If there has ever been a year to celebrate our freedoms … it is 2021. After the roller coaster ride we all experienced over the past year, I am thrilled that restrictions are relaxing and we can all once again celebrate our great nation this Fourth of July. After all, Santa Clarita is a community known for its patriotism and deep reverence for the men and women who fought for the way of life we all enjoy.
Although the health orders were not lifted in time for the SCV Fourth of July Parade Committee to plan the popular hometown event, we look forward to bringing it back bigger and grander next year. This year, the city of Santa Clarita once again encouraged residents to use their creativity to express their patriotism through the Pee-Wee Parade and Patriotic Tour. The theme for this year’s Pee-Wee Parade is, appropriately, America Emerging with Patriotic Enthusiasm. The winners will be announced shortly, and I encourage all of you to log on to see the photos of the amazing mini-floats our residents have created. You can see the entries and vote for your favorite at santa-clarita.com/peeweeparade.
Then, on the Fourth of July, I will be joined by my fellow council members and judges as we climb aboard the patriotic trolley and take a tour of the town, honoring the best-decorated homes and businesses as part of the Patriotic Tour. You can check out all of the entrants for yourself by visiting the website at santa-clarita.com/PatrioticTour, then follow the map to view all the red-white-and blue-decorated destinations.
Then, as the sun sets on another fantastic Fourth, turn your eyes to the skies for the return of the fireworks spectacular over Westfield Valencia Town Center. I know many people were disappointed that the annual fireworks display had to be canceled last year due to the pandemic, and that makes this year so much more special. The show will begin at 9:15 p.m. with synchronized patriotic music broadcast on KHTS.
Leave fireworks to the professionals
As always, we encourage you to leave the fireworks to the professionals. You have no doubt seen the headlines about the drought our state is experiencing. The lack of rainfall has left our beautiful hillsides dry and brittle, creating the perfect circumstances for wildfires. A single spark can ignite a blaze that could have devastating consequences to homes and businesses in our community.
Remember that all fireworks are illegal in Santa Clarita. The city will once again be working with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station to monitor illegal fireworks. Through the “Illegal Fireworks” category in the city’s Resident Service Center, residents can report locations that have been problem areas for illegal fireworks in past years. This information will be automatically transmitted to the Sheriff’s Department so they can enter it into their database and know where they should focus their patrols. This information gathered will be used to “predictively” map out problem areas of concern for law enforcement efforts.
Reporting illegal fireworks through RSC will NOT result in an immediate response from the Sheriff’s Department. The Resident Service Center is accessible on the city’s website and through the Santa Clarita Mobile App. For more information on firework use in Santa Clarita, firework municipal code, pet safety and additional resources, please visit Santa-Clarita.com/Fireworks.
Let’s work together to ensure that this Fourth of July is a proud celebration of America. I encourage you to take a moment to honor and thank the men and women who fought for our freedoms and our Hometown Heroes who are currently deployed and serving our great nation. I want to wish all of you a safe, healthy, happy and patriotic Fourth of July!
Remember, nothing is more important than the safety of all of you.
Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at [email protected].
