside on the 4th continued into the wee hours this AM.  My calendar indicates it's the 7th.  It's been a tough night for my Aussie and the rest of my family.  What to do . . . ?  Well, I've decided to go look for fireworks trash, which over this weekend is accumulating in Happy Valley, where this blatantly illegal fireworks use continues.  Where there is trash, there are addresses which will help in future calls to 911.  This is something that will at least be better than just putting up with this situation.  Later . . .

Updated Southside Report

The 4th was pretty awful on the Southside. The barrage got started at dusk and continued well into the 5th. Called 911 a couple of times, but frankly, without any exact location info from me, nothing much happened. My Aussie went pretty much ballistic on me. It was not a fun Independence Day for me and mine!  To a lesser degree, at least one idiot who apparently cannot read a calendar shot off some really big stuff last evening.  Apparently this person did not get enough pyrotechnical self-gratification on the 4th or perhaps had leftover "munitions" that needed to be used before they "spoiled".  It seems very strange that this person's close by neighbors put up with this instead of calling 911.  As concerned citizens, we all need to do our part, especially next year when the ban becomes enforcible.

The only conclusion that I can come to is that the BPD/BFD made an impressive effort to make the current "restrictions-only" fireworks ordinance work this year, but it's pretty obvious that the total ban that goes into effect on 6/18/14 is the only real solution to our City's fireworks insanity. Next year, with no sales within the City and law enforcement no longer hindered by having to witness the actual lighting of a fireworks, many idiots who have scoffed at the current ordinance will be much more vulnerable to fines and/or imprisonment in 2014. Later . . .

It's OFFICIAL!

It seems very fitting that I discovered the link below this afternoon, on Independence Day, July 4th, 2013. It is access to the "official" ordinance that puts a fireworks ban in place in June, 2014. Check it out here! Thanks to everyone who has been part of our grass roots campaign to make Bellingham an even better place to live. Have a safe and enjoyable - and perhaps quieter - 4th. Later . . .  

Southside Report

It has been amazingly quiet here on the Southside until last evening. Loud fireworks started north of the Parkway mid-evening and continued well past midnight. I was busy consoling my Aussie, who went bonkers as usual.  It ended up being a short night sleep-wise.  So the likely barrage begins today, on the 4th.  Sure hope it's over by midnight, or not, right?  Sure reinforces why we worked together so long and hard to establish a City-wide ban starting next year.  Later . . .

Spokane's 2013 News Conference

Spokane's successful fireworks ban is 21 years old this year.  It's success has been in part a result of continuing education of the public.  Fundamental are now yearly press conferences.  Check out this year's by clicking here.

Too Good to be True

It was too good to be true.  It's been uncharacteristically quiet since fireworks went on sale Friday morning.  However, this evening at 7:40PM, there was a very loud explosion in Happy Valley, somewhere between 20th and 24th.  "Assuming" it was a firework shot off by some idiot, it was obviously outside the 9AM to 12 midnight time period on the 4th and therefore illegal.  Called 911 - police to check it out but with little exact location information, nothing much enforcement-wise is likely to happen.  To follow with a posting to the BPD later.  Later . . .