SFist Blotter

Happy birthday, America! The Bay Area news media are celebrating by running tut-tutting articles about the dangers of illegal fireworks (but reluctantly conceding that at least this year, no one lost a finger or an eye.) Now, it's not right to break the law, but we have to say, we saw some very lovely illegal fireworks in the Mission last night. People are spending some serious bank on those! You can't just buy one of those big starbursty-things on the street. (Can you?)

Oakland saw its 40th homicide yesterday, as a man was stabbed to death at 35th and International Avenues. Last year at this time, there had been 41. And for the first time in about 20 years, an Emeryville cop shot a suspect to death, when the suspect attempted to run him over in the parking lot of the Oaks Card Room in response to a routine traffic stop (turned out the car was stolen).

..and yikes, breaking news, a woman was killed this morning at a day care center/elementary school in San Francisco at Pine and Scott Streets. Sorry the news is so grim today.