Residents planning to celebrate the nation’s birthday with a
personal fireworks display would be better off going out of town or
canceling their plans and enjoying the city’s spectacular nighttime
show, according to Morgan Hill Police.
”
We’ve been getting a lot of calls already,
”
said Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson.
Morgan Hill – Residents planning to celebrate the nation’s birthday with a personal fireworks display would be better off going out of town or canceling their plans and enjoying the city’s spectacular nighttime show, according to Morgan Hill Police.
“We’ve been getting a lot of calls already,” said Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson.
Between the end of school and the Fourth of July weekend, people are gearing up, Sampson said, and there are calls reporting illegal fireworks several times a week, typically more on the weekends.
Sampson reminded the public that all fireworks are illegal and that violators can be fined up to $1,000.
Fireworks have been illegal in Morgan Hill since March of 1977. It’s unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to possess, store, sell or offer to sell at wholesale or retail any fireworks within the city limits, according to the law.
Other cities permit some forms of fireworks, such as sparklers, but not large ones. Gilroy, for example, allows what the city describes as “safe and sane” fireworks. Not in Morgan Hill.
One of the reasons for Morgan Hill’s ban, besides the possible dangers to people, is the extreme fire danger during the summer. Grasses and brush are dry from weeks without rain, and a spark from a sparkler being lit or a smoldering bottle rocket falling into brush could quickly become a problem, police said.
“We’re starting what could be a bad fire season,” Sampson said. “We’ve already had three fires in the area. We really don’t need another one this weekend, on top of everything else.”
MHPD will have its entire force on the streets for the holiday weekend, Sampson said, except for officers on bereavement or family leave, and dispatchers will be on 12-hour shifts.
“We plan to add staff Friday through the Fourth,” he said. “It takes a big chunk of manpower to provide coverage with all the events.”
There will be no special DUI enforcement, but there will be extra patrol cars out on the streets.
“That won’t be their primary focus, but they’ll be out there and certainly will stop anyone they believe is under the influence,” he said. “They will be more focused on gang and narcotics activity, and just dealing with the basics.”
Most of the focus on Tuesday, the July 4th Independence Day celebration, will be downtown, but residents will notice some changes to the schedule from years past, as streets shut down earlier to make way for the festivities.
Beginning at 1pm on Monday, Monterey Road through the downtown will be closed and will not reopen until after 2pm, when the post-parade festival ends.
On Tuesday, streets east of Monterey Road will be closed to non-parade traffic from 6:30am until 4:30pm.
Some local businesses and restaurants are unhappy with the extended time the streets will be closed, just as they were with last month’s Mushroom Mardi Gras. Poppy’s Fish and Poultry owner Mike Castelan said he thinks his business, which is on East Third Street, will suffer from the early closing Monday. And he wonders how he will get to his business Tuesday morning to meet a catering commitment.
