Explosion in Sea-Tac: Homemade firework bomb critically injures 64-year-old man:

The man tied together a bundle of sparklers and put them in a tube, then placed the tube in a concrete cinder block, Urquhart said. When the device was lit it exploded, sending concrete pieces flying and hitting the 64-year-old man, who was 15 to 20 feet away. Urquhart said the victim was hit in the head and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

The Chief in Granite Falls: Remember that guy who played the victim card after the mayor put him on paid leave him? The Seattle Times files a records request and finds that, in his previous job as a chief, he faced accusations of insubordination, playing hooky from work, and billing the city for personal phone calls.

Two People Shot Near a Tacoma Denny's: The words of a witness: "I thought it could have been fireworks, but I thought I heard some muffled shots that might have come from inside the restaurant."

My Money Says Steele Is Out by the End of the Week: People battle over whether the RNC head should, would, could step down.

Grrrrrr! Angry residents want Fourth of July to get off their proverbial lawns.

The Pursuit: In Lake City:

The driver appeared to cooperate with the officers, but then suddenly accelerated and fled southbound on 35th Avenue NE. Both of the officers were brushed against the fleeing vehicle and struck by the Malibu’s mirrors, but the officers were not seriously injured. At NE 120th Street and 35th Avenue NE the suspect vehicle failed to make a turn and crashed into a house near that intersection.

The driver was arrested for—of course—a DUI.

Florida: Institutes a so-called anti-bong law: "The law requires sellers of the water pipes to have a state-issued tobacconist license and requires them to make at least 75 percent of their income from selling tobacco."

Speaking of Pot: Massachusetts reduced the penalty for possession to a $100 fine, but apparently, nothing happens if you don't pay it. "There is no specific provision in the law with regard to (decriminalization) that says if you don't pay the following shall occur," said Edward Teague, clerk magistrate at Falmouth District Court. "There is no enforcement mechanism in the law."

Seriously: Enough with the zombie thing.

The Weather: Threatening to get so nice that we'll complain about it.