TimesOC: After more than a year of social distancing, O.C. readies for Fourth of July weekend

Good morning and welcome to the TimesOC newsletter.

It’s Friday, July 2. I’m Ben Brazil, bringing you the latest roundup of Orange County news and events.

After more than a year inside, Orange County residents are likely looking to party this weekend.

Officials are expecting big crowds at beaches and in the streets on Fourth of July. Cities are readying for the holiday with public safety measures.

Reporter Lilly Nguyen wrote that local police departments will be fully staffed and there will be more officers on patrol this weekend. Newport Beach has hired outside agencies to help and Laguna Beach is working with county public safety departments.

“Like everyone, all of us at the [Huntington Beach Police Department] are looking forward to a safe, fun and eventful Fourth of July holiday in Huntington Beach,” Huntington Beach Police Chief Julian Harvey said in a statement. “We encourage residents and visitors to enjoy the numerous events happening throughout the city but want to remind everyone to celebrate responsibly.”

Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread, concerning state officials and leading Los Angeles County to ask residents to wear masks indoors to stem its transmission. Cases are also increasing in Orange County, but hospitalizations are low.

In anticipation of the weekend, stands are selling ‘safe and sane’ household fireworks in cities that allow them, which includes Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Stanton, Villa Park and Westminster.

It’s a common tradition for many to light up a sparkler or scare a family member with a pop-it, but residents may need to show some more caution in the use of these household fireworks after a UC Irvine study released this week showed that they spread hazardous materials.

These fireworks will spray fine particles of barium, copper, magnesium, strontium and other elements into the air, which can be inhaled, absorbed into the lungs and passed on to tissues throughout the body. The issue is more prominent in Southern California communities where regulations are less strict than in the northern part of the state.

UC Irvine professor Jun Wu, co-author of the study, said the emissions could potentially pose risks to respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological health. She said the noise of the fireworks may also trigger mental health issues.

“Those with children with asthma and people who are more susceptible will need to pay more attention to this,” Wu said. “They can do some preventive measures, such as wear a mask to reduce the fine particulate matter exposure, close their doors and windows during July Fourth. Also, if they have an air filter, they should use that at home. And I really hope we can reduce the household fireworks.”

Wu said traditional fireworks shows provide less concentration of the hazardous materials because the fireworks are detonated at a higher altitude.

A fireworks stand in Costa Mesa.

(Raul Roa/Staff Photographer)

NEWS

— Laguna Beach is looking into replacing its current fleet of municipal vehicles with electrical ones to curb greenhouse gas emissions. During a council meeting, a company revealed that it also planned to build the first hydrogen station in the city, which provide carbon-less hydrogen and would help support the move to electric cars.

— The Animal Legal Defense Fund announced this week that it would give a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information regarding the wing fractures of brown pelicans in Orange County. California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has been investigating the issue since the deaths of 22 pelicans that suffered from severe wing fractures.

— After several delays, the descendants of the original people of what is now Orange County may finally have a place to honor their history and tradition. The Putuidem Village is finally estimated to be completed by mid-August after the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians pressed the city on the issue for years. The humble 1.5-acre passive park will be located in San Juan Capistrano.

— Part of the defunct Marine Corps Air Station El Toro has been resurrected to serve as a base for helicopters to refuel and get water to defend against wildfires. The wildfire season is expected to be particularly bad.

— After the Orange County Sheriff’s Department discovered one of its investigators mishandled evidence and lied about it, the department still tasked him with probing into widespread evidence mishandling of his peers. A recent court motion alleges that the department also covered for him by concealing information about his misdeeds from the district attorney’s office. The Sheriff’s Department disputes the claims.

SPORTS

— José Suarez has replaced Dylan Bundy on the Angels’ starting pitching rotation. Bundy showed promise last season but has been unable to live up to his 2020 performance. Suarez will start for the first time on Monday against the Red Sox.

— The best High School baseball players in Orange County played their last game this week in their team’s uniform at the 53rd annual Orange County High School All-Star Baseball Game.

— The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is at the top of his game. Why should he be the American League’s Most Valuable Player?

LIFE & LEISURE

— OC Parks is beginning its summer concert and film series with a screening of the “NeverEnding Story” and a performance by the ‘80s cover band, Flashback Heart Attack. The free series will be held every Thursday and Friday through Sept. 10.

— The popular Pacific Airshow will return to Huntington Beach this October after its cancellation last year due to the pandemic. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline the show.

— The Pacific Symphony is returning after a yearlong hiatus due to the pandemic with an Elton John cover band. Craig A. Meyer and the Rocket Band’s Fourth of July performance will honor John and the U.S. Armed Forces.