Presidential hopefuls are going on parade throughout the Granite State this July 4. 

At least seven 2016 candidates will spend Independence Day courting residents who will vote in the nation's first presidential primary contest next year, according to scheduled logged in necn's 2016 New Hampshire Primary Candidate Tracker, making a combined 14 stops.

While parades are by far the most popular stops during the holiday tour — at least 11 such appearances are expected — candidates' Saturday calendars also include breakfasts, cookouts and grassroots events. Revelers along the routes in Amherst and Merrimack will watch no fewer than three candidates strut by. The resort town of Wolfeboro, where 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney owns a home, will be greeted by at least two GOP hopefuls.

For some candidates, one parade just isn't enough. Republicans Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, and Rick Perry, as well as Democrat Lincoln Chafee, are marching in two apiece. Perry, the former Texas governor, appears to have the busiest public schedule on Saturday so far, stopping by parades in Amherst and Merrimack before greeting crowds at the Windham GOP July Fourth Cookout later in the day.

The holiday hand-shaking isn't limited to July 4 itself. Christie, New Jersey's Republican governor, has been barnstorming the state since making his official entry into the race on Tuesday, including several events on Friday. Perry and Democrat Hillary Clinton are also getting their patriotic partying started early with Friday events, while former New York Gov. George Pataki and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, both candidates for the GOP nomination, will join New Hampshire residents wishing America a belated birthday with Sunday celebrations.

An argument over recyclables between two men ended with one man stabbing the other and then crashing the victim’s car into a pole, San Diego police confirmed.

The altercation happened around 11:45 p.m. in an alley in the 7900 block of Ivanhoe Avenue in La Jolla. Police said the men got into a verbal dispute over recyclables that quickly turned physical.

At one point, one man pulled out a knife and stabbed the other man on the stomach. The stabbing suspect then got into the victim’s truck and tried to drive away, but crashed into a pole.

Police said the suspect then got out of the truck, jumped into his own car and drove away.

The victim suffered three cuts to his stomach and was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The San Diego Police Department said the suspect was described as a 5-foot-4 man with a medium build, about 32 years old. He was wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and jeans at the time of the assault and drove a 2006 or 2007 model white Nissan Frontier.

The case is under investigation. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

Shaved ice, snow cones, snowballs. Believe or not, sunny San Diego has plenty of icy blasts – at least the kind served with sweet syrups at local businesses all over the county. Check out this cool round-up of some of the best local spots for sweet snow cones this summer from our friends at Yelp.

Baltimore Snowball (San Marcos & Escondido)
Owners Joe and Loretta bring the best of Baltimore to San Diego with this “snowball” shop and their cool, creative combos can’t be beat. Our favorite is “The Elvis” made with chocolate ice cream, layered with peanut butter, peanut butter sauce and banana snow… then MORE peanut butter and chocolate sauce! Runner-up has to be “The Ocean City Sunset” with flavors of orange, marshmallow, banana, peach and cream. If you’ve never been, you’re missing out.

Sunset Ice Shack (Tierrasanta)
Hawaiian-style shaved ice and ice cream (plus amazing Acai and Chamango, too) keep customers happy at this hidden gem. You’ll find fun tropical tastes like the “Totes Ma Goats” with piña colada and coconut and the “Endless Summer,” the menu’s best-seller, packing a punch of passion fruit and guava. Stop in to get a bit of that island style in your life, and take your temperature down a peg or two.

Ice Blast Shaved Ice (Kearny Mesa)
Fluffy Hawaiian shaved ice is the perfect dessert for a heat wave or after a spicy meal, and here you’ll find all the classic flavors with a fusion of Asian flair. This Kearny Mesa joint stocks a Li Hing (salted plum) powder that you can add to your selections for a sweet and sour tang. You can create any combo of flavors you want here, but the menu board lists suggestions like the “Pretty in Pink,” made with pink lemonade, guava and coconut.

