i'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual. >> alaska governor sarah palin stuns the country by announcing that she is resigning. could she be planning a run for an even higher office? the clock is ticking for michael jackson's fans trying to get a free ticket to his memorial service. how you can get your chance to win one. the statute of liberty's crown reopens to tourists for the first time since the september 11th attacks. but don't plan on getting in any time soon. a sheriff says a serial killer is on the loose. one congregation wants investigators to get some help from ahere authority. happy fourth of july. you're watching hln. i'm natasha curry.

alaska governor sarah palin will soon be out of a job. the former vice presidential candidate says she is leaving her post on july 26th with more than a year left to go in her term of office. although some republicans say it may eventually turn out to be a smart decision, others say it was the wrong move, especially if she has future political ambitions. palin didn't spell out her exact reasons for quitting when she made the announcement yesterday, but she did say she was never the type to follow trends. >> though it may be tempting and more comfortable to kind of keep your head down and plod along and apiece those who are demanding, hey, just sit down and shut up, but that's a worthless easy path out. that's the quitter's way out. and i think a problem in our country today is apathy. it would be apathetic to kind of hunker down and go with the flow. cnn's deputy political director has more on what palin's announcement could mean for the political landscape. >> natasha, definitely shocking

news out of alaska. i guess the first big question is, why is governor palin quitting? that is the huge question here. she said in her remarks yesterday in alaska that part of this was because of her family. she said she wanted to protect her family. we know they've been in the spotlight lately. she wanted to take her family away from some of the criticism and mockery they've been facing. and she says she's also leaving to help the state out. she says this is in the best interest of the state and she says this will allow her to more actively advance and advocate her issues and she also said that once she decided she was not going to run for re-election next year she didn't want to be a lame duck governor. one of the other big questions there, is if sarah palin wants to run for the republican presidential nomination in 2012, does this help or hurt her? well, that is a good question, and a lot of people are saying that this may hurt her because she's being seen as a quitter and one of the big arguments against sarah palin last year when she was the republican vice

presidential nominee was she didn't have enough experience. well, she's leaving her job with a year and a half to go, only been a governor about two and a half years, this will not help on the experience factor. others say this may help her, it will free her up now, she's already flown well enough across the country she doesn't need to be governor of alaska anymore, free her up to travel the lower 48 states this year and next year, campaign for republican candidates and become much more visible. so that's another way to look at it. you know, remember here, too, though she may not want to run for president. we don't know what's in her mind. maybe she is truly sick of it all and wants to get away from politics. if she does want to run for the republican presidential nomination in 2012 where does it stand right now? i know it's early. take a look at these numbers, a poll we did about two months ago. you can see that sarah palin, mike huckabee, the former governor of alaska who ran last night, and mitt romney who also ran last time, they're all basically in a dead heat there. it is pretty wide open among republicans right now.

2012, though, is a long way away. natasha, back to you. >> thank you very much, paul. paul steinhouser is cnn's deputy political director. now it looks like serena williams has clenched her third wimbledon singles title beating her sister and defending champion venus williams. it's the first time that se's taken the title in six years. today's match was the fourth all williams final at wimbledon. venus was hoping to become the first woman since steffi graf to win wimbledon three years in a row. tomorrow the sisters will play in the women's double final against samantha stauser and renay stubs of australia. tourists are climbing the 354 steps to the statute of liberty's crown again. it was closed for nearly eight years after the terrorist attacks on the world trade center. >> just breathtaking. >> kind of gives you goose bumps, just breathtaking coming

in. we're so excited to see with the first group that's there. >> proud to be an american. proud to be a new yorker first after that. >> if you want to visit the crown, you're going to need to plan ahead. tickets are already sold out for this weekend and for the next several months as well. if you book tickets now, though, they won't be good until this fall. this morning, north korea test fired at least seven missiles. that's according to south korea's foreign ministry. a south korean news agency says there were scud missiles with the range of about 310 miles. the tests could further escalate tension in the region. north korea conducted a nuclear test in may and the u.s. is trying to get support for tougher penalties against the country. countless michael jackson fans are trying to get a chance to attend his memorial service. they're registering on-line by the thousands to get tickets to tuesday's ceremony at the staples center in los angeles.

