Fireworks

Gretchen Hoffman With Fourth of July around the corner, fire officials are urging residents to keep in mind that fireworks pose a very real fire danger. Any kind of fireworks, including sparklers and those designated as "safe and sane," are not permitted in Glendale or any surrounding cities, including La Canada Flintridge and the unincorporated areas of La Crescenta and Montrose. And in all areas, violators will pay the price.The Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station will have extra officers on patrol, and Glendale Police will also be on the lookout for any type of fireworks.

Editor's note: Doug English, who graduated from Crescenta Valley High in 1999, began trying out for the U.S. World University Games team in Colorado Springs, Colo., on June 27. It is now July 5th, and we finally have a day off tomorrow. I am tired and could really use a day off. This is the first time ever that I have practiced hard for eight straight days, and my body does not like it too much. It has been hard to play with the same intensity that I had when I first arrived.

County fire and sheriff’s departments will be keeping a watchful eye and listening closely for any bangs, pops or fireworks sizzles in the greater Crescenta Valley this Fourth of July weekend. “We will have regular patrols and extra fire patrols in Angeles Crest,” said Deputy Jorge Valdivia, community relations coordinator at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station on Briggs Avenue. Valdivia said fireworks are illegal in Crescenta Valley and the surrounding areas and that there are penalties for individuals possessing them.

Paul M. Anderson GLENDALE -- Champagne? Check. Party favors? Check. Guns and fireworks? No way. Better rethink your plans to welcome 2000 if the party includes firearms and fireworks, authorities say. Glendale police will have two tactical squads patrolling the city on New Year's Eve looking for anyone celebrating the holiday with a gunshot into the night, Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young said....

A Glendale boy will face a judge after an off-duty Glendale Police officer allegedly saw him set off fireworks from the balcony of his house. The 14-year-old Glendale boy, whose name was not released, was cited and released to his father Sunday after Glendale Police reportedly received several calls from people who thought they heard gunshots near the 800 block of Monterey Road. An off-duty police officer called officials after he saw the boy light three M-80s on his house's balcony, police said.

Moments after the gates opened to the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Assn.?s Fourth of July event, families started arriving to stake out prime fireworks-watching spots. Children and parents with folding chairs, blankets, coolers and umbrellas picked out their places late Friday afternoon at the La Crescenta Elementary School playground, and still had hours to eat and play before the fireworks began. John Meier and his 12-year-old daughter Elly were among the early arrivals. They were at the gates at 4 p.m. specifically to find a good seating location for their group of 12 people, Meier said.

Principal Conductor John Mauceri leads the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in the annual July 4th Fireworks Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 2, 3, and 4, at 7:30 p.m. The performances feature Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame recipient Marilyn Horne, Tony award-winning vocalist Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Sesame Street Muppets characters Big Bird, Elmo, Grover and other special Sesame Street friends for an evening of celebration...

It wouldn?t be the Fourth of July without the annual Fireworks Spectacular hosted by the Crescenta Valley Town Council. This year?s event will be Saturday at the La Crescenta Elementary School playground, 4343 La Crescenta Ave. Festivities include music, rides and food, and the fireworks promise to be better than ever. Gates will open at 4 p.m., and the main entrance is on Prospect Avenue, just west of La Crescenta Avenue. The gates close at 8:30 p.m., so attendees are encouraged to arrive in plenty of time for the 9 p.m. fireworks extravaganza that will light up the skies of the Crescenta Valley.

After months of fundraising, attending numerous organizational meetings and coordinating emergency agencies the Independence Day celebration went off without a hitch. The morning of July 4 began with association president Steve Pierce and vice president Paul Dutton guiding in trucks and trailers containing food vendors and carnival rides. The two, along with many other volunteers, did not stop from early morning until way past midnight. Crescenta Valley High School students like Samuel Fink and Argin Haftevani who volunteered for community service hours provided extra helping hands.

Thousands of people crowded into the La Crescenta Elementary School playground to catch a fireworks show on the Fourth of the July. "It just wouldn't be the Fourth of July without fireworks," Mary Lou Grove said. "We've been coming here for years, and it's always a great show." The Crescenta Valley Fireworks Assn., a nonprofit organization, has been putting on the event for four years now. Everyone in attendance was encouraged to be a kid again as they entered the elementary school's playground, lawn chairs and coolers in hand, to celebrate the holiday.