Southern Snoballs (Oceanside)
This North County spot specializes in sweet snow cones served up with Southern hospitality and made with Carlsbad Alkaline water. Patrons also have the option to try the snow cones “NOLA style,” meaning stuffed with ice cream and topped with condensed milk. Locally-owned and a favorite with reviewers, after a day at the beach this is the place to be. Don’t be worries if the line is deep, the snow servers sling their selections with serious speed.

Wahine Kai Shaved Ice (Scripps Ranch)
One of the best places to mix and match new flavors as this place stocks more than 30 flavors at any given time. Here, the ice is shaved super fine for a texture of treat that almost floats in your mouth. If it’s too hot to make hard choices, we suggest the “Dreamcicle,” the “Coco Moco,” or trying your snow cone of choice “Halo Halo style” – mixed with sweet red beans and condensed milk. This neighborhood shop is small, but mighty, so worth waiting your turn.

SnoCal Shaved Ice (Food Truck, various locations)
Go mobile with your frozen dessert and grab a treat from this food truck scooping serious shaved snow satisfaction. The owner’s name is Joe, and, as he puts it, he’s “here to shave your snow.” A trip to Hawaii sparked his business launch and now you can find him bringing the snow to the sand of San Diego. His treats use pure cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup and the menu boasts a long list of flavors, plus add-ons and toppings like mochi, sour spray, chili powder and Pop Rocks.
 

The long holiday weekend will translate into a huge economic boost for San Diego, as thousands of visitors flock here for the beaches, parks and tourist attractions.

Hotel occupancy is at 99 percent and hotel tax revenue is estimated at $2.5 million. Visitors will bring in $70 million for America’s Finest City, according to San Diego Tourism Authority numbers.

Local tourism officials have seen a surge in visitors this year; since the beginning of the year, hotels have seen record occupancy rates.

They credit the ongoing regional tourism marketing in California, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest as well as a boost in international visitors for the high rates.

“We expect to see an uphill climb in the next several years” of international travel here,” said Joe Terzi, CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

“A lot of people think it’s all hotel spending,” Terzi said. “But when you think about it, it’s restaurants, it’s attractions, it’s entertainment. It’s all the great things that happen in San Diego. Our arts and cultural community. Everyone really benefits when a tourist comes to town.”

Nearly half of our visitors come from California, Arizona and Nevada, but the Tourism Authority now has a $9 million promotional campaign that extends to Portland, Seattle, Denver and major media markets in Texas.

Plus, the tourism marketing now extends to other countries.
“We’re promoting San Diego on an international basis,” said San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts. “We’re doing it in Europe. We’re doing it in Asia. The Asian tourism is increasing dramatically. We want those people to know about San Diego and we’d love to have them as visitors.”

Tourism is San Diego’s leading industry behind manufacturing and the military. Hotel room taxes go to the city’s general fund, for basic public safety and services spending.

An illegal “butterfly” knife, a “slingshot” weapon, a shotgun round, a homemade explosive device, illegal fireworks, a starter pistol, a rifle and drugs were uncovered in Santee after deputies served a search warrant Thursday.

Deputies arrested 27-year-old John Roders, 25-year-old Jae Roders and 19-year-old Kae Olson following the sweep of the residence in the 8700 block of Lind Vern Court.

The three face drugs and weapons charges.

The cache at the home also included 22.68 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of cocaine, .17 grams of methamphetamine, nearly 6 grams of heroin and other items used to manufacture controlled substances, deputies said.

The investigation is continuing. Deputies are asking anyone with information to call the sheriff’s department at 858-565-5200.

Fire crews on Friday afternoon tackled a 1-acre fire burning vegetation in Escondido northeast of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The fire came close to homes, but did not threaten any of them. It was reported just after 4 p.m. in the 16700 block of Rockwood Road, about 2.5 miles from the Safari Park.

The blaze was sparked by a homeowner doing welding. He attempted to put out the fire with a bucket of water, but the wind allowed it to grow to 1 acre, fire officials said.

It was brought under control by 6 p.m.

Two of Pearl Harbor's oldest known survivors,  veterans Ray Chavez, 103, and Jim Downing, 102, share an unbreakable bond.