17,500 free tickets will be given out to the public. the rest will be for the family. 11,000 public tickets will be for the actual memorial in staples center, with the other 6500 for the neighboring nokia theater where the service will be televised. a jackson family spokesman says more than half a million people registered in the first seven hours yesterday. you can register on the staples center website by tonight at 9:00 eastern. a computer will randomly choose the winners later tonight. the memorial service will be directed by jackson's creative partner kenny ortega. he was supposed to codirect jackson's concerts in london this summer. a jackson family spokesman says no details about the memorial will be released in advance and plans are still in the works. ortega talked to our sister network cnn about a conversation he had with jackson just before he died. >> we always got together at the end of rehearsal. i always walked him to his dressing room and put his jacket

on and walked him out. he said are you happy? i said i'm happy and i'm proud. i'm so proud of you. these last couple of nights have given everybody such, you know, confidence and courage and strength and i said, how about you? he said i'm happy. is there anything you want to share with anyone? want me to give anyone any notes, thoughts, about the lighting or staging or choreography, the band? he just looked at me and said no, i'll see you tomorrow. everything was good. it was a good night. >> doctors are still trying to determine the cause of michael jackson's death. his autopsy results are not expected for several weeks. could the powerful drug diprivan be to blame? we're going to have more on what a nurse who used to work for jackson had to say about it. president obama is calling on the unyielding spirit of americans to meet the challenges facing the nation. he struck a fourth of july theme in his weekly radio address. he recalled the dedication of the country's founders as he sought to rally support for his agenda from reviving the economy to overhauling the health care

system. >> we're not a people who fear the too you tour. we're a people who make it. on this july 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. we need to summon the same spirit that inhabited independence hall 233 years ago today. that's how this generation of americans will make its mark on history. that's how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. and that's how we will right write the next great chapter in the great american story. >> the first family is back at the white house after celebrating daughter malia's 11th birthday at camp david. this evening the obama's host a barbecue for military families. vice president joe biden is celebrating the fourth of july with u.s. troops in iraq today. he told the troops that they are the reason that america is strong. biden's surprised visit includes visit with iraq's top leaders. the white house says the trip underscores president obama's commitment to withdraw u.s. combat forces.

happy fourth of july. you're watching hln. i'm natasha curry. alaska governor sarah palin will soon be out of a job. the former vice presidential candidate says she is leaving her post on july 26th, with more than a year left to go in her term in office. although some republicans say it may eventually turn out to be a smart decision, others says it was the wrong move, especially if she has future political ambitions. palin didn't spell out her exact reasons for quitting when she made the announcement yesterday, but she did say that she was never the type to follow trends. >> though it may be tempting and more comfortable to just kind of keep your head down and plod along and appease those who are demanding, hey, just sit down and shut up, but that's a worthless, easy path out. that's the quitter's way out. i think a problem in our country today is yap pathy. it would be apathetic to hunker down and go with the flow. >> deputy political director paul steinhouser has more on what palin's announcement could

mean for the political landscape. a sheriff says his small town is being targeted by a serial killer. and some people who live there are turning to faith to keep them safe and help find the killer.

the sheriff in the small town of gaffney, south carolina, says a serial killer is on the loose there. four people have been shot to death over the past few days and police have released this sketch of a suspect. as melissa keeneny with wspa tells us some people in the town are asking god for help in finding him. >> reporter: where fear has frozen a community, here it brought many to their knees. >> i have three daughters and all three of them were scared. >> reporter: scared and shaken. this family of faith is coming together, praying for peace and answers.

>> we view it and i view it myself personally as more than just an attack upon these families. it's really an attack upon this community. i see it as a spiritual attack. >> reporter: in this congregation, some are connected to the victims. others just strangers, saying the tragedy hit home for everyone. >> it takes sometimes a tragedy like this to hit close to home before we really get up and arm ourselves together. >> reporter: until the violence ends they're lifting their hands for the families that have lost. >> as devastating as it is what they've been through, we still believe the spirit of the lord can be a strength to them. >> reporter: and as a picture reminds them, asking that the killer turns himself in. >> we do want him caught, we do want justice. >> reporter: so that his soul will be saved, they say, and a community can finally be at ease. >> once again that was melissa kinney reporting for our affiliate wspa. this isn't the first time that

the town has faced a serial killer. in 1968, the so-called gaffney strangler killed four women before being caught. he was convicted and later was stabbed to death while in jail. this amtrak train was involved in two deadly incidents in a single day. amtrak officials say it first hit and killed someone near a train station in berkeley, california, yesterday. a new crew then took over the train, but it hit another person about two hours later in oakland. police and amtrak are investigating the incidents. the doctor who tried to revive pop super star michael jackson is not commenting on what, if any, medications he gave the singer. the doctor's lawyer says that is part of an agreement with investigators. the associated press reports police found a powerful operating room anesthetic called diprivan at jackson's rented home after his death. a nurse who worked as jackson's nutritionist says that he pleaded with her to supply the drug for his insomnia.

