Shohei Ohtani homers twice, pitches Angels to victory over White Sox

• June 28, 2023

ANAHEIM — As Shohei Ohtani continues to defy description, Angels fans spelled it out rather simply with a chant as he circled the bases for the second time on Tuesday night.

“M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!”

The Angel Stadium crowd of 33,637 on Japanese Heritage Night roared its appreciation for Ohtani on a night when he pitched into the seventh inning and hit two home runs in the Angels’ 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

“The performance today was incredible,” Manager Phil Nevin said.

Ohtani increased his major league-leading home run total to 28 with a 418-foot shot to right field in the first inning and a 404-foot drive to left-center in the seventh.

The latter came moments after he left the mound with a cracked fingernail, ending his night charged with one earned run in 6⅓ innings while striking out 10. Ohtani said he doesn’t know which day he’s starting next, but he doesn’t expect the fingernail will be an issue.

As the Angels (44-37) reached the midpoint of the season, Ohtani is hitting .304 with a major league-leading OPS of 1.040. He’s also leading the majors with 64 RBIs. He is on pace for 56 homers.

On the mound, he is 7-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 95⅓ innings, with 127 strikeouts.

Asked if he’s at his peak both as a pitcher and a hitter right now, Ohtani said through his interpreter: “Hitting-wise, I feel like it’s up there for sure right now.”

When Ohtani was the unanimous MVP in 2021, he hit 46 homers with a .965 OPS, and he had a 3.18 ERA. He heard the same “M-V-P” chants back then as he heard on Tuesday.

“It’s always a good feeling to hear that,” Ohtani said. “It gives me a lot of motivation to do better.”

Already voted to start the All-Star Game as the DH, Ohtani is putting the finishing touches on one of the best all-around months of his career.

He’s batting .383 with a 1.388 OPS this month, including 13 homers, all in his last 20 games.

“We’re seeing things every day that we’ve never seen before and you try not to take it for granted and I don’t think any of us do,” Nevin said. “I understand how special it is. But I also understand how special the person is to our room and what he’s bringing to us every day as well as the rest of his teammates.”

While Ohtani has been a productive hitter for the entire season, his pitching was not up to his normal level during a surprising slump in May. He’s reversed that trend over his last three starts, allowing four earned runs in 19⅓ innings, a 1.86 ERA. He struck out 31 and walked five.

One of the recent differences in his pitching is the way he’s mixed his pitches.

Ohtani again threw more fastballs (34) than sweepers (24) among his 102 pitches, continuing a trend over the span of his turnaround over the last three starts.

He’s thrown his fastball 43.3% of the time over his last three starts, after throwing it 27.0% of the time in his first 13 starts. He’s cut the sweeper from 40.1% to 21.1%.

“I think he’s done some things mechanically pitching-wise, that have helped him a little bit, whether it’s pitch-mixing and game-planning,” Nevin said. “I think that’s been a lot better, if you will.”

Ohtani put the Angels ahead in the first and then he cruised through the White Sox lineup without much trouble through the first six innings. He gave up a leadoff double in the second, but he stranded the runner at third when he struck out Yasmani Grandal and Jake Burger.

The Angels weren’t giving him much margin for error, adding just a single run on a David Fletcher groundout in the fourth.

They had a precarious 2-1 lead when Ohtani came to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

He then blasted his second homer, the first time in his career that he’s hit multiple homers in a game he pitched. The Angels added an insurance run on an RBI single from Mike Moustakas, playing his second game with the Angels.

Relievers Jacob Webb, Chris Devenski and Carlos Estévez handled the final eight outs after Ohtani was done.

Estévez gave up a run in the ninth, but he escaped a bases-loaded jam to set an Angels record by converting his 20th straight save opportunity to start the season.

By avoiding a ninth-inning disaster, Estévez was able to protect the victory and preserve Ohtani’s magical night.

“Every game somehow seems to get even crazier, watching him play,” catcher Chad Wallach said. “Watch him pitch like that and then go hit two homers. Somehow it still surprises you every time.”