The two met for the first time Friday, sharing the same eyewitness moments and deep memories of the horrific, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor 74 years ago.

Still, for Downing, “most of what happened is just as clear as if it were last week.”

Downing, who lives in Colorado Springs, believed he was the oldest survivor of the attack until he read a news article about Chavez, who lives in Poway and is 103 years old.

“Well, I’m not going to check your birth certificate, so I’ll take your word for it”, Downing joked after meeting with Chavez.

Downing was asked to speak during a Fourth of July celebration in San Diego and decided to take the opportunity to meet with Chavez.

Each of the men have an incredible story of service and bravery.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 1941, when the waters and skies surrounding Pearl Harbor were still quiet, Quartermaster First Class Chavez and his crew were out on the water.

“We were sweeping restricted water. Nobody was supposed to be there except us” Chavez remembers.

Somewhere near the harbor they spotted a Japanese submarine and immediately notified others. A short time later, another ship bombed and sank the sub and Chavez went back to his Navy housing nearby to sleep.

But it was just a couple of hours later that Chavez’s wife shook him out of a deep sleep. She told him the Japanese were invading and that the “whole harbor was on fire."

“The first thing was surprise. Then I was scared. I thought the next plane would get the right angle, then I was angry,” Downing says of the experience.

Downing was 28 years old at the time and served on the USS West Virginia, though the morning of the attack he wasn’t on board the ship. If he had been he says he wouldn’t be here today.

“The saddest thing I saw that morning was sailors being blown off the ship, come up out of the water, feel the oil on their bodies...and they just became human torches.”

He and the other survivors did their best to defend the harbor but he says the power quickly went out and “they couldn’t even get off one shot.”

“Once the Japanese had sunk our ship they didn't care so all we had to do was fight the fires and take care of the wounded,” Downing says.

But it's what Downing did after the initial attack that’s had more of a lasting impact.

He began memorizing the name tags of the dead and wrote letters to as many of their families as he could to let them know what had happened to their son.

He says it was so “gratifying” that he decided to go to where many of the wounded were being treated and offered to write their families letters also.

Downing and Chavez shared many memories from decades ago. But all of the stories make celebrating the birth of their country so much more meaningful.

The lesson Downing learned from Pearl Harbor is: “Weakness invites aggression...keep America strong.”

A San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officer shot and killed a man armed with a knife in the Black Mountain Ranch community after the man allegedly charged at him Thursday night.

The SDPD said officers were called to a condominium complex in the 14600 block of Via Fiesta around 11:40 p.m. to investigate a reported assault among neighbors.

A couple called police to report that a neighbor started yelling at them while they were walking in the area. The couple said the neighbor then threw cigarettes and lit matches towards them, and then kicked one of them.

When officers arrived, they found the victim who said he had been allegedly attacked and kicked by the man who lived in the complex.

Police went to the suspect’s home and knocked on the door. A 60-year-old man exited holding a knife -- possibly a large kitchen knife -- the SDPD said. Officers told the man to drop the knife, but he allegedly refused, and charged at one officer and attempted to stab him.

The SDPD said one officer fired one shot from his service weapon, hitting the suspect in the torso. After the suspect was down, the officers rendered aid until medics arrived on scene, the police department said.

The suspect was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital where he died a short time later. His name was not immediately released, as police are working to notify his family.

SDPD Homicide Lt. Paul Rorrison said detectives are now in the process of interviewing neighbors and witnesses and digging into the suspect’s past. Lt. Rorrison said police had been called out to the suspect’s home at least once before this, but he couldn’t elaborate further.

He said police officers did not have body cameras on during this shooting, as the Northwestern Division of the SDPD does not have the cameras on their uniforms yet.

The lieutenant said one other person was home with the suspect at the time of the shooting, but he couldn’t give details on that bystander.

Neighbors told NBC 7 that police had been called to the suspect’s home several times for domestic disputes. One resident said he had allegedly kicked her dog once.

Other neighbors said the suspect was generous and nice, and would share homecooked meals with them.

