Fireworks stores have exploded along the Indiana/Illinois border and on local interstates.

By June 23, the state had issued a total of 904 fireworks sales' permits, including 84 permits for Lake County, one permit for every 5,858 of its residents. In Porter County, the ratio was one fireworks sales permit for each 5,180 residents.

As of the same date, 91 permits were issued for Marion County fireworks sales sites, or one permit for every 9,635 people in Indiana's largest county and the location of its state capitol.

Of the Indiana counties with the three with the most license per capita: Knox, Union and Jay, all are along its border, Knox with Illinois, and the other two with Ohio.

Greg Kaplan, the owner of Krazy Kaplans, estimates 60 percent of his fireworks sales are to Illinois residents.

"Stores locate in Lake County because of the Illinois traffic and interstate traffic," said Kaplan, who has nine locations in Lake County, plus and one in LaPorte County located just south of the Michigan state line. "They (out-of-state residents) like fireworks and can't buy them there."

Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, said it doesn't surprise her that people don't follow the rules.

"It's part of our heritage to celebrate our freedom," she said.

Eighty of Kaplan's 340 billboards, and the billboards of other fireworks stores, are along Interstate 294, I-80/94, I-94 and other interstate highways in the Region.

Unlike Indiana, the law in both Illinois, Ohio and Michigan prohibits the use of firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, and bombs. Indiana law permits consumer "fireworks that comply with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling regulations of the U.S. Consumer Products Commission."

The Hoosier state allows fireworks to be purchased "by persons 18 years of age or older, and may by used

only on the user's property or on the property of someone who has consented the use of fireworks on

their property."

Fireworks to be used only between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on days other than on the Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day and New Year's Eve holidays, it has permitted communities to restrict their use to 5 p.m. and two hours after sunset from June 29 through July 9, and between 10 a.m. and midnight July 4 and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

"The community restrictions didn't hurt," Kaplan said. "If people want to enjoy them and use them, they'll buy them regardless of regulations and restrictions."