Americans celebrate the Fourth of July

Federal, state leaders salute Joplin’s recovery

A deadly May twister may have punched a hole in Joplin and Duquesne two years ago, but the resolve to repair it will help other communities stand strong when they face similar disasters. That was the message of state and national diginitaries to a crowd of about 2,500 who observed the second anniversary of Joplin’s devastating May 22, 2011, storm during a ceremony Wednesday in Cunningham Park.

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Allen Kiser of Robbinsdale, Minn., captures the fireworks over the Coquille River in Bandon, Ore. AP Photo/Benjamin Brayfield, The World

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July 5, 2012

Americans celebrate the Fourth of July

Anonymous From The Associated Press The Joplin Globe Thu Jul 05, 2012, 12:24 PM CDT

Across the United States, Americans celebrated 236 years of independence with backyard barbecues, family gatherings and, of course, fireworks.

While many celebrations have been scaled-down or canceled due to weather-related power outages and concerns of spreading wildfires amid dry, hot weather, many were still celebrating, albeit in less-than-traditional ways.

Hundreds of thousands from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic are spending the Fourth of July like America’s founders did in 1776: Without the conveniences of electricity and air conditioning.

In the nation’s capital, thousands of visitors from across the country took part in Independence Day celebrations despite high temperatures and the threat of thunderstorms.

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