The SDPD said the officer involved in the deadly shooting is a 24-year veteran of the department. The officer's name was not released. Lt. Rorrison said the officer is very emotional and shaken up. He is being placed on administrative leave.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information should contact the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

After a month of fried food, rides and concerts, the final weekend of the San Diego County Fair has come. If you haven’t made it to the Del Mar Fairgrounds just yet, there’s still time to bid farewell. Until next year, fair.

Saturday, July 4

4th of July Grandstand Show
7:30 p.m., Heineken Grandstand Stage
Celebrate Independence Day at the fairgrounds with the big Grandstand Show, which begins at 7:30 p.m. with a performance from the Navy Band Southwest. Patriotic fireworks follow at 9 p.m. and after that, patrons can enjoy a stand-up performance from “Saturday Night Live” alum and Emmy winner Dana Carney around 9:30 p.m. Carvey, if you recall, is known for creating hilarious SNL characters including “The Church Lady,” rockstar wannabe Garth of “Wayne’s World” fame and Hans, half of the “we’ll pump you up” bodybuilding duo, Hans and Franz. Unreserved areas (3rd and 5th levels and standing room in front of the stage) are free with paid fair admission. Reserved tickets to this show (2nd and 4th levels and Terrace seating) range between $32 and $42 for children, seniors and adults. Of course, the fair will celebrate Independence Day all day long, too, beginning with a patriotic ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at the O’Brien Gate, followed by this jam-packed July 4th events lineup.

Pete Johnson Blues Band
9 p.m., Coor Light Rock-On Stage
This 21+ concert will feature tunes from the Pete Johnson Blues Band playing covers and original blues, R&B and “boogie” jams. This band got together in 2008 and has steadily performed all over San Diego ever since. The group includes Pete Johnson, Cat Jefferson on lead female vocals, Brian O'Keefe on guitar, Mike Santangelo on bass and Diane L'Esperance on keyboard. This show is free with fair admission and there is no reserved seating.

Sunday, July 5

Calibre 50 and Banda Carnaval
7:30 p.m., Del Mar Arena
This regional Mexican quartet from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, specializes in teen-oriented banda-style tunes, heavy on cumbias and romanticas. This concert is free with fair admission in the unreserved standing room area on the Arena floor. Otherwise, reserved seats (Grandstand and Box Seats) range between $16 and $36 for children, seniors and adults.

Eliminator
9 p.m., Coors Light Rock-On Stage
This ZZ Top tribute band will rock the house at this 21+ concert, which is free with fair admission. Enjoy classics like “La Grange” and hits like ‘Legs,” plus spinning fussy guitars, like a true tribute to ZZ Top.

World Pro Wrestling
12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Paddock Green
This Battle of Belts World Championship wrestling event will feature ring stars like The Legendary Honkytonk Man, Former Road Warrior Heinrich, SoCal Crazy, The Ninja and many more. The event is free at the Paddock Green with paid admission into the fair.
 

Law enforcement agencies across the United States have ramped up security for the 4th of July holiday and in San Diego, the U.S. Coast Guard, Harbor Police and other officials are prepared.

With half a million people expected to pack into the San Diego Bay for the highly-anticipated “Big Bay Boom” fireworks celebration, there will be a heightened law enforcement presence in the area.

San Diego law enforcement officials are asking anyone who sees anything suspicious on the 4th of July to alert police right away.

“Just report it,” said San Diego Coast Guard Commander Capt. Jonathon Spaner.

“Call the police and let the experts take a look at it,” added Mark Stainbrook, acting Chief of San Diego Harbor Police.

The San Diego Coast Guard and Harbor Police have been working with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force on a security plan for the holiday for months.

As part of the plan, they will put barriers up around the barges that hold fireworks to keep boats away for safety and security purposes.

Harbor Police boats will be patrolling the water, with 70 percent of the agency’s staff working. These boats are equipped with infrared technology that detect heat sources and can travel quickly and cut through large crowds in case of an emergency.

Officials said there will also be security measures in place that aren’t visible to the public.

Though ISIS has urged its supporters to commit attacks on U.S. soil, officials say there is no credible threat to San Diego. But, large crowds in cities like San Diego could be tempting to terrorists, officials said, which is why law enforcement is being extra vigilant.

