Ron: Thanks for pointing out this "cover" issue -- it SEEMS likely to me that people justify their personal legal or illegal fireworks use because their city etc. is doing something both legal and unfortunately accepted by too many.

I am not going to make any comparisons between the "safe and sane" fireworks -which are not the focus of my post - with legal gambling run by Native Americans. I am aware that many non-profits sell legal "safe and sane" fireworks, and I am curious how this all came to be. Fetanyl is legal, but abused by both the medical system and users, prostitution is overwhelming not legal...

Roberta. Thanks. Was there some kind of vote in the last year, i.e. just Consent - or perhaps the Council declined to visit a previous decision? My only hint of recent individual Councilmember opinion is that the City's announcement of this year's legal, aerial, aesthetic, toxic chemical, stun grenade clusterf*ck was made not by Mayor Vaitla, but by Councilmember Neville. She likely approves, or perhaps she is the (also) lead on the Council's Equity, Hypocrisy and Ordinance sub-committee.

Roberta: About a "CC vote", at the very least they approved expenditures in Consent to e.g. Sacramento Valley Aerial Pollution Partners for this year's strangulation...

I fully agree.

We all know it is just a matter of time before Davis goes to all-drone shows. If we wanted to, Davis could promote itself and be a national leader on drone shows and actually make a difference in the world on something.

Thank you for bringing up the discussion, as we do just like clockwork every year. As I like to impress upon council and the tax-payers and voters.... NOW is the time to make the decision to stop the madness. Too late for this year, but the contract for NEXT year will likely be made in the very near future. The cycle has to stop NOW, a year before the next opportunity.

And it can be done quietly. It isn't like fireworks are a "right" that our taxpayers deserve from the general fund. There is no reason to announce "We will be instituting an Independence Day Celebration Diet! We will cancel the glorious fireworks show due to all the complaints from the "sensitive" community!"

No.... just stop the fireworks without any messaging. And the announcement can be "Come to the park and enjoy free ice cream!" (and live performances and/or any other appropriate, happy way to spend all that money that stresses and kills fewer animals and people).

Honorable Council Members and staff,

It is that time of year again for me to respectfully ask that we permanently eliminate the use of fireworks in Davis.

Now is the time to NOT enter into another contract to convert our tax money into terrifying explosions and toxic smoke in 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026* and beyond. (*please don’t make me cross out another and send this again next year)

It is a disservice to our community to purposefully add air and noise pollution, litter and fire danger. Better, cleaner, safer ways to spend public funds include: Dancing, drone shows, musical performances or just free drinks and ice cream. How can we declare a climate emergency and then pay money to purposefully pollute the air merely for the entertainment of a few? We should not be celebrating a prettied-up depiction of war when there are genuine bombs currently “bursting in air” and killing people in real conflicts, using American-made bombs. The noise and pollution from a fireworks show is terrifying and deadly for the animals that live with us, and for wildlife. Your choice of patriotic entertainment is not appropriate in this era and this climate and with the knowledge we have.

Other communities are managing to move away from this polluting spectacle. I’m running out of patience with the “other forms of entertainment are more expensive” mantra. Because supplying a full contingent of security and emergency personnel, plus the money for fireworks is also “more expensive” than not doing the fireworks show. But somehow, doing this destructive thing is deemed an appropriate use of sparse (we’re constantly told) tax money.

Offer free (locally-made) ice cream. Offer free (local) live musical performances. Offer daylight fun that doesn’t terrify, injure and kill other things. Please spend my tax money more responsibly in a way that terrifies nobody.

A final ask: Refrain from sending out patronizing official notices that seek to instruct me on how to protect my dog from this city-sponsored terrorism. There is no way to prevent her reaction: trembling, drooling and fearing for her life. I know how to take care of my dog. And there is no place in my home where she feels safe when the fireworks go off. She is terrified of the feel of them, as well as the sound.

Please, let’s find an appropriate way for Davis to Celebrate our country’s independence next year. Burning up money and resources to celebrate war and endangering everybody is not the way.

So great.

Asking US to celebrate safely and responsibly.... while the county and city are fine with the opposite.

"consider" skipping the illegal fireworks, and attending the official act of terrorism. Because the public shows know how to pollute safely and responsibly!

... this will "help reduce the toxic air pollution."

Outstanding. Only the amount of toxic air pollution that the public shows create are appropriate and "safe." If you do it illegally at home, then we have a problem.

Tanks, Roberta. I'm happy to make mine a stand-alone post. I was just worried that it would be redundant. But the more exposure, the better, IMO. I sent that exact letter to council, so it can be titled "open letter" or something. (I note that the strike-through font doesn't translate to this medium.... all my years of sending this same message were struck out in the letter that I sent and tried to post).

And then next winter, we can post the same fireplace smoke letter! And on and on we go....

Earlier this afternoon both Winters and Woodland stated on their social media that their shows will continue.

Winters said that "their supply of fireworks was unaffected".

Earlier this afternoon Dixon, Winters and Woodland stated on their social media that their shows will continue. Winters said that "their supply of fireworks was unaffected"; Dixon made a similar comment.

Thanks Yuba-Sutter, for storing your fireworks in Yolo County :-(

There was a City Council vote last year, early in 2024, leading up to the celebrations upcoming. Best of memory on all of the following: It was decided that the celebration of Davis or whatever that is called would not have fireworks going forward (possibly did in 2024 as was already ordered?). This was a huge win in my view, as unlike the 4th people often didn't know to put their dogs in and every year people lost dogs that sometimes would jump a fence to escape and run.

Also there were Council members who were agains continuing with the 4th. I believe Bapu was very much against fireworks, and as I recall I was surprised that Will Arnold spoke of wanting to move on from fireworks. If either of these are wrong welcome to correct. As I often didn't/don't see eye to eye with either on many issues I was happy/surprised at the support to move in that direction so I'm pretty sure this is correct.

ChatGPT says (unconfirmed, but showing SFChron as source):

Confirmed dead 1 person
Confirmed injured At least 2 people
Missing persons 7 individuals unaccounted for

No updates so far on the missing persons—whether they're injured, trapped, or safe elsewhere.

Sounds like the fireworks explosion might be more-reflective of "actual" wars than it first appeared.