TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Well, here we are with another 4th of July upon us.

And I -- known far and wide as "the Enemy of Fun" -- have not given up.

Personal fireworks should be banned. Throughout Kern County including every city.

Their costs are simply too great.

Whether it's purely accidental, they're used in an irresponsible manner or they provide "cover" for highly dangerous illegal fireworks, personal fireworks are more trouble than they're worth.

Mix with alcohol and the situation is out of control.

So out of control, in fact, extra enforcement teams on the lookout for illegal fireworks (nearly 50 this year) can't keep up. The "bad apples" have taken over the barrel.

Each of those 50 teams includes a law enforcement officer because the boom-boomers tend to get a little put out when someone takes away their explosives.

During the last ride-along I did, one guy got all bowed up and came at a firefighter, twice, even with a police officer standing right there, hand on his holster. And the sun hadn't even gone down yet!

The dude was that stupid angry over not being able to shoot off his clearly illegal cache of roman candles. Sheesh.

"Yeah, it's dangerous that night," Sheriff Donny Youngblood told me of Independence Day.

I'm sure Raymond Reilly III would agree, if he could. The local father was killed in 2004 by an illegally modified "safe and sane" firework. He was 45.

If that doesn't convince you something's wrong, then you're just not willing to open your eyes.

Personal fireworks wreak havoc. Not to mention the structure and grass fires that are a routine outcome of 4th of July every year.

Last year was a "good" year with only three structure fires ($19,000 in damages) in the city. Kern County Fire Department did not have those figures readily available.

"Normally, we have damages in the $200,000 range," city Fire Chief Doug Greener told me.

Like his predecessor, Ron Fraze, Greener has no love of fireworks, though he has not crusaded against them as Fraze did.

Admittedly, it was a Don Quixote crusade as there was little to no political will for banning fireworks. I know, I've taken the temperature of the City Council and Board of Supervisors on this issue annually and only found one compadre, City Councilwoman Sue Benham.

"I don't see the value of personal fireworks," Greener said.

In his perfect world, we would bring back shows like the truly awe-inspiring fireworks display at Bakersfield College and people would go to that and similar shows instead of spending hundreds of dollars on sparky smudge-pot junk made in Mexico and China. The BC show died last year after a 55-year run for lack of ticket sales.

"Sure, I think it would be best if we joined the majority of the state and didn't allow the sale or use of personal fireworks in the city," Greener said. "But that's not the reality, so what we need to do is enforce the law and make people aware of their personal responsibility."

Yeah, good luck with that.

Here's wishing you and yours a happy -- and safe -- 4th of July, from "the Enemy of Fun."

P.S. To KNZR 1560 AM radio personality Jaz McKay: No I did not have a "Piccolo Pete" stuck in my pants when I was younger and thus became soured on fireworks. I simply don't think our community standards should be based on the desires of giddy 12-year-old boys who like to make things go "boom."

Opinions expressed in this column are those of Lois Henry, not The Bakersfield Californian. Her column appears Wednesdays and Sundays. Comment at http://www.bakersfield.com, call her at 395-7373 or e-mail lhenry@bakersfield.com.