Hi, All:  I am a Long Beach resident on 1st street between Gaviota and Falcon Avenue; have lived at this address for 5 years now.  This year, firecrackers started in May, the earliest since I have lived here.  They generally go through the summer into September.  What is going on with this?  It's very disarming, given that there have been in the recent past gunshots at the end of the alley that backs my property.  Many residents call the police nightly - and the fireworks are incessant and set off EVERY night!  The police often send up their helicopter because sometimes it's difficult to discern whenther it's gunshot or firecrackers.  Why do I feel like I'm in the hood?  I'm a California native and have lived throughout the state and have never been in a community where this extreme annoyance has been prevanent aon an ongoing basis. 

What can we do?  No one can seem to pinpoint this person.  The closest we've come is someone who reported to the police that they live on Florida Avenue and that it was coming from an alley behind them.  I have talked to Police Patrol which will include this area in their rounds and various other agencies in the City of LB.  No one seems to be aware of this problem to the extent that it's taking place.

Any ideas?

Leslie Davis