This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Just some thoughts while we're all in the middle of yet another season of fireworks.
Our house backs up to a church parking lot, which affords pleasant privacy until July, when it turns into a mecca for late-night fireworks.
Sure would be nice if all fireworks would be banned from playgrounds, parks, schools and parking lots, with the users being confined to lighting such on their own property. Any late-night noise, smoke and morning-after mess would stay local and hopefully tamed by the immediate neighbors.
In essence, whatever the regulations, your private property and neighbors would allow. Too loud? Too late? Too dangerous? You'd find out in a hurry.
I'm not the old guy who says, "Get off my lawn." Well, OK, I am old. But let's enforce the present regulations, or confine fireworks to one's own property and neighborhood. Either that, or require a fireworks handler's permit, charge $100 and fund victims displaced by fire.
Mike Ptaschinski
Holladay