El Pasoans debate firework ban extension proposal

escobar says she wants to protect el pasoans and their property this fourth of july. today, she issued a disaster declaration lasting one week from today. he first move was to call for a 60 hours ban on buying, selling or using fireworks within the county. so you can’t do any of that until wednesday. but judge escobar hopes the governor will extend that ban past independence day. abc-7’s andrew j. polk is live to explain. andrew? bob… two sides making impassioned arguments today… fireworks vendors facing no sales for the big holiday… and residents from areas heavily used by fireworks fans. off the top :37 “when the fourth of july comes, they go celebrate out there, and we are prisoners in our homes for more than five hours, we cannot go out of the house.” tina silva and othe residents of county outskirts like montana vista say they pay the price every year the county allows fireworks. they showed up to support a ban… while fireworks retailers voiced their opposition, and impact on their livelihood. “we’re sending al of our county dollars to new mexico when you think about it.” fernando viramontes argued that people are still going to buy fireworks, and all the ban does is push them to new mexico… where counties like dona ana only have an aerial ban in place “we understand that the count commission really has not taken any of our input into consideration at all.” ban supporters say th problem goes far beyond fireworks. “it’ not only the fireworks. it’s the needles, the condoms, it’s everything. why should we put up with it.” and so the plan put into place by commissioners and judge escobar today… means there is currently a ban on all buying, selling or use of fireworks through most of wednesday. but county leaders again hope the governor will stretch that through july 5th. if not, escobar says she’ll do another 60 hour ban to at least cover the july 4th holiday period. bob? ok andrew, news we can all use, thank you. no