Latest news with #July4th
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: As July 4th approaches, Orange County preserve requires fire-preventing action
To the editor: The Randall Preserve is a decidedly mixed blessing to the community ('After 27 years fighting to change oil field into massive Orange County nature preserve, initial plans released,' May 23). The birds and four-legged neighbors are welcome, but the many illegal campers constitute a serious threat of wildfires. The overlapping jurisdictions of city, county and fire district complicate responsibility for public safety. Further, the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority that now holds title to the property does not yet have control over it because Aera Energy, the oil company responsible for cleanup of the property, still controls it. Aera Energy is not evicting trespassers nor even stopping camping. The California fire marshal has now designated the area of the Randall Preserve, and the adjacent homes and businesses, a moderate fire risk. We anticipate increased homeowners' insurance costs. Within the past couple of weeks, a wildfire started on the Randall Preserve and spread to Orange County's Talbert Park area before it was put out. Fortunately, there was no wind to spread it to our homes. We are acutely aware that July 4th is just weeks away and that fireworks, as well as campfires, can trigger wildfires. I urge all parties, especially Aera Energy, to eject the campers and keep trespassers out before we suffer a real tragedy. Kenneth Smith, Costa Mesa
CNET
4 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Apple's Affordable 11-Inch iPad Just Got a $29 Discount on Amazon
Apple's iPads are some of the most sought-after tablets out there, but that doesn't mean they are affordable. So, you don't want to miss a discount on Apple's newest 11th-gen iPad. It rightly earned a spot on our list of the best tablets, but it's even better at its current $320 price. While this isn't the lowest price we've seen on Apple's latest 11-inch iPad, it's still worth the purchase, especially if you missed out on Memorial Day. This might not be Apple's best iPad, but it's extremely capable, with a gorgeous display and fast chip. Now it can be yours at a discount in your choice of four colors. Following this sale, it may not be discounted until July 4th or even Prime Day. So, if you don't want to wait, add it to your cart now. The 11th-gen iPad has 128GB of storage and fast wireless connectivity, but you can upgrade to 256GB or 512GB of storage if you need the extra space. The new 2025 iPads have a gorgeous 11-inch Liquid Retina display and an upgraded five-core A16 processor for faster performance. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. This iPad model is compatible with Wi-Fi 6, 12-megapixel front and back cameras, support for Touch ID and all-day battery life. The cameras on this iPad have the True Tone feature, so you can easily scan documents and take 4K video. They also support new augmented reality functions. All iPads with an A16 chip are compatible with USB-C, first-gen Apple Pencils and the Magic Keyboard Folio. One thing to keep in mind is that this iPad doesn't support Apple Intelligence. Why this deal matters Apple gear rarely goes on sale, and these current discounts on A16 iPads offer the chance to nab a new tablet with $29 off. Now is an excellent chance to grab an iPad, especially if you are concerned about the impact of tariffs on the price of electronic goods. However, if you aren't sure if this one is for you, check out our best tablet deals list.
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Miami Herald
Proposed fireworks law in Florida seeks to defuse explosive neighborhood clash
ORLANDO, Fla. - A pesky neighbor whose explosive barrage plagues homeowners in Waterfront Estates is propelling a tougher Orange County fireworks ordinance that could ease tensions - and kabooms - around the region. County commissioners discussed the revamped rules at their meeting Tuesday. Discontent in the working class neighborhood near Little Lake Conway has been simmering for more than a year but boiled over in September when a disquieted group of residents appeared before commissioners to plead for help. Though they had repeatedly called the Sheriff's Office, residents said responding deputies informed them no enforcement action could be taken unless an officer personally witnessed the infraction. The proposed rule change would drop that requirement and treat illegal use of fireworks as a code violation rather than a crime. If an investigating office found probable cause of a violation - say a video or audio recording from a home-security system - a written warning or a citation could be issued to the alleged offender along with a directive to "cease and desist" in a reasonable time. Assistant County Attorney Joy Carmichael, who presented a draft of the new rules to commissioners, defined a reasonable time to mean "within five minutes or immediately." A first offense would carry a $200 fine and a second offense a $400 fine. Each subsequent violation would carry a fine of $500 and mandate the alleged offender to appear in court, she said. Florida law allows fireworks "solely and exclusively" on three holidays - New Year's Eve, New Years Day and July 4th. Commissioner Mayra Uribe, whose district includes Waterfront Estates, said she has heard the unnerving blasts in the neighborhood. She described the explosions as "random -9 o'clock in the morning, 3 in the afternoon - whenever he wants," When drought-like conditions this spring prompted Orange County and other Central Florida governments to impose burn bans to prevent a stray ember from touching off a dangerous wildfire, the fireworks stopped. "We were all like, 'Hallelujah,' " Uribe said. But then it rained, the ban was lifted and the fireworks resumed. Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them. Though neighbors have identified him, the Orlando Sentinel is not naming him because he has not been charged or cited. The man could not be reached by phone for this story. Jill Sharga, among neighbors who have appealed to commissioners for help, considers the revamped rules to be "good news." She previously appeared before the board with a calendar festooned with cartoon bombs, each marking a day she'd heard an explosion. "I am very happy it's going in the right direction," she said in a text after Tuesday's commission meeting. "We would not need a sheriff's deputy to personally observe the guy lighting a match to blow up his bombs." ------------- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Proposed fireworks law in Florida seeks to defuse explosive neighborhood clash