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Shohei Ohtani’s night:
2 HR as a batter
10 Ks as a pitcher. pic.twitter.com/Bzm0Q3qvKF

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2023

SHOHEI OHTANI@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/Hnr55DmIWo

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) June 28, 2023

Shohei Ohtani had everything working on the mound. pic.twitter.com/ZlznAPhkOU

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2023

A look at Ohtani’s 2 HR’s & 10 K’s tonight @Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/orasSKquSN

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) June 28, 2023

Fletch flashes the leather! @Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/iUavF13o1v

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) June 28, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

A restored Mission San Gabriel casts a new light on Southern California Indigenous history

• June 28, 2023

After three years of closure and restoration, voices will once again echo in the halls of Mission San Gabriel starting Saturday, July 1.

Now, after the pandemic and a fire that nearly destroyed it, the historic mission will finally be reopened.

On Tuesday, June 27, Roman Catholic leaders, including L.A. Archbishop José Gomez, the local Gabrieleño/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians and other invited dignitaries came to the historic site to christen a restored landmark while unveiling its reimagined museum, designed to highlight local Indigenous voices and history.

“Thanks be to God!” proclaimed Rev. Parker Sandoval, the vice chancellor of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who was a leader in the restoration effort. “Today, three years later, the mission is fully restored and above all, the museum is now refreshed with a brand new exhibit.”

On July 10, 2020, a fire, which officials say was set by an arsonist, broke out in the mission’s choir loft, eventually spreading to damage the pulpit and altar. The blaze caused major damage to the roof, the interior, to artifacts and in the attic of a 250-year-old mission, the fourth of 21 missions Spaniards built in Alta California.

For a Roman Catholic Community that treasures the church, the restoration was a major moment in the history of a landmark that paved a path for the Roman Catholic Church in the region and in the United States.

But it was also a sobering moment, imbued with a complex and often troubling past.

The arrival of Spanish missionaries had a huge impact on the future of California. But it would also displace the area’s Native American inhabitants – a fact that Los Angeles Archdiocese sought to acknowledge, even as the mission opens to the public on the day that celebrates the sainthood of Junipero Serra, the controversial Spanish priest who established the landmark.

The mission museum’s new exhibit “Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, 1771-1900: Natives, Missionaries, and the Birth of Catholicism in Los Angeles,” provides a look into the mission’s long and complex history. The galleries include baptismal records, textiles, paintings and even audio recordings of 18th century music and letter readings.

A large portion of the museum, which also opens July 1, focuses on Native American culture and history in the Los Angeles area. This includes a new Wall of Names that was erected that lists more than 7,000 Native Americans who were baptized at the mission.

It is a part of their efforts to acknowledge the history of Native Americans previously excluded from such narratives. Built on Indigenous labor, Mission San Gabriel is now the burial site for 5,600 Native Americans, making it a place of religious observance and significance to local Native Americans.

“For me, everything here on these mission grounds is sacred, it’s important, because it reflects our culture, it reflects the teachings of our ancestors to us younger generations and for us to continue showing other generations coming after us so it could never become extinct,” said Chief Anthony Morales of the Gabrieleño/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians.

In the past, the mission and its museum had a focus on the history of the Franciscans and their ushering in of Catholicism into the L.A. area.

The new exhibit seeks to bridge the gap between past and present, providing a window into the lives of those affected by the mission, specifically the Indigenous people who were living in the region since long before colonization.

“It diversifies the story being told in the mission,” said exhibit curator Steven Hackel, the history professor at UC Riverside who secured several grants, including $25,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and $30,000 from the California Bishops Council to help cover costs for his team’s work on the museum. “It helps us understand that the Native community is still here and it teaches a whole new way of understanding the history of this mission.”

Hackel worked alongside a team of collaborators, including associate curator Yve Chavez, a Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians member and assistant professor of art history at the University of Oklahoma.

Morales lamented the history of his ancestors but also acknowledged just how important it is to show that history at this site.

“It wasn’t a good history between us and the founding of the mission system and the padres,” Morales said. “We were forced to learn, we were forced to build the missions… . But if we forget that portion of the history, then we’re erasing our ancestors.”

Today, at Mission San Gabriel, the church and local Native groups cooperate in the preservation and education of their intertwined past.

“They worship here,” said Sandoval. “This is their home. This is the place where their ancestors are buried. It’s important to them, and therefore it’s important for the church because half the Natives in Los Angeles are Catholic. They are our people, this is their land and we are very happy to celebrate their culture and their history here.”

