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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt's not just you -- there's a sudden wave of fireworks exploding in cities across the US
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/us/firework-complaints-new-york-trnd/index.html(CNN)The Fourth of July is still over a week away, but in many cities, it's already arrived. From New York to San Francisco, the skies light up every night -- and early morning -- for hours, and with no apparent reason.
Now, officials have had enough.
Firework complaints are soaring, and they come after months of pandemic-induced isolation followed by weeks of tense protests against police brutality and racism.
Why the fireworks are going off so frequently is anyone's guess. And city officials say they don't yet know where the big ones are coming from.
Conspiracies abound over who's responsible, but it's clear that the incessant fireworks displays are an inconvenient and dangerous phenomenon in an already surreal American moment.
There seems to be no geographic pattern behind which cities are shooting off the most.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh told reporters that calls to police about illegal fireworks jumped 2,300% in May compared to the same period in 2019. He said some of the calls were originally for gunshots that turned out to be fireworks.
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California's Alameda County, near San Francisco, has received complaints about a "higher than normal use" of illegal fireworks, too, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.
Southern California's staying up all night, too.
ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)Maybe this is a good thing!
cojoel
(952 posts)Probably many Republican politicians are immune...
Throck
(2,520 posts)She noticed a lot of preseason fireworks in NYC
Deb
(3,742 posts)But especially to our Vets who have made the sacrifice so that we can all celebrate July 4th in a less selfish manner.
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)... that theres a lot of professional-grade fireworks available underground?
Idk.
Mike 03
(16,616 posts)captain queeg
(10,036 posts)Mike 03
(16,616 posts)a combination of stir craziness (due to being closed up in a house during a storm), extreme boredom and too much whiskey prompts Hunter and his housemates to begin setting off bombs.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... on the evening of June 19th. It's been quiet since then.
Renew Deal
(81,802 posts)NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)bamagal62
(3,218 posts)Here in Chicago. Every thread on Nextdoor is about fireworks.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)Blood in the streets in the town of New Haven
Blood stains the roofs and the palm trees of Venice
Blood in my love in the terrible summer
Bloody red sun of fantastic L.A.
PTWB
(4,131 posts)Folks are bored from months of social distancing / stay at home / quarantine. Theyre participating in a common summertime activity (fireworks) that doesnt require them to be in close proximity to others.
Ive seen several posts from people who seem alarmed by his increase in activity. But what the heck, it is still just fireworks.
If we saw a huge spike in the number of people flying kites would we assign some sort of nefarious intent?
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)It's normal to hear a few fireworks before July 4th, but some of them have been loud and they're persisting longer than normal into the morning hours.
bif
(22,560 posts)Every night here the fireworks start at around 9:30 and go until well past midnight. Especially on weekends. They started as soon as the weather broke in April. When I see it's a celeb's birthday, I tell my wife, "Well, they're celebrating Barry Manilow's birthday tonight!"
And we're talking major explosions, not just cute fireworks.
Renew Deal
(81,802 posts)They are not in NY
bif
(22,560 posts)They're only supposed to be allowed to be fired around holidays. Which, technically is limited to 12 days a year. But hey, this is Detroit. It's not like anyone is going to enforce it.
Anything goes in this town. For example, I like to joke that red lights are really just a suggestion. People routinely stop, look both ways, then go right through a red light. Many times they don't even slow down!
JI7
(89,182 posts)before July 4 people are already doing fireworks.
and that do that thing which makes a loud noise. it's annoying and i have a very low opinion of those doing it.
hunter
(38,264 posts)... sometimes past midnight.
It's so bad our dogs won't go out at night to pee unless we go with them.
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)Now there are freeway signs flashing the continuous message of FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL!