Highlighting the Great Outdoors This Month BUSINESS PROFILE Abuelita’s: A Knitter’s Forum Page 12
ENTERTAINMENT Musicians Rise From the Pit Page 9
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SPORTS Bringing Chiropractic Care to the Little Leagues Page 27
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sierramadreweekly.com
Thursday, June 30, 2016 - July 6, 2016
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Since 1996
COMPLIMENTARY COPY VOLUME 20, NO. 26
Fire and Fireworks, Oh the Irony Fire Consumes Thousands of Acres Above Duarte, Yet City Allowing Sale of Fireworks
BY SUSAN MOTANDER With the smell of smoke still in the air, some Duarte residents are questioning their city’s approval of the sale of fireworks for the Fourth of July celebration. While most of the communities in the foothill areas outlawed fireworks many years ago, Duarte has continued to allow their sale and use. The Duarte Municipal Code allows for the sale of “safe and sane fireworks” in the city and for the discharge of those fireworks only on July 4 itself, from noon to 11 p.m. The sale of such fireworks is allowed only at five stands that are issued licenses. These licenses, according to the Code, can be issued only to non-profits that use the funds to benefit youth. Entities requesting permits must apply for them in the January before the sales for that year’s celebration. It is the council that determines which groups receive the licenses. Darrell George, city manager, said that while he could understand concerns about the fire danger, the permits were issued and the booths for the fireworks sales had already been set up. “It is not that easy to just ban the sales immediately,” he said. George did add that he planned to discuss the potential of additional safeguards with members of the safety SEE PAGE 14
This year, council authorized five non-profits to sell fireworks. Under the municipal code, only organizations that use the profits to benefit youth may be issued a license to sell. – Photo by Terry Miller
Residents Thank First Responders Messages of love and support for first responders to the San Gabriel Complex Fire are dotted all along the foothill communities where firefighters battled a stubborn wildfire above the hills of Duarte and Azusa. When the fire broke out on Monday, June 20, many residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Thanks to more than 900 fire personnel, the inferno, which razed over 5,000 acres, has now been contained. - Photos by Terry Miller