To the editor:

This July 4th weekend has been the worst and noisiest in all of our eight years here.

The three fireworks vendors to the south, just outside the city limits, are within 100 feet of where we live. Since June 30, we have been subjected to nightly “war-zone” sound effects, mostly by the vendor directly behind us who lives there and who kindly provides a noise “show” every single night. Lawrence declaring fireworks within the city limits “illegal” has not deterred many of our neighbors either.

Where is the basic consideration of other people? Doesn’t it occur to these noisemakers that not everyone enjoys listening to their hourslong cacophony, that pets are scared by loud noises, and that some people have to go to work? What good is it to have laws if they are not enforced? What public good is the county providing, other than revenue from the sale of fireworks, by allowing these vendors to shoot off fireworks days prior to July 4 until 10 p.m. or later (Saturday night it was nearly midnight), especially when they are so close to residential neighborhoods? Some vendors don’t obey the laws any more than the citizens do. What about the very real fire hazards from fireworks being shot off irresponsibly near houses? During all the years we lived in California, fireworks were banned, but people abided by the rules. What good does it do having a city fireworks show when people are doing their own shows?

Leslie Mills,

Lawrence