After a service in the main chapel on Tuesday, visitors were led out to the courtyard in front of the museum’s entrance. There, members of the local Native American community sang songs of welcome and made music for their ancestors. The smell of incense filled the courtyard as they recited prayers and blessings for the restored mission.

Afterward, Archbishop José Gomez gave his blessing, sprinkling holy water throughout the museum before allowing visitors to enter the refurbished exhibition.

And Morales continued his reflection.

“People think we no longer exist. They think we’re extinct. But we’re not,” Morales said.

Related links

3 years after fire nearly destroyed it, Mission San Gabriel is ready to reopen
2 years after devastating fire, Mass returns to Mission San Gabriel
4-alarm fire destroys most of Mission San Gabriel

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers ride Clayton Kershaw’s strong start to shutout win at Coors Field

• June 28, 2023

DENVER — Coors Field is perfectly suited for the kind of milestone J.D. Martinez was chasing – not so much for the kind of history Clayton Kershaw teased.

Kershaw retired the first 12 batters in order and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning at Coors Field which has yielded just one no-hitter in its 28-year history (Hideo Nomo’s for the Dodgers in 1996). Meanwhile, Martinez hit two home runs, reaching 300 for his career, as the Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies, 5-0, Tuesday night.

Martinez became the 156th player in baseball history to hit 300 career home runs, joining a group that includes teammate Freddie Freeman (now at 306 after reaching 300 last month).

Home run No. 299 came in the third inning off of Rockies starter Connor Seabold with one out and a runner on. Martinez drove a 1-and-1 fastball over the high wall in right field.

He led off the sixth inning with his milestone homer, sending the first pitch he saw from lefty reliever Brad Hand over the wall in left field.

If Martinez reaching 300 career home runs seemed inevitable, Kershaw flirting with a no-hitter at Coors Field was unexpected. The veteran left-hander entered the game with a 4.82 ERA in 26 previous career starts at altitude and had ended just two of those without giving up a run.

It hadn’t gotten better recently either. Kershaw allowed 17 runs in 15 innings over three starts at Coors Field the past two seasons.

But he breezed through the Rockies’ lineup for six stress-free innings Tuesday. He walked Elias Diaz to start the sixth inning and gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Brenton Doyle with two outs in the sixth. A hard ground ball to third baseman Max Muncy’s left just made it into left field to end Kershaw’s no-hit bid.

Diaz was erased in a double play and Kershaw picked Doyle off first base to end the sixth inning having faced the minimum 18 batters while throwing just 79 pitches.

He didn’t go back out for the seventh, raising concerns about the only member of the Dodgers’ season-opening starting rotation not to go on the injured list yet this year.

With their rotation depleted by injury, the Dodgers have leaned on Kershaw over the past month. He went seven innings in three of his previous four starts, throwing at least 96 pitches in all four. He allowed just four runs in 33 innings in June.

The bullpen finished off a three-hit shutout with three scoreless innings, continuing that group’s turnaround. Phil Bickford loaded the bases with walks in the ninth but Dodgers relievers have been charged with just one earned run over their past 31⅓ innings.

More to come on this story.

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​ Orange County Register 

Orange County’s top committed football recruits, June 27

• June 28, 2023

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Top committed high school football recruits from Orange County’s class of 2024:

Name, High school, Position, Height, Weight, College

Jordan Anderson, Newport Harbor, WR, 6-0, 165, Oregon

Travis Anderson, Mission Viejo, S, 6-0, 175, Boise State

Connor Bachhuber, San Clemente, OL, 6-5, 245, Stanford

Elijah Brown, Mater Dei, QB, 6-2, 200, Stanford

Jeilani Davis, Mater Dei, S, 6-1, 190, Utah

Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins, Tustin, CB, 5-11, 175, UCLA

Nate Hoss, Laguna Hills, 6-6, 220, DE, Air Force

Dylan Mills, San Clemente, QB, 6-2, 210, Villanova

Emmett Mosley, Santa Margarita, WR, 6-1, 190, Stanford

Jack Ressler, Mater Dei, WR, 5-11, 195, Oregon

Mark Schroller, Mission Viejo, OL, 6-6, 280, UCLA

Ryner Swanson, Laguna Beach, TE/DE, 6-4, 240, BYU

LeVar Talley, Santa Margarita, OLB/DE, 6-3, 215, Nevada

Justin Tauanuu, Huntington Beach, OL, 6-6, 285, Stanford

Treyvon Tolmaire, Mission Viejo, CB, 6-0, 180, Boise State

Kaho Tuihalamaka, Mater Dei, DL, 6-4, 340, Arizona

Travis Wood, Tesoro, RB, 5-10, 210, Air Force

Please send football recruiting news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on Twitter