The June gloom burned off just in time for Montrose's "July Fourth Weekend Block Party and Hot Rod Show." The 2300 to 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue had a lot to offer for those looking for a slice of Americana and something to do before it was dark enough for fireworks. There were activities for the kids, a vintage hot rod car show and a farmer's market. The celebration started at 9 a.m. and wrapped up at 2 p.m. "It's better than I thought it would be," Sharon McDonald said.

Every year on the Fourth of July, animal control officers find dozens of frightened pets roaming the streets after being spooked by fireworks. "The Fourth of July is the busiest day for humane societies and shelters throughout the country," said Ricky Whitman, a spokeswoman for the Pasadena Humane Society, which services Glendale. "Pets get frightened by the noise of fireworks. And when animals like this are frightened, they run." With several firework shows scheduled in the region for Sunday's holiday, Whitman said residents should make sure their pets are kept secure indoors and in an isolated room as far away from the booming noises of fireworks as possible.

Mailbag: All I want from the Americana is silence Published Nov. 20 Once again, like many Glendalians, I was startled out of my chair Thursday night by what sounded like gunfire. I finally decided it must have been fireworks at the Americana at Brand, although I couldn?t see anything (?Lighting up the night,? Nov. 20). Why does the city of Glendale allow this? Fireworks are for the Fourth of July and places like Dodger Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl in the summer.

Once again, like many Glendalians, I was startled out of my chair Thursday night by what sounded like gunfire. I finally decided it must have been fireworks at the Americana at Brand, although I couldn’t see anything (“Lighting up the night,” Nov. 20). Why does the city of Glendale allow this? Fireworks are for the Fourth of July and places like Dodger Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl in the summer. They aren’t appropriate for a shopping mall in November that is surrounded by residences.

CENTRAL GLENDALE — Taking a page from last year’s controversial tree lighting ceremony, Americana at Brand and city officials this week warned residents to expect the boom and spectacle of a fireworks show tonight. Last year, some on the City Council dais blasted the Americana for the fireworks display as wildfires raged across the Southland, with some evacuees staying at nearby hotels. Then-Mayor John Drayman called the move “dumb-headed” after some residents complained they had no advance notice of the major fireworks display, echoing concerns made for a similar show when the mixed-use complex had its grand opening in May. Still, others who attended the show lauded the event as a spectacular holiday season kick-off.

CENTRAL GLENDALE — Taking a page from last year’s controversial tree lighting ceremony, Americana at Brand and city officials this week warned residents to expect the boom and spectacle of a fireworks show Thursday evening. Last year, some City Council members came down hard on the Americana for the fireworks display as wildfires raged across the Southland, with some evacuees staying at nearby hotels. Then-Mayor John Drayman called the move “dumb-headed” after some residents complained they had no advance notice of the major fireworks display, echoing concerns made for a similar show when the mixed-use complex had its grand opening in May. Still, others who attended the show lauded the event as a spectacular holiday season kick-off.

BURBANK — Thousands crammed into the Starlight Bowl for a set of Fourth of July performances and a fireworks spectacular Saturday funded by the city, even as it has struggled to cut costs during the recession. Children danced between picnic baskets and lawn chairs in the hill above the sold out venue, while grown-ups sipped wine and took in the sounds of the Burbank Philharmonic. As the three-hour event came to a close, the bowl’s lights were shut off and the crowd of more than 4,000 turned their gazes — and cameras — skyward for a $25,000 pyrotechnics show.

Send DATEBOOK items to Glendale News-Press, 221 N. Brand Blvd., 2nd Floor, Glendale, CA 91203 or fax to (818) 241-1975. Submissions must be received two weeks before publication. ? TODAY The Crescenta Valley Fireworks Assn.?s third annual fireworks show and carnival begins at 4 p.m. at La Crescenta Elementary School, 4343 La Crescenta Ave., La Crescenta. Tickets are $5; children under 2 are free. The show begins shortly after 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.cvfireworks.