she says she always refused. >> he asked me, he said, can you find me a doctor -- i don't care how much money they want, i don't care what it is they want -- i want this drug. i want this medication. he didn't say drug. he said, i want this medication to sleep. >> we've seen plenty of dance tributes to michael jackson since his death, but this one in south africa drew some incredible talent. several hundred people gathered in johannesburg nelson mandela square yesterday to honor the super star. black, white, young and old, they all did their best to imitate jackson's signature dance moves. many dressed like the super star from his "thriller" days wearing red satin jackets and fedoras and jackson's trademark single white glove. one of michael jackson's great accomplishments was the song "we are the world." the charity usa for africa still gets money from the sales of

that song and 209sth anniversary dvd from it. to find out how you can get it and for more about usa for africa, visit our impact your world page, it's at cnn.com/impact.

happy fourth of july.

i'm reynolds wolf for hln. we're going to be seeing some scattered showers and storms across parts of the midwest in places like st. louis, kansas city possibly, even oklahoma city before the day is out. we're going to be dealing with high temperatures into the 100s again for texas, dallas 101, 98 degrees in houston, austin, san antonio, also into the triple digits. tampa and atlanta, even miami into the 80s and 90s. for central and south florida into the late afternoon you may be dealing with a few scattered showers, maybe a thunderstorm or two. farther to the north in new york and boston, high temperatures in the 70s and 80s, that for coney island going there for the hot dog eating contest, temperatures in the upper 078s along the coast. 75 in denver. could see some showers in denver later on in the day. 86 in seattle, portland, though, going up into the 90s. 69 in san francisco and 80 degrees in los angeles. take a look at what else we're going to be seeing, some very comfortable water temperatures along much of the gulf coast and for the eastern seaboard until you get to the outer banks of

north carolina then those water temperatures cool down into the 60s and 70s, especially 60s as you get to the jersey shore. that is a look at your forecast. i'm reynolds wolf for hln. the unemployment rate hit 9.5% in june. job cuts are affecting people across the board, but if you look more closely at the numbers, you're going to find that the rate is even higher among african-americans. christine romans breaks it down for our special "black in america" report. >> reporter: a bitter recession has laid bear some ugly sta test igs more ugly for some than others. here they are. asians have the lowest unemployment rate, only 6.7%. whites are next, 8.6%. hispanic unemployment tops 12.7%. and for blacks, almost 15%. the highest since the 1980s. nicol mason studies race and jobs at new york university. >> when we look at those numbers, it translates directly

into money to pay their mortgage. >> right. >> food, you know, their ability to get health care, provide child care. all these things are really -- these are the things that are behind the numbers. >> reporter: there's been a recession for these groups long before this recession? >> yes. >> reporter: how long? since the labor department started keeping those records in the 1970s. black unemployment topped 20% in the 1983 recession, and the only time the gap between races nef narrowed was during the huge jobs boom of the 1990s. and now, joblessness is rising again for everyone. william rogers was chief economist in the clinton labor department. >> there has been a chronic two to one difference between black and white unemployment for several decades. >> reporter: economists have long been troubled by the question, why? >> their rates are higher for a variety of reasons, from having lower levels of education, receiving less training, also

facing difficult, more challenges in getting to the jobs, and then another issue is getting early job experience. >> reporter: how do we fix it? >> when we look at the reasons for this, we have to look at, you know, issues related to structural and institutional racism, we can look at the high levels of incarceration for black men. black men not being allowed access to, you know, jobs with opportunities for career advancements, jobs that have, you know, pay higher wages. >> reporter: over the past decade, millions of manufacturing jobs have been lost, eliminating one rung of the ladder to the middle class. christine romance, cnn, new york. there's a lot more coming up, black in america 2 premieres july 22 and 23rd on our sister network at 8:00 p.m. on cnn. dd

i'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual. >> alaska governor sarah palin stuns the country by announcing that she is resigning. could she be planning a run for an even higher office? the clock is ticking for michael jackson's fans trying to get a free ticket to his memorial service. how you can get your chance to win one. the statute of liberty's crown reopens to tourists for the first time since the september 11th attacks. but don't plan on getting in any time soon. a sheriff says a serial killer is on the loose. one congregation wants investigators to get some help from a higher authority. happy fourth of july. you're watching hln. i'm natasha curry.

