Interior secretary says Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4 for first time since 2001

July 13th, 2009 Boat runs aground off Liberty Island; 8 rescuedNEW YORK — A boat has run aground and taken on water near the Statue of Liberty. All eight people aboard have been rescued.

July 4th, 2009 On Independence Day, Liberty's crown reopensNEW YORK — The first visitors to Statue of Liberty's crown in nearly eight years have made the arduous climb — and one couple marked the occasion by getting engaged. Twenty-six-year-old Aaron Weisinger (WYE'-sing-ehr) surprised his 25-year-old girlfriend, Erica Breder (BREHD-ehr), by getting down on one knee Saturday as they and eight others admired the sweeping views of New York Harbor.

July 4th, 2009 NEW YORK - The first people in eight years to climb the narrow inner spiral up to the Statue of Liberty's crown were seven US immigrant soldiers who became US citizens under sparkling skies Saturday morning on the US Independence Day. Lady Liberty, which has greeted millions of immigrants to the US as they entered New York Harbour, welcomed visitors again following years of closure after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

July 1st, 2009 Masses yearn to huddle in Liberty's reopened crownNEW YORK — It's crowded. It's hot. You have to climb hundreds of steps to get there.

June 23rd, 2009 Liberty U reaches agreement with student DemocratsRICHMOND, Va. — The student Democratic club at conservative Liberty University can continue as a campus group — unofficially.

June 13th, 2009 Tickets to Lady Liberty's crown reopening sell outNEW YORK — Hoping to visit Lady Liberty's crown when it reopens July 4? Dream on. Tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty's iconic headpiece for the first three days after its reopening sold out within hours Saturday.

June 12th, 2009 Obama aide who quit after plane flap gets new jobWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's former aide Louis Caldera, who resigned after authorizing a costly and frightening Air Force One photo-op over New York City, is flying higher today. He has been hired by longtime Democratic activist John Podesta at the Center for American Progress, where he will be a senior fellow and will focus on higher education and national security, the center announced Thursday.

June 9th, 2009 Want to climb Statue of Liberty's crown? Make a reservation to get tickets NEW YORK — People eager to climb to the Statue of Liberty's crown can start calling on Saturday for reservations. The crown is set to open July 4 after being closed since shortly after the Sept.

June 3rd, 2009 Ronald Reagan statue unveiled in Capitol RotundaWASHINGTON — Nancy Reagan watched with delight as a bronze statue of former President Ronald Reagan was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. A blue cloth cover was pulled from the seven-foot statue of the 40th president Wednesday as Mrs.

May 11th, 2009 NEW YORK - Visitors to the crown of Statue of Liberty, after it reopens on July 4, will not get more than five minutes to enjoy the panoramic view from the historic site, according to reports. It is also said that not more than eight people will be allowed to enter the crown at one time.

May 10th, 2009 Restored NY lighthouse features surprise RodinCROWN POINT, N.Y. — More than 10,000 campgrounds dot the American landscape.

May 9th, 2009 NEW YORK - American Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has announced that the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be reopened to tourists on July 4, to mark the 233rd birthday of the country. This is the first time that visitors will be welcomed to the Statue of Liberty's crown since terrorists toppled the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

April 28th, 2009 Obama says New York City flyover was 'a mistake'WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says it was a mistake for one of his official airplanes to be sent zooming past the New York City skyline for a publicity photo shoot. Obama said Tuesday: "It was a mistake, as was stated ...

April 17th, 2009 MOSCOW - The authorities in Russia's Rostov region have started work to restore a 'hand on boob' statue which was daubed with red paint by vandals in the southern town of Bataysk. The monument, built by Maria Shuiga, depicts a man's hand resting on a female's left breast.

February 25th, 2009 CAIRO - Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old statue as they carried out routine cleaning work at one of the Giza pyramids. The 149-centimetre-long statue was found Tuesday buried just 40 centimetres below the surface of the sand in the northern part of the King Men-Kau-Re's pyramid (2551-2523 BC).