RELATED: Mater Dei’s Elijah Brown relishes Elite 11 camp as college decision nears

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​ Orange County Register 

Lakers extend qualifying offers to Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, making them restricted free agents

• June 28, 2023

EL SEGUNDO — A formality became official for the Lakers on Tuesday evening.

The Lakers officially extended qualifying offers to guard Austin Reaves and forward Rui Hachimura.

The moves, which were expected, will make the duo restricted free agents when the free agency negotiating window starts Friday at 3 p.m. PT.

The Lakers had until Thursday to make a one-year, $2.19 million qualifying offer to Reaves and a 1-year, $7.74 million offer to Hachimura.

The offers don’t guarantee that Reaves or Hachimura will be back with the team next season, but the Lakers will have the right to match any contract offer either player receives from another team.

The Lakers can still negotiate long-term deals with both players.

Reaves, who went undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2021, originally signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in August 2021 before signing a 2-year, $2.49 million standard NBA deal the following month ahead of the 2021-22 season.

The 25-year-old guard is coming off a breakout season in which he averaged 13 points (68.7% true shooting – a formula that incorporates free throws and higher-value 3-point shots), 3.4 assists and 3 rebounds in 28.8 minutes (64 games – 22 starts).

Reaves stepped up in the postseason as the team’s third-leading playoff scorer, averaging 16.9 points (61.6% true shooting), 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 36.2 minutes (16 games – all starts) during the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference finals.

The Lakers acquired Hachimura, the No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft, in a Jan. 23 trade with the Washington Wizards.

Hachimura averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in his 33 regular-season games with the Lakers. He found his offensive rhythm, especially as a 3-point shooter, during the playoffs, averaging 12.2 points (48.7% shooting from 3-point range) and 3.6 rebounds as a key part of the rotation (24.3 minutes – 16 games played and one start).

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​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers’ slumping Miguel Vargas could see playing time cut

• June 28, 2023

DENVER — The Dodgers handed Miguel Vargas the job as their primary second baseman with the expectation that he would eventually hit major-league pitching the way he hit pitching at every other level.

It hasn’t happened and Vargas’ playing time could be a casualty. With Vargas mired in a 1-for-31 slump and his batting average for the season hovering just over .200, Mookie Betts started at second base for the second consecutive game Tuesday.

“It’s a mental break more so than anything, to be quite honest,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, adding that Betts will make another start on the infield during the series in Colorado. “I had a great conversation with him (before Sunday’s game). I just wanted to kind of ease his mind, just continue to let him know how much the confidence hasn’t wavered.

“For me, it’s just going back to what he does really well and that’s to get hits. If we can kind of just simplify it to that and swing at good pitches and not try to do too much and not have to be a carrier and slug – just to get hits, I think things will start to turn. But I am really proud of the fact that the defense hasn’t been compromised.”

Heading into the season, Vargas’ defense was the Dodgers’ main concern, given his lack of experience at second base. But his play on that side of the ball has been adequate and improving.

At the plate, however, Vargas has gone in the other direction.

“I just think that once you start to struggle, you start to press a little bit, you start to try to get things back in one game, one at-bat. And then it just snowballs,” Roberts said. “It’s not just young players. Veteran players it happens to as well, but it’s certainly more magnified for a younger player.”

That struggle has been apparent in Vargas becoming more pull-heavy as the season has progressed. Finding his way out of a slump is not something Vargas is familiar with after hitting .313 in his four-year minor-league career.

“It’s the first time I would assume he’s ever struggled for quite a while with the bat,” Roberts said. “For Miguel, the thing that we sort of could bet on was his bat-to-ball, getting hits and then some on-base (percentage). I think right now there’s a little bit of some pressing. He’s in it. He’s grinding.”

