by Melissa Brunner

Fireworks stands are open, which means you might be hearing a lot of extra noise around your neighborhood these days! A lot of people find fireworks to be a lot of fun, but others see sparks as their anger rises from late-night booms and the trash left behind in the streets.

I enjoy watching fireworks and, at times, I marvel at how much money people invest in the day. I also see the remnants left behind on my running routes in the days after July 4th, so I understand the pros and cons people see in the celebratory tradition.

What side are you on? Certainly, ordinances exist to govern when people are supposed to snuff the flames - do you think they should be enforced more strictly? And, for fireworks fans, how much will you invest in the booms and sparkles?