Capt. Spaner said with security measures in place, the public should be able to enjoy the holiday.

“Go out and have a great time. Be safe. Have a plan – don’t go out by yourself. Enjoy yourself,” he added.

If you see any suspicious activity, call 911, (877) 24-WATCH or channel 16 on marine radio, Capt. Spaner said.

A San Diego resident won close to a half-million dollars in the Mega Millions Lottery and was left completely speechless, triple-checking his ticket in awe.

According to California Lottery officials, Sonier De La Cruz matched five of the six numbers on a ticket he purchased for the June 23 Mega Millions drawing, winning $430,295.

Busy with family visiting from out of town, the lucky winner didn’t check his lotto ticket for more than a week and was in utter shock when he saw those matching numbers on Thursday after scanning his ticket on a Lottery machine.

“I said, ‘Maybe it’s wrong,’ so I checked it three times,” De La Cruz told the California Lottery Office.

But the numbers didn’t lie and the store clerk confirmed it. At that moment, De La Cruz said he “just went quiet,” and couldn’t believe his luck.

The newest lotto winner bought his ticket at Ranch Market at 7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. in San Diego. The five numbers he matched were 38, 70, 56, 13 and 6.

Lottery officials say De La Cruz now plans to buy a house and says the money will change his life.

“It’s going to make my life a lot easier because I’m not going to have to worry about renting,” he said.

News of the winning ticket had customers excited at Ranch Market on Friday.

This included Julia Donnell, a regular customer at the market.

“I’m shocked. I’m going to go buy one now,” Donnell told NBC 7. “I’ve never bought a ticket here before but now that I know someone won, I’m going to make it a point to get one myself. I’m on it!”
 

A $1 million settlement has been reached in a case involving a San Diego County Sheriff’s Department deputy who used excessive force on a man with Down Syndrome, a law firm announced Friday.

The Basile Law Firm said the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved the settlement for the victim, Antonio “Tony” Martinez, who was illegally detained, beaten, arrested and charged by Deputy Jeffrey Guy.

The settlement was discussed during a closed session on June 23, records show, and finalized on June 25. NBC 7 reached out to the Board of Supervisors Friday for comment on the settlement.

Martinez's attorney, Jude Basile, sent NBC 7 an email in which a  deputy county counsel confirms the County of San Diego will pay the $1 million settlement to the victim.

According to the law firm, the encounter between the deputy and Martinez happened on Postal Way in Vista on Dec. 12, 2012, when the victim was 21 years old.

Martinez, who has Down Syndrome, was walking to his family’s bakery where he worked when Guy pulled up beside him and asked him to stop.

Martinez failed to do so, and that’s when things escalated.

According to a lawsuit filed by the victim’s family in May 2014, Guy began yelling at Martinez and then jumped out of his car, ran into Martinez’s path and doused him in pepper spray.

The lawsuit says Guy then struck Martinez multiple times with a metal baton, taking the young man to the ground. According to the complaint, as Martinez was bloodied and beaten by the deputy, his sisters and other bystanders screamed at the deputy to stop, yelling that Martinez has Down Syndrome.

Guy then handcuffed Martinez and took him to a local hospital for X-rays and evaluation. He had suffered “facial abrasions to his nose and over his eye, and leg, arm and back pain with contusions,” according to the family’s lawsuit.

After the exam, the deputy took Martinez to the Vista Sheriff’s Station.

The Basile Law Firm said Martinez’s father went to the station and asked to see his son. Deputies there allegedly refused to allow this, and Martinez was kept from him family for five hours.

Guy charged Martinez with delaying an officer in the performance of his duties. However, the law firm said that in sworn deposition testimony, Guy and two other members of the sheriff’s department said Guy had no “reasonable suspicion” to stop, detain or use force on Martinez.

The charge against Martinez was dropped the next day.

According to the lawsuit, the sheriff’s department offered the Martinez family a turkey dinner, possibly as a peace offering, the day after Martinez’s beating.

