Fourth of July

Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July are busy — real busy. Find out just how much more time you are likely to spend on the road when traveling for these holidays.

The use of legal and illegal fireworks around Southern California brought the worst air quality to the region in a decade, the South Coast Air Quality Management District reported Wednesday. Concentrations of PM2.5 were 70% higher than previous years between 7 p.m. on the Fourth of July and 7 a.m. the next day in the South Coast Air Basin, which…

Despite many fireworks show being canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, illegal fireworks lit up SoCal skies on the Fourth of July. NewsChopper4 Bravo flew over illegal fireworks throughout SoCal, from downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley on Saturday night. Fire departments said they saw a sharp increase in the number of calls for service. It…

Hilary Duff isn’t here for the nonsense.

Air quality was poor in parts of Southern California Sunday due to Independence Day fireworks, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. As of Sunday afternoon, the Air Quality Index levels were unhealthy in portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties due to elevated fine particulate matter concentration, the AQMD said. Overnight and in the morning hours,…

Political activist 63-year-old Gregory “Joey” Johnson, who won the right to burn the American flag in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court 1989 case of Texas v. Johnson took to a Hollywood street Saturday and burned three flags — a Confederate flag, a Blue Lives Matter flag and a U.S. flag — to protest the policies of President Donald Trump. The…

Californians mostly heeded warnings to stay away from beaches and other public spaces during the long weekend as state officials urged social distancing amid a spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. Many communities canceled July 4 fireworks shows and other annual festivities, changes that appeared to successfully keep crowds at bay. Volunteers were acting as “goodwill ambassadors” to remind people…

The city of Lancaster defied the fireworks ban imposed Monday by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health by holding a public fireworks show. The fireworks started after 9 p.m. Saturday and lit up the sky over the city. The show was carried live and replayed on Facebook. The display garnered mixed reviews on the social media site. “I…

As seen on Today in LA on Sunday, July 5, 2020.

Families gathered outside the Lancaster Soccer Center to watch, despite the ban. Christine Kim reports for NBC LA at 11 p.m. Saturday July 4, 2020.

Independence Day looks a lot different this year around the Bay Area, with big celebrations canceled due to COVID-19 – but instead of marking the holiday in the traditional way, many people are continuing their push for social justice. Christie Smith reports.

Christine Kim reported on NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

Ted Chen reported on NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

As the coronavirus surges in the state, Californians celebrated Independence Day with virtual parades featuring air flyovers and photos of flag-draped front porches instead of pancake breakfasts and crowded festivities. Meanwhile, law enforcement officers were out and about, reminding people to wear masks in public and turning away disappointed sun-seekers from beaches that were closed to discourage crowds for the…

People are finding different ways to celebrate Fourth of July with beaches closed. Jane Yamamoto reported on NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

Despite parking lots being closed at Carlsbad beaches, the sand was filled with people on Saturday, enjoying the Independence Day holiday. Many were locals, but there were also a lot of out of town tourists. “We’re from Yuma, Arizona,” said Dana Hernandez, who was relaxing on the beach with two friends. “I came from a state that’s locked down,...

Orange County reported 413 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths Saturday, bringing the county’s totals to 16,191 cases and 363 deaths. The numbers came as most of the county’s coastal cities closed their beaches for the Fourth of July holiday weekend to prevent further community spread of the virus. The county’s cases included 1,218 residents of skilled…

It wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without San Jose product Joey “Jaws” Chestnut taking center stage and scarfing down hot dogs at an alarming rate.