MUNCY RETURNS

Max Muncy was activated from the injured list and returned to the Dodgers’ lineup at third base on Tuesday. Infielder Michael Busch was returned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Muncy said he knew his injured hamstring had recovered when he took live at-bats Sunday afternoon and ran the bases as part of the simulation.

“We were pushing really hard to get back. It was a minor thing but I think maybe because we were pushing so hard to get back it wasn’t fully healing,” Muncy said. “It was one of those things where we didn’t want to take a chance on something minor turning into something major. So a couple extra days and here we are.”

ROTATION STABILIZATION

Left-hander Julio Urias rejoined the Dodgers after his four-inning rehab start in Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday. He is penciled in to come off the IL and start on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.

Urias has been out since injuring his hamstring during his start in St. Louis on May 18. Since then, the Dodgers have used four rookies in their starting rotation with mixed results (Gavin Stone, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove) and resorted to bullpen games on multiple occasions.

“It just stabilizes it,” Roberts said of the effect of Urias’ return. “He’s a world champion pitcher and an All-Star so to have him back in the rotation, I think he’s gonna come back with some vengeance. This year was certainly highly anticipated for him. It hasn’t gone the way we had expected. So I think he’s going to be on a mission.”

The Dodgers will likely go with another bullpen game on Wednesday against the Rockies, though Grove could be available to pitch multiple innings. It could be the last bullpen game for a while.

“That’s the hope,” Roberts said. “We’ll see.”

ALSO

Catching prospect Dalton Rushing was selected to represent the Dodgers in the All-Star Futures Game on July 8 in Seattle. Rushing was the Dodgers’ first draft pick last year (40th overall). He is hitting .263 with a .938 OPS in 48 games for Class-A Great Lakes.

UP  NEXT

Dodgers (TBA) at Rockies (LHP Kyle Freeland 4-8, 4.54 ERA), Wednesday, 5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

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​ Orange County Register 

Hate crimes in California rose 20% in 2022, report says

• June 28, 2023

Hate crimes have risen in California, according to a new state Department of Justice report.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and community leaders gathered in front of the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27 to discuss the state’s latest report on hate crimes, and ongoing efforts to combat rising hate and extremism.

Reported hate crimes increased roughly 20% last year, up from 1,763 in 2021, to 2,120 in 2022, the report said. Officials define hate crimes as a criminal offense against a person or property, motivated by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.

Key takeaways from the 2022 Hate Crime in California report include:

Hate crimes against Black communities increased 27.1%, from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022.
Anti-Hispanic hate crimes rose from 197 in 2021, to 210 in 2022.
Anti-Asian hate crimes fell from 247 in 2021, to 140 in 2022; a decrease of 43.3%.
Anti-Jewish hate crimes increased 24.3% from 152 in 2021, to 189 in 2022.
Anti-transgender hate crimes increased from 38 in 2021, to 59 in 2022.

Anti-Islamic, Protestant, LGBTQ+, and gender non-conforming hate crimes also rose from last year. The number of hate crimes referred for prosecution increased 5.9%, from 610 in 2021 to 647 in 2022.

The state Department of Justice has collected and reported data on hate crimes since 1995.

Officials also released an updated bulletin providing information for local law enforcement agencies on how to respond most effectively to hate crimes and incidents.

For example, when police come across a hate crime, they should first ensure the safety of the victim and document all evidence of what happened, according to the bulletin.

Bonta urged the community to stand united to combat extremism in order to alleviate, and eliminate, hate in California.

“[Hate] seems to be so many places, so pervasive, from national political leaders to sometimes our own neighbors,” Bonta said. “Racist, xenophobic, homophobic, destructive language is being brandished about all too freely to alienate, discriminate and inflict lasting physical and emotional harm… the hate crime data report shows us statistically what we already know; that we who work in our communities know to be true from our lived experience; that hate crimes are up.”

Bonta added that reporting hate crimes can be uncomfortable, so there may be hate crimes and victims not accounted for by the data.

Bonta said the Department of Justice is working to fight hate crimes through roundtable discussions and community outreach, identifying hate crimes and meeting with leaders to come up with solutions. In May, Bonta denounced such acts at a roundtable in Orange County, on the one-year anniversary of a hate-motivated shooting at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods.

“Hate is not new, and fortunately neither is rallying together in solidarity,” he said.

Ken Chasen, the Senior Rabbi of Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, said that an increase in antisemitic acts should remind the community that it is urgent and necessary to create a safe and inclusive state.

