Page 2 - aruba-today-20230705

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 5 July 2023

Revelers across the U.S. brave heat and heavy downpours to

celebrate Fourth of July

Continued from Front Running events were a fea-
ture of many celebrations.
Heavy downpours interrupt- In Lexington, Kentucky,
ed the contest, but after the about 2,000 people ran
pause, Joey “Jaws” Chest- through the city’s down-
nut swallowed 62 franks and town, Stephanie Thurman
buns in 10 minutes. told WKYT-TV that the race
“What a roller coaster, emo- had been on her bucket list.
tionally,” Chestnut said. The “I started these races here in
39-year-old from Westfield, 2019; I turned 50. That was
Indiana first competed for one of the things on my
the Nathan’s title in 2005 bucket list, so I did that, and
and hasn’t lost it since 2015. ever since then, I was bit by
New York wasn’t the only the bug,”
state where weather fac- A fireworks explosion Mon-
tored into events. The 10-kil- day in western Michigan
ometer Atlanta Journal- killed one woman and left
Constitution Peachtree nine other people with inju-
Road Race that typically ries ranging from critical to
draws thousands of runners minor, the Ottawa County
in humid summer weather Sheriff’s Department said.
was cut short due to possi- Early Tuesday, improperly
ble thunderstorms. disposed of fireworks tossed
Farther norther, storms were James Tyler, 19, tilts his head back so the popcorn he is eating on the back of a decorated Jeep into a bin started a blaze
possible from the Dako- won’t catch on his artificial Uncle Sam mustache after Tuesday’s Independence Day parade in that destroyed two homes in
tas and Minnesota south Buffalo Gap, Texas Tuesday, July 4, 2023. Associated Press Parker, Colorado, just south-
through Kansas and Mis- east of Denver, according
souri, endangering cook- cooler conditions after days National Tom Sawyer Days. hundreds of people lined to fire officials.
outs and fireworks shows. of heat and humidity baked Fence-painting and frog- up at a Sheetz gas station to Some cities were eschewing
Hail the size of ping pong the city. The General Roy S. jumping contests were held. pump regular fuel at $1.776 firework displays for shows
balls was reported in south- Kelley fireboat was return- Altoona, Iowa, dubbed its per gallon, WBAL-TV report- in which drones fitted with
eastern South Dakota. ing to New Orleans River- celebration “CORNival.” ed. Sheetz set the price per lights are coded to create
The fireworks show in Yank- front for a patriotic water In addition to the nod to gallon in commemoration of massive, moving shapes in
ton, South Dakota, was show, sending streams of America’s birthday, the the year the Declaration of the sky. Lake Tahoe, Califor-
postponed until Wednes- red, white, and blue water festival marks the 100th an- Independence was signed, nia, Salt Lake City, and Boul-
day night because light- into the air. niversary of the first acre of according to a statement der along with a few other
ning prevented crews from While the holiday put a commercial hybrid seed posted on the company’s Colorado towns, have opt-
setting up the display. In spotlight on how Ameri- corn, grown and harvested website. ed for the the aerial spec-
Nebraska, the Omaha Sym- cans carry different views in Altoona in 1923. Twenty And in the east Tennessee tacles that can display an
phony’s Independence Day of patriotism, many people 6-foot-high fiberglass corn city of Gatlinburg held its expansive American flag
Celebration that includes a embraced the holiday with cob statutes decorated annual Independence Day and the year 1776 in red,
concert and fireworks shows whimsy and a sense of com- by local artists were being midnight parade early Tues- white and blue. Avoiding
were also postponed until munity. In Hannibal, Missou- unveiled and will later be day. George Hawkins, who explosive fireworks limits the
Wednesday night. ri, the hometown of Mark placed around the town of created the parade, died danger of fires in states al-
New Orleans residents wel- Twain, the Fourth of July 21,000 residents. Saturday, news outlets re- ready devastated by mas-
comed rain and slightly weekend coincides with In Joppatowne, Maryland, ported. sive burns.q

Suspicious powder found at the White

House was cocaine, AP sources say

after the Secret Service dis- cuss an ongoing investiga- The Secret Service said in a
covered suspicious powder tion and spoke to The As- statement the White House
in a common area of the sociated Press on condition was closed as a precau-
West Wing, and a prelimi- of anonymity. tion as emergency crews
nary test showed the sub- The complex was evacuat- investigated, and that the
stance was cocaine, two ed at about 8:45 p.m. Sun- District of Columbia fire de-
law enforcement officials day as fire and emergency partment was called in to
said Tuesday. crews were brought in to do evaluate and determine
Secret Service agents were a rapid test, which prelimi- that the substance was not
doing routine rounds on narily identified cocaine. hazardous.
Sunday when they found The White House was soon “The item was sent for fur-
The White House is seen, July 30, 2022, in Washington.
Associated Press the white powder in an reopened and the powder ther evaluation and an in-
area accessible to tour was sent for further testing. vestigation into the cause
By COLLEEN LONG and White House was briefly groups, not in any particu- Biden and his family left and manner of how it en-
MICHAEL BALSAMO evacuated Sunday eve- lar West Wing office, the for Camp David on Friday tered the White House is
Associated Press ning while President Joe officials said. The officials and returned to the White pending,” the Secret Ser-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden was at Camp David were not authorized to dis- House on Tuesday. vice said.q