Guy testified that, given the same circumstances, he would do the same thing again.

The deputy involved in this excessive force case was hired by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department in August 2012 – just four months before the incident – and was a probationary employee. Before that, he had been a police officer in San Jose, Calif., for 13 years.

Since the incident, he has become a full-time deputy.

The Basile Law Firm said another lawsuit has been filed against Guy for alleged excessive use of force in another incident unrelated to the Martinez case.

“This case exposed little or no training, policies and procedures for the department to deal with mentally disabled people, hopefully some good will come of this with how the officers recognize and treat disabled people,” said the family’s attorney, Jude Basile.

Before filing the lawsuit last year the Martinez family asked for an admission of wrongdoing from the sheriff’s department, an apology and changes in department policy when dealing with the mentally disabled.

The family also asked for Guy to commit to 100 hours of volunteer work with Special Olympics or the Down Syndrome Society. The family also hoped Guy would be terminated.

Then requests were denied, Basile said, and the Martinez family moved forward with the lawsuit.

As part of the settlement, the attorney said the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has agreed that Sheriff Bill Gore will have a meeting with the Martinez family.

Though Martinez has recovered from the injuries sustained in the excessive force incident, Basile said he “still expresses a fear of police.”

An apartment complex in La Mesa was evacuated and six people were displaced after a 2-alarm fire.

Crews responded to the fire in the 8400 block of Buckland Street just after 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Tenants were evacuated from the complex. Five apartments were impacted by the fire, displacing five adults and one child, fire officials said.

Lisa McManamon, who lives in an apartment across from where the fire started, said she spotted the flames through the window of a unit.

"There were flames coming off the stove," she said. "It got big real fast."

Instantly, she ran over to the unit, knocked on the door to alert the tenants, but no one answered. So she went door to door to alert other residents of the fire.

That's when tenants started evacuating as crews arrived.

"It went real quick," she said.

Meanwhile, firefighters were urging people to avoid the area for two hours after the fire broke out, so they could knock it down.

The American Red Cross is offering assistance to those displaced.

Donald Trump on Friday blamed the United States' vulnerable southern border for this week's fatal shooting of Kathryn Steinle at Pier 14 in San Francisco.

“This senseless and totally preventable act of violence committed by an illegal immigrant is yet another example of why we must secure our border immediately," the Republican presidential hopeful said in a statement.

Steinle, 32, of Pleasanton, was gunned down Wednesday evening near the Embarcadero and Mission Street in the city's South Beach neighborhood. Police arrested Francisco Sanchez following what they believe is a random incident.

New details emerged about the suspect Friday when the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency reported that Sanchez is an undocumented immigrant with nearly a dozen aliases and a long criminal history. He has previously been deported to Mexico five times, according to authorities.

San Francisco County Sheriff's Legal Counsel Freya Horne told NBC Bay Area Friday that the city and county of San Francisco are sanctuaries for immigrants, and they do not turn over undocumented people – if they don't have active warrants out for them – simply because immigration officials want them to.

For his part, Trump deemed the situation “absolutely disgraceful” and blasted his fellow candidates for lacking the “guts to even talk about it.”

“The American people deserve a wall to protect our jobs, economy and our safety,” he added. “I am the only candidate who would build it. I will make America great again!”

Trump’s candidacy announcement June 16 had a similar flavor.

"The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems," he said. "And these aren't the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best...they're sending people that have lots of problems...they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

But several business organizations — including NBC, Univision, Macy’s and NASCAR — have disassociated themselves from Trump after his incendiary comments came to light.

Hispanic leaders have also pressed the rest of the GOP presidential candidates to condemn Trump. So far, most of the candidates have either stayed mum or quietly sidestepped his statements. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has even defended him, saying that "I salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration."

Only Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is Hispanic, denounced Trump's statements as "not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive."

A 14-year-old New Jersey boy eager to express his patriotism has been standing on a street corner in front of his house with an American flag and a sign reading "Honk if you love the USA," and he says he'll continue to stand there until the fireworks go off on the Fourth of July. 

