Man Loses Hand in Horrific Fourth of July Cleanup Explosion

A man lost his hand in an explosion on a northern California beach while cleaning up leftover July 4th fireworks. The man, currently only identified as Jason by a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by his family, was walking and cleaning up debris at the beach with his girlfriend, Pamala, on July 5, following the holiday weekend festivities, when a “bomb-like device” exploded in his hand. Pamala, who witnessed the explosion, held Jason’s severely wounded arm with her shirt to stop the bleeding. Police reported that Jason was taken by Del Norte Ambulance to Sutter Coast Hospital, where he had his hand amputated and is currently being treated for vision and hearing problems while he awaits further surgeries. An investigation is ongoing at Crescent City’s Point St. George beach in Del Norte County, where the explosion occurred, and officials are checking the area for any other explosives that could pose a threat. It is still unclear what caused the explosion.

The British songwriter responsible for country musician Glenn Campbell’s iconic 1975 hit “Rhinestone Cowboy” has died at the age of 87. Brian Potter’s daughter, Courtney, said the producer and composer had been suffering from dementia for several years prior to his death. Best known for his collaboration with songwriting partner Dennis Lambert, Potter worked with dozens of artists throughout his celebrated, decades-long career—including R&B group Tavares, pop-soul ensemble Four Tops, and legendary singer Dusty Springfield. Potter and Lambert also both worked on rock band Player’s No.1 hit “Baby Come Back,” and helped produce Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana’s 1978 album Inner Secrets. After what was an amicable creative split from Lambert in the late 1980s, Potter worked on a number of projects independently with artists like country icon Kenny Roger, multi-genre singers the Pointer Sisters, and famed keyboardist George Duke. He is survived by his wife Karen, with whom he was married for 55 years, his stepdaughter, Mary Shirley, and his daughter, Courtney.

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For more than three decades, PCA Skin has set the standard for professional chemical peels. Now, the brand is translating its signature triple-exfoliation technology into an at-home format with its new Triple Exfoliation Peel Pads. Formulated to mimic your skin’s natural renewal process, the pads harness physical, chemical, and enzymatic exfoliation to gently smooth texture, soften fine lines and wrinkles, reduce redness, and minimize the appearance of enlarged pores—all without stripping the skin of its natural oils. Each dual-sided pad features a textured side that helps manually resurface the skin without causing barrier damage or irritation, while the smooth side helps restore hydration for an instant, post-facial-level glow.

Aside from a targeted blend of AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs, the pads are also infused with niacinamide, peptides, and licorice root extract to help calm the skin and counteract any potential irritation from the exfoliants. As someone with sensitive skin, I’m always hesitant to incorporate new exfoliants into my routine. I turn tomato-red when someone merely looks at me, so naturally, I’m fairly discerning when it comes to active-soaked peel pads. Plus, the thought of using a physical exfoliant instantly takes me back to that ubiquitous apricot scrub from my youth that practically tore my skin apart.

Now, I also grew up in sunny San Diego in the 2000s, when coconut-scented tanning oils were far more popular than sunscreen, which means I have plenty of UV-induced hyperpigmentation to tackle. As a longtime fan of PCA Skin’s gentle, reactive-skin-friendly formulas, I was thrilled to try the new peel pads ahead of launch.

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I’ve been using the pads every morning for about two weeks and, unlike so many other exfoliants I’ve tried over the years, these don’t cause my skin to freak out—in fact, they somehow seem to soothe it. My skin has been especially red and sensitive lately thanks to seasonal allergies, and these feel as though they’re strengthening my skin barrier rather than breaking it down. Plus, while it’s still early, I’ve noticed that the “halo” sun spots along my temples seem less pronounced.

Dullness has also been a top concern for me lately, and after just one use, my skin looked visibly brighter, more radiant, and noticeably healthier. In fact, I had a facial booked last week to help revive my lackluster complexion, and I ended up canceling it.