ORLANDO, Fla. — A pesky neighbor whose explosive barrage plagues homeowners in Waterfront Estates is propelling a tougher Orange County fireworks ordinance that could ease tensions — and kabooms — around the region. County commissioners discussed the revamped rules at their meeting Tuesday. Discontent in the working class neighborhood near Little Lake Conway has been simmering for more than a year but boiled over in September when a disquieted group of residents appeared before commissioners to plead for help. Though they had repeatedly called the Sheriff's Office, residents said responding deputies informed them no enforcement action could be taken unless an officer personally witnessed the infraction. The proposed rule change would drop that requirement and treat illegal use of fireworks as a code violation rather than a crime. If an investigating office found probable cause of a violation — say a video or audio recording from a home-security system — a written warning or a citation could be issued to the alleged offender along with a directive to 'cease and desist' in a reasonable time. Assistant County Attorney Joy Carmichael, who presented a draft of the new rules to commissioners, defined a reasonable time to mean 'within five minutes or immediately.' A first offense would carry a $200 fine and a second offense a $400 fine. Each subsequent violation would carry a fine of $500 and mandate the alleged offender to appear in court, she said. Florida law allows fireworks 'solely and exclusively' on three holidays — New Year's Eve, New Years Day and July 4th. Commissioner Mayra Uribe, whose district includes Waterfront Estates, said she has heard the unnerving blasts in the neighborhood. She described the explosions as 'random —9 o'clock in the morning, 3 in the afternoon — whenever he wants,' When drought-like conditions this spring prompted Orange County and other Central Florida governments to impose burn bans to prevent a stray ember from touching off a dangerous wildfire, the fireworks stopped. 'We were all like, 'Hallelujah,' ' Uribe said. But then it rained, the ban was lifted and the fireworks resumed. Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them. Though neighbors have identified him, the Orlando Sentinel is not naming him because he has not been charged or cited. The man could not be reached by phone for this story. Jill Sharga, among neighbors who have appealed to commissioners for help, considers the revamped rules to be 'good news.' She previously appeared before the board with a calendar festooned with cartoon bombs, each marking a day she'd heard an explosion. 'I am very happy it's going in the right direction,' she said in a text after Tuesday's commission meeting. 'We would not need a sheriff's deputy to personally observe the guy lighting a match to blow up his bombs.' -------------
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Proposed fireworks law seeks to defuse explosive neighborhood clash
A pesky neighbor whose explosive barrage plagues homeowners in Waterfront Estates is propelling a tougher Orange County fireworks ordinance that could ease tensions — and kabooms — around the region. County commissioners discussed the revamped rules at their meeting Tuesday. Discontent in the working class neighborhood near Little Lake Conway has been simmering for more than a year but boiled over in September when a disquieted group of residents appeared before commissioners to plead for help. Though they had repeatedly called the Sheriff's Office, residents said responding deputies informed them no enforcement action could be taken unless an officer personally witnessed the infraction. The proposed rule change would drop that requirement and treat illegal use of fireworks as a code violation rather than a crime. If an investigating office found probable cause of a violation — say a video or audio recording from a home-security system — a written warning or a citation could be issued to the alleged offender along with a directive to 'cease and desist' in a reasonable time. Assistant County Attorney Joy Carmichael, who presented a draft of the new rules to commissioners, defined a reasonable time to mean 'within five minutes or immediately.' A first offense would carry a $200 fine and a second offense a $400 fine. Each subsequent violation would carry a fine of $500 and mandate the alleged offender to appear in court, she said. Florida law allows fireworks 'solely and exclusively' on three holidays — New Year's Eve, New Years Day and July 4th. Commissioner Mayra Uribe, whose district includes Waterfront Estates, said she has heard the unnerving blasts in the neighborhood. She described the explosions as 'random —9 o'clock in the morning, 3 in the afternoon — whenever he wants,' When drought-like conditions this spring prompted Orange County and other Central Florida governments to impose burn bans to prevent a stray ember from touching off a dangerous wildfire, the fireworks stopped. 'We were all like, 'Hallelujah,' ' Uribe said. But then it rained, the ban was lifted and the fireworks resumed. Central Florida faces growing fire threat with deepening drought Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them. Though neighbors have identified him, the Orlando Sentinel is not naming him because he has not been charged or cited. The man could not be reached by phone for this story. Jill Sharga, among neighbors who have appealed to commissioners for help, considers the revamped rules to be 'good news.' She previously appeared before the board with a calendar festooned with cartoon bombs, each marking a day she'd heard an explosion. 'I am very happy it's going in the right direction,' she said in a text after Tuesday's commission meeting. 'We would not need a sheriff's deputy to personally observe the guy lighting a match to blow up his bombs.' shudak@
