Fourth of July festivities end with a bang

Sue Doyle

NEWPORT BEACH -- Although thousands of people celebrated the Fourth of

July by buzzing around town from one event to another Tuesday, overall

there were fewer problems than anticipated.

Officials chalked up the low incident rate to the four-day weekend, which

extended the celebration instead of compressing it into a single day.

Plus, the party is over for many who return to work Wednesday.

Area beaches swelled with an estimated 95,000 people -- not an

overwhelming number for lifeguards, who made 30 rescues. One additional

lifeguard was on duty, just in case things got out of hand.

Over the entire weekend, there were lighter crowds at the beach, said Lt.

Brent Jacobsen of the Newport Beach Fire and Marine Department.

“People have to work Wednesday and they’ve been partying since Friday,”

Jacobsen said. “They’ve had enough.”

More help was needed at sea during the early morning hours when an

18-foot boat had engine trouble off 6th Street. Officials tied a rope to

it and pulled it ashore. The six men aboard the boat, who were not

identified, were fine.

People came by the thousands to see the annual fireworks display at the

Newport Dunes Resort. Coast Highway, packed with traffic, was at a

standstill at 9:15 p.m. Some people pulled over and climbed on top of

their cars to watch the show.

In Costa Mesa, all was somewhat quiet. The Costa Mesa Police Department

received calls about fireworks and barking dogs, but overall it was “very

quiet for a Fourth,” said Lt. Tom Winter.

Even fireworks sales were slower on Tuesday than in days past. But a few

stragglers came by to make a last-minute stop.

“July Fourth is normally our busiest day and today it’s not so busy,”

said Juan Pelaez, who stood inside a fireworks stand near Vanguard

University.

Holiday activity was heavier at the Mariners Park Independence Day

Celebration, which was attended by nearly 3,000 people -- slightly more

than last year, said Ann Ramser, Mariners Elementary School foundation

board member.

Nearly 1,000 young faces were painted with stars, flags and rockets, said

kindergarten teacher Cathy Blue, a paintbrush in her hand.

“I’ve painted so many faces that I’m getting cramps in my hands,” she

said.

Naturally, there is never a loss for appetite. Carol McDonald and her

friends served about 142 lunches at the “Fuzz Feed,” an annual feast for

officers in Newport Beach who work on Independence Day.