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The top aide revealed by PunchUp to have erased nearly 30 secret Signal chats involving Kristi Noem and her rumored lover Corey Lewandowski claims the deletions were an accident. Joseph Guy, the former Department of Homeland Security deputy chief of staff, wiped the FEMA-related group chats on his last day in the Trump administration, as the Daily Beast’s sister investigations Substack first reported. His lawyers at Binnall Law Group told PunchUp that Guy had reinstalled the Signal app on his phone in March, which “inadvertently caused the loss of some messages.” That was, they stressed, “long before the court ordered his deposition.” But the timeline is murky. The spokesperson could not say on what specific date Guy claimed to have deleted Signal and lost the messages, including whether it happened before or after Noem’s March 5 firing. Then, in April, they said, Guy reinstalled the app again, this time in an unsuccessful bid to recover the very messages the first reinstall had wiped. The account raised more questions than it answered. The spokesperson did not address why Guy was using Signal for work on his personal phone despite a DHS order not to do so. Nor did the story square neatly with the version Guy gave under oath at his May 4 deposition, where his account—set out in a preservation order from Judge Susan Illston—was that the messages vanished on April 30 or May 1, his final days on the federal payroll. Illston said she was “seriously troubled by these allegations of spoliation.” The lawyers insisted: “Mr. Guy never intentionally deleted the messages at issue.” The deletions came as Noem, 54—nicknamed “ICE Barbie” for her love of dolling up for filmed immigration raids—and her chief adviser, Lewandowski, 52, were engulfed in a fast-spreading scandal over how contracts were awarded on their watch. There is no suggestion that Noem and Lewandowski knew about Guy’s deletions. Binnall Law Group, which now employs Guy in its public affairs arm, emphatically denied that Guy discussed deleting messages with Noem, Lewandowski, or anyone linked to them. “Any assertion to the contrary is a lie,” the spokesperson said. Noem and Lewandowski did not respond to requests for comment.

Tom Latchem exposes the secrets, scandals, and stories that powerful people and institutions want to keep under wraps. Follow all of his reporting at PunchUp on Substack.

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has revealed that he now mostly uses a wheelchair, almost a year after the death of his bandmate Ozzy Osbourne. In an Instagram post, the musician explained “sadly, but nonetheless truthfully” that while he can still walk, he can no longer cover long distances without needing to rest. “I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest,” he wrote, adding that he has been using a wheelchair in airports for the past 18 months. Sharing a photo of himself using the mobility device, the 78-year-old told fans he wanted to be transparent about the change, but stressed that his passion for music has not waned. “I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up,” he wrote. “I’m still a drummer” and plan to “keep rocking until I’m dead.” He also encouraged fans to say hello if they see him in public: “I don’t bite, I’ll just look different.” Ward is the original drummer and a founding member of the legendary heavy metal band.

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Sexual wellness is no longer just about sophisticated vibrators or high-tech couples’ toys. One of the fastest-growing categories in the booming wellness category is prostate wellness. More and more men are becoming curious about exploring pleasure beyond traditional masturbation methods. Searches for prostate massagers have surged in recent years, online communities dedicated to prostate play continue to grow, and the conversation around men’s sexual health is becoming noticeably less taboo. If you’ve been curious but hesitant to invest, Lovense’s Summer Sale is a good excuse to take the plunge. From July 2 through July 10, the brand’s bestselling Edge 2 Adjustable Prostate Massager is marked down from $199 to just $93, a rare 53 percent discount. Unlike fixed-shape devices that rely on trial and error, the Edge 2 features an adjustable neck that can be customized to better match your anatomy for a more comfortable, personalized fit.

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The advanced sex toy is engineered with dual motors that provide simultaneous internal and external stimulation, while independent controls let you tailor the intensity of each zone. Where the Edge 2 really stands apart, however, is its connected technology. Through the Lovense Remote app, users can browse thousands of community-created vibration patterns, sync the device to music, compatible interactive VR content, or long-distance partner control, and even connect it with other Lovense devices for a more immersive experience. Whether you’ve been prostate-play curious for years or you’re simply looking to upgrade your sexual wellness routine with smarter tech, this is one of the best prices we’ve seen on Lovense’s leading prostate massager. At more than half off, the Summer Sale makes now the perfect time to see what all the buzz is about.

A burning military jet came down on a runway at a vacation hotspot, sending flames leaping across the tarmac as firefighters scrambled to hose it down. The F-16 aircraft belongs to the Hellenic Air Force’s 116th Combat Wing and had taken off from Araxos Air Base, the airport serving Patras, Greece’s third-largest city, the Daily Mail reported. Footage from the scene shows the jet engulfed on the tarmac at Zakynthos International Airport as crews blast it with jets of water. Local reports say the fire started mid-air and was still visible when the plane landed, before spreading on the runway. The pilot got out safely and was not hurt. Investigators suspect a possible landing gear failure, though the cause has not been confirmed. The wreck left the runway blocked, forcing flights at the tourist island airport to be delayed or canceled.

The mother of a Michigan woman who vanished during a boating trip in the Bahamas has cast fresh doubt on the account of her daughter’s disappearance, saying she now believes “there was foul play.” Months after Lynette Hooker disappeared while vacationing with her husband, Brian Hooker, her mother, Darlene Hamlett, told Fox News Digital she believes her daughter made it back to the couple’s sailboat before she vanished. “She made it back to the boat, and there was foul play,” Hamlett said, though she declined to explain how she reached that conclusion. “As a mother, it’s taking longer than I would anticipate, but that’s what the Coast Guard told me to say. That’s all I’m saying.” Brian Hooker has consistently maintained that Lynette fell from a dinghy during a nighttime trip and was swept away by strong currents. Her body has never been recovered. The new claims come after U.S. Coast Guard investigators returned to the Bahamas to search the area with dive teams and a cadaver dog before taking the dinghy back to the United States for further forensic testing. The Coast Guard Investigative Service declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. Brian Hooker has not been charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing.