alaska governor sarah palin will soon be out of a job. the former vice presidential candidate says she is leaving her post on july 26th with more than a year left to go in her term of office. although some republicans say it may eventually turn out to be a smart decision, others say it was the wrong move, especially if she has future political ambitions. palin didn't spell out her exact reasons for quitting when she made the announcement yesterday, but she did say she was never the type to follow trends. >> though it may be tempting and more comfortable to just kind of keep your head down and plod along and appease those who are demanding, hey, just sit down and shut up, but that's a worthless easy path out. that's the quitter's way out. and i think a problem in our country today is apathy. it would be apathetic to just kind of hunker down and go with the flow. cnn's deputy political director paul steinhouser has more on what palin's announcement could mean for the political landscape. >> natasha, definitely shocking news out of alaska.

i guess the first big question is, why is governor palin quitting? i mean, that is the huge question here. she said in her remarks yesterday in alaska that part of this was because of her family. she said she wanted to protect her family. we know they've been in the spotlight a lot lately. she said she wanted to take her family away from some of the criticism and mockery she says they've been facing. and she says she's also leaving to help the state out. she says this is in the best interest of the state and she says this will allow her to more actively advance and advocate her issues and she also said that once she decided she was not going to run for re-election next year she didn't want to be a lame duck governor. i guess one of the other big questions there, is if sarah palin wants to run for the republican presidential nomination in 2012, does this help or hurt her? well, that is a good question, and a lot of people are saying that this may hurt her because she's being seen as a quitter and one of the big arguments against sarah palin last year when she was the republican vice presidential nominee was she

didn't have enough experience. well, she's leaving her job with a year and a half to go, only been a governor about two and a half years, this will not help on the experience factor. but others say that this may actually help her, it will free her up now, she's already known well enough across the country she doesn't need to be governor of alaska anymore, this will free her up to travel the lower 48 states this year and next year, campaign for republican candidates and become much more visible. so that's another way to look at it. you know, remember here, too, though she may not want to run for president. we don't know what's in her mind. maybe she truly is sick of it all and wants to get away from politics. but if she does want to run for the republican presidential nomination in 2012 where does it stand right now? i know it's early. take a look at these numbers, a poll we did about two months ago. you can see that sarah palin, mike huckabee, the former governor of alaska who ran last time, and mitt romney, the former governor of massachusetts who also ran last time, they're all basically in a dead heat there. it is pretty wide open among republicans right now. 2012, though, is a long way

away. natasha, back to you. >> and thanks again for that from cnn political director paul steinhouser. serena williams has clenched her third wimbledon singles title beating her sister and defending champion venus williams. it is the first time that she's taken the title in six years. today's match was the fourth all williams final at wimbledon. and the third time that serena has beaten her older sister. venus was hoping to become the first woman since steffi graf to win wimbledon three years in a row. tomorrow the sisters will play in the women's double final against samantha stauser and renay stubs of australia. we have breaking news from north carolina where four people who were setting up a fireworks display are in critical condition and one person is dead after an explosion on the outer banks. all five worked for a company that produces an annual fourth of july pyrotechnics spectacle. they were working on an island accessible only by ferry when

the fireworks suddenly exploded. one witness says it looked like 40 minutes worth of fireworks went off in about four seconds. we're going to have more information for you as soon as we get it in. tourists are climbing the 354 steps to the statute of liberty's crown again. it was closed for nearly eight years after the terrorist attacks on the world trade center. >> just breathtaking. >> kind of gives you goose bumps, just breathtaking coming in. we're so excited to see with the first group that's there. >> proud to be an american. proud to be a new yorker first after that. >> if you want to visit the crown, you're going to need to plan ahead. tickets are already sold out for this weekend and for the next several months as well. if you book tickets now, though, they won't be good until this fall. this morning, north korea test fired at least seven missiles. that's according to south korea's foreign ministry. a south korean news agency says

there were scud missiles with the range of about 310 miles. the tests could further escalate tensions in the region. north korea conducted a nuclear test in may and the u.s. is trying to get support for tougher penalties against the country. countless michael jackson fans are trying to get a chance to attend his memorial service. they're registering on-line by the thousands to get tickets to tuesday's ceremony at the staples center in los angeles. 17,500 free tickets will be given out to the public. the rest will be for the family. 11,000 public tickets will be for the actual memorial in staples center, with the other 6500 for the neighboring nokia theater where the service will be televised. a jackson family spokesman says more than half a million people registered in the first seven hours yesterday. you can register on the staples center website by tonight at 9:00 eastern. a computer will randomly choose the winners later tonight.