Shpejtim Zenelej has been standing on the corner of Harold Avenue and Franklin Street in Rahway all day every day since Sunday, inspired to show his love for America after he saw reports of flag burning last week. 

"It's the best country in the world," he said.

Zenelej was born in the U.S. but his parents are from Kosovo. He said he's been to the republic and knows how fortunate his life has been in America. 

In recognition of Zenelej's efforts Thursday, Rahway put on an impromptu parade of police and other first responders. It only lasted a couple minutes, but "it was the best day of my life," the teen said. 

The parade was organized by the mayor and some city employees during break and lunch times, with a hidden motive, according to Rahway Mayor Samson Steinman.

"There's people that are deplorably trying to hang onto the Confederate flag," he said. "He's reminding them there's only one flag in the U.S.A. It has the colors red, white and blue." 

The boy's parents say they're very proud of their son, whom they characterized as "14 going on 40." 

The "serial stowaway" was arrested twice at two different airports within 48 hours after being released from jail on Thursday, where she spent nearly two months behind bars for trying to board planes without a ticket.

Marilyn Hartman, 63, was first arrested at Midway International Airport on Friday and then again at O'Hare International Airport on Saturday.

Hartman was charged with one count of misdemeanor reckless conduct for causing a "disturbance" inside the cabin of a Southwest Airlines plane leaving Midway around 5 p.m., according to Chicago Police News Affairs. Authorities did not say what kind of disturbance Hartman caused, but they say she did have a ticket to board the plane.

The Southwest Airlines plane was headed for LaGuardia Airport, officials said. 

She was caught again at O'Hare Saturday afternoon in Terminal One. Hartman was charged with criminal trespassing to state land and violation of bail bond, which she was given Friday after the disturbance at Midway, according to Chicago Police News Affairs. 

Hartman was nicknamed the "serial stowaway" after she made five attempts to get past security at O'Hare and Midway Airports in late April and early May. She was arrested twice at O'Hare, and a third time at Midway May 3. As she left the jail, she insisted her stowaway days are over.

During hearings Wednesday and Thursday, two different Cook County judges accepted Hartman's guilty pleas on separate charges, sentencing her to the two months she had already served.

It was not known if Hartman had an attorney.

A set of fireworks malfunctioned at a Colorado fireworks show Friday night, sending fireworks into a crowd of people and injuring nine spectators, fire officials said.

About 17 minutes into the "Salute to the USA Fireworks Show" in Avon, a shell in the middle of a rack of fireworks exploded in its tube instead of shooting into the air, the town confirmed to NBC News.

The explosion then caused the rest of the shells to tip over, sending "two or three" fireworks over Nottingham Lake and toward the tightly-packed spectators.

"There was not a lot of room in between groups of people, so when it happened no one could really get up and run," a spectator, Jane Imber, told NBC News. "It was so scary."

The nine injured people suffered "minor abrasion burns" at the scene, and were quickly helped by police and medical teams who were at the event, the town said in a statement.

"This is Avon's 29th year of presenting one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in Colorado, and we have never had any failure in the production," said Deputy Chief Greg Daly, who oversaw the response. "It is wonderful news that the injuries were very minor."

The town also said the "safety distance" between the crowds and the fireworks, as well as the firework crew's rapid shutdown of the show, likely prevented any further harm.

Six teenagers in northern California were hurt Friday night when an explosive device was tossed into a backyard party, according to Manteca police.

Officers arrived on the 300 block of Santiago Way at roughly 11:15 p.m. in response to reports of “numerous” injuries due to an explosion.

"Preliminarily, we're thinking that it's a modified firework that was thrown into the backyard," Manteca police Chief Nick Obligacion told NBC News.

A department statement said that roughly 60 “high-school aged kids” were at the house party when “an unknown subject intentionally threw an explosive device over a fence," which blasted close to the party-goers. 

Police said that two victims were seriously injured while one was airlifted to a Bay Area hospital for a "more severe facial injury that doesn't require surgery," Obligacion added. 

The victims were all juveniles, according to police. 

People with information about the incident can call the Manteca Police Department at (209) 456-8101.