“Whenever a society permits any minority population to be targeted with hate, all minority populations will be targeted with hate,” Chasen said. “We will not combat this scourge of hate by dividing from one another in parochial self-interest. The way to stop the hatred is to band together as never before, to declare shoulder to shoulder that there is no place for hate in the state of California.”

Sunitha Menon, managing director of operations of Equality California, said that while the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender community celebrates their identity — they are still frequent targets of attacks, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rhetoric.

“It is never one bill in session, one post on social media, or just one elected official speaking against our community,” Menon said. “The domino effect is clear, and we cannot allow this behavior to continue and put lives at risk.”

Any victim or witness to a hate incident or crime in California can report and receive bilingual support online at www.cavshate.org, or by calling (833) 866-4283 or 833-8-NO-HATE; available Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Outside of those hours, you can leave a voicemail, or call 211 to report hate and seek support in over 200 languages.

L.A. County has a confidential hotline — 211 — where people can report hate crimes and incidents, resources and support. Those in Orange County can report online or through the county’s confidential hotline, 714-480-6580.

For more information on hate crimes and resources, visit oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes.

Related links

LA vs. Hate announces ‘Summer of Solidarity’ events to combat hate, celebrate diversity
With reported anti-Asian hate crimes rising, Reps. Michelle Steel and Katie Porter call for speedier investigations
LGBTQ leaders reflect on Pride, from defiance and visibility to bridge-building
Orange County is ‘not immune’ to hate crimes, AG Bonta says
Rainbow flag burned at North Hollywood school where some parents oppose Pride event

​ Orange County Register 

These are 10 Orange County cities that allow fireworks sales

• June 28, 2023

Only 10 Orange County cities allow the use and sale of legal, “safe and sane” fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday.

Legal fireworks must have the State Fire Marshall seal on their packaging.

All cities in Orange County prohibit the use of fireworks without the state seal and many have hefty fines for those caught using illegal fireworks.

Here’s the information on when fireworks can be bought and used in those towns that do allow the “safe and sane” varieties:

Anaheim: Residents may purchase the approved fireworks from June 28 to July 4 at 16 stands, here is where you can find the nearest stand. Fireworks may only be used from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4. Sales end at 9 p.m. on the holiday.

Fireworks use is not allowed in the hilly eastern side of Anaheim where wildfires are a risk. The ban runs east of the 55 and east and southeast of the 91 freeway.

Buena Park: There will be safe and sane fireworks sold at booths throughout the city from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 1 to July 3 and 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be discharged from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Fourth.

RELATED: Looking for things to do on July 4 or places to watch professional fireworks shows. Check out our listing of events hosted by communities around Orange County.

Costa Mesa: Fireworks will be on sale from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. from June 30 to July 3 and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be discharged from 4 to 10 p.m. on July 2-4.

Fullerton: Stands open in the city from noon to 10 p.m. July 1 to 3 and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be discharged from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4.

Garden Grove: Fireworks sales will be open in the city from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 1 through 3 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4. Use of safe and sane fireworks is allowed on private property only from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4.

Huntington Beach: Safe and sane firework sales at city-approved booths will be from noon to 10 p.m. on July 1-3 and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be used in the city only on July 4 – from noon to 10 p.m. No fireworks at the beach or in public places.

Santa Ana: The city allows booths hosted by community groups to sell safe and sane fireworks starting at noon on July 1. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. on July 1; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 2 and 3; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be discharged from July 1 to 4.

Stanton: Sales of safe and sane fireworks in the city are allowed from noon to 10 p.m. on July 1 and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 2 to 4. Approved fireworks may only be used on private residential properties and only from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 1-4.

Villa Park: Safe and sane fireworks will be sold at city-approved stands starting at 10 a.m. on June 30. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 30 to July 3 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be used from noon to 10 p.m. on July 4.

Westminster: Approved fireworks may be sold from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. starting on June 30 to July 3 and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks may be discharged from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4 on residential streets.

Related links

Has misuse taken the spark out of fireworks in California?
2023 fireworks buying guide: Which state-approved pyrotechnics are worth the price?
10 July 4th fireworks shows lighting up Southern California
How Southern California casinos are celebrating the Fourth of July

​ Orange County Register