Dear Editor: 

Regarding Mr. Diaz’s letter last week on illegal and legal fireworks noise, I and others can definitely tell M80s, bottle rockets and all those other illegal fireworks going off.  They are louder, linger longer and are more annoying. 

This year was the worst ever and everyone I have spoken to agrees.  Something must be done.
 I have asked City Council to consider making changes to fireworks on behalf of many others living here. My suggestion is to eliminate -- yes, eliminate -- any fireworks in the streets.  Only allow them to be used at a park or open vacant space and reduce the sale of the countless number of stands in our city. Limit stands to a few major non-profits and only sell in the park, where you are allowed to discharge them. Curfew is 10 p.m.  Anyone using them in the street will be cited. 

Our police and fire departments can quickly and easily cite the violators.  Our homes are safer, our pets feel safer, we feel safer and for once we can enjoy the 4th like we use to in this city without feeling we are in a war zone.

Dorothy Pemberton
Downey