the memorial service will be directed by jackson's creative partner kenny ortega. he was supposed to codirect jackson's concerts in london this summer. a jackson family spokesman says no details about the memorial will be released in advance and plans are still in the works. ortega talked to our sister network cnn about a conversatioñ he had with jackson just before he died. >> we always got together at the end of rehearsal. i always walked him to his dressing room and helped him put his jacket on and then sort of walked him out. he said are you happy? i said i'm happy and i'm proud. i'm so proud of you. these last couple of nights have just, you know, given everybody such, you know, confidence and courage and strength and i said, how about you? he said i'm happy. i said, is there anything you want to share with anyone? want me to give anyone any notes, thoughts, about the lighting or staging or choreography, the band? he just looked at me and said no, i'll see you tomorrow. everything was good. it was a good night. >> doctors are still trying to determine the cause of michael jackson's death. his autopsy results are not

expected for several weeks. could the powerful drug diprivan be to blame? we're going to have more on what a nurse who used to work for jackson had to say about it. president obama is calling on the unyielding spirit of americans to meet the challenges facing the nation. he struck a fourth of july theme in his weekly radio address. he recalled the dedication of the country's founders as he sought to rally support for his agenda from reviving the economy to overhauling the health care system. >> we're not a people who fear the future. we're a people who make it. on this july 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. we need to summon the same spirit that inhabited independence hall 233 years ago today. that's how this generation of americans will make its mark on history. that's how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. and those how we will write the next great chapter in the great american story. >> the first family is back at

the white house after celebrating daughter malia's 11th birthday at camp david. this evening the obamas host a barbecue for military families. senator john mccain sees parallels between the fight for american independence and what's happening today in iran. in the republican party's weekly address, mccain said that americans share a kinship of ideals with those who stand up for freedom. he pressed president obama for a more forceful show of support. >> there are those among us who warn that a strong and unequivocal declaration of moral support for iranians would be used by the cruel regime and power there to convince their subject people that the united states is behind the civil unrest they have attempted to hide from the world. but the regime will make that claim no matter what we say or do. >> former iranian president mahmoud khatami met with families of demonstrators detained by police during the protests and he said the courts should uphold their civil rights

and set them free. vice president joe biden is celebrating the fourth of july with u.s. troops in iraq today. he told the troops that they are the reason that america is strong. biden's surprised visit includes visit with iraq's top leaders. the white house says the trip underscores president obama's commitment to withdraw u.s. combat forces. two u.s. soldiers died in eastern afghanistan today. a u.s. military spokesman says they were killed during a taliban assault on a military base. in another part of afghanistan u.s. forces continue their forces against taliban militants. the fight is taking place in an area where opium poppies are grown. the taliban rely on opium to finance their operations. a sheriff says his small town is being targeted by a serial killer and some people who live there, are turning to faith to keep them safe and help find the killer.

the sheriff in the small town of gaffney, south carolina, says a serial killer is on the loose there. four people have been shot to death over the past few days and police have released this sketch of a suspect. as melissa kinney with wspa tells us some people in the town are asking god for help in finding him. >> reporter: where fear has frozen a community, here it brought many to their knees. >> i have three daughters and all three of them were scared. >> reporter: scared and shaken. this family of faith is coming together, praying for peace and

answers. >> we view it and i view it myself personally as more than just an attack upon these families. it's really an attack upon this community. i see it as a spiritual attack. >> reporter: in this congregation, some are connected to the victims. others just strangers, saying the tragedy hits home for everyone. >> it takes sometimes a tragedy like this to hit close to home before we really get up and arm ourselves together. >> reporter: until the violence ends they're lifting their hands for the families who have lost. >> as devastating as it is what they've been through, we still believe the spirit of the lord can be a strength to them. >> reporter: and as a picture reminds them, asking that the killer turns himself in. >> we do want him caught, we do