Donald Trump’s MAGA buddy Jim Jordan wants the prosecutor who protected Stephen Miller’s chalk-wielding neighbors dragged into a closed-door deposition away from public view, PunchUp reports. The Trump loyalist and House Judiciary Committee chairman, 62, has spent months pursuing Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, the elected top prosecutor for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, over her handling of a retired peace studies professor who chalked slogans and handed out flyers near Miller’s home. Police concluded the protest was “non-threatening.” Jordan served Dehghani-Tafti with a subpoena on July 1, compelling her to appear at a closed-door deposition on July 16, as the Daily Beast’s new sister investigations’ Substack, PunchUp, reported. The prosecutor says she never refused to talk. She offered to answer every question in public. Jordan said no. “I don’t know why the Committee is afraid to speak with me in the open,” Dehghani-Tafti told PunchUp in a statement. Her attorney, veteran Washington defense lawyer Abbe Lowell, accused the committee of ducking daylight because “it is too afraid of the answers Ms. Dehghani-Tafti will give before an open and public hearing.” No one from the chalk group has been charged. That didn’t stop Stephen’s wife, Katie Miller, 34, from going on Fox News and calling the messages “terroristic.” The family listed their six-bedroom home—bought for around $2.8 million in 2023—for $3.75 million and decamped to military housing. PunchUp reported in April that the activists behind that “boring” protest had branded the whole “embarrassing” saga a MAGA power play—accusing Miller, 40, of “weaponizing his victim complex,” and using the apparatus of the state for his personal ends.

Tom Latchem exposes the secrets, scandals, and stories that powerful people and institutions want to keep under wraps. Follow all of his reporting at PunchUp on Substack.

The Cheetah Girls franchise is getting a new installment, and several original cast members are returning. The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen, the first Cheetah Girls film since 2008, is slated for release next year, and will feature stars Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon returning to reprise their roles as Galleria and Chanel. Sabrina Bryan will also be making a special appearance as Dorinda, while Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter will reprise their roles as Dorothea and Juanita. Kiely Williams, who played Aqua in the films, is not attached to the project at this time. Other names who have joined the project include One Tree Hill alum Sophia Bush as Jennifré and Percy Jackson & The Olympians star Leah Sava Jefferies as Galleria’s daughter, Faith. The film will follow Galleria and Chanel as they mentor a new generation of Cheetah Girls, accompanying them on a volunteer trip to a wildlife sanctuary in Africa. Production is set to begin later this month in South Africa. Raven-Symoné posted a video to Instagram celebrating the news, compiled of clips of her traveling to set in South Africa and ending with one of her next to a real-life cheetah.

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Two actors from The Pitt landed Emmy nominations after self-submitting their performances when HBO left them off its official awards ballot. Brittany Allen and Jeff Kober, who played terminal cancer patient Roxy and biker Duke, were revealed on Wednesday to be in the running for the country’s most prestigious television accolade. “A week ago I couldn’t get a good agent if my life depended on it, and in the last hour I think that’s already starting to change,” Allen, 40, who previously won a Daytime Emmy on self-submitted work, told Variety following her recognition. “It’s not always easy for somebody to stand behind an artist based purely on their own belief in them.” The Canadian actress said that she “tends to do well when [she’s] in an underdog position.” Kober, 72, also a Daytime Emmy winner, saw the self-nomination as a triumphant act of pride for his work. “I felt like it was strong work, and I wanted it to be seen,” The Walking Deadactor said to Variety. “When you don’t need approval, you’ve got your own back.” The 78th Emmy Awards Ceremony, hosted by Law and Order star Mariska Hargitay, will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 14.

Justin Verlander says the 2026 season will mark the end of his legendary Major League Baseball career. The 43-year-old pitcher revealed the decision in a statement posted to social media, saying months of injuries and setbacks helped him realize it was time to step away from the game. Verlander, who is married to model and actress Kate Upton, 34, thanked fans, teammates, and his family while reflecting on a career that spanned more than two decades. “This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally,” Verlander wrote. “Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.” The veteran right-hander has made just one appearance for the Detroit Tigers this season. A hip injury sidelined him shortly after that outing, and a subsequent hamstring injury delayed a planned return. Despite the setbacks, Verlander said he remains committed to rejoining the Tigers before the season ends. Verlander spent 14 seasons with the Tigers and captured three Cy Young Awards and the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player award. He also won two World Series titles during his career and is widely expected to earn induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum when he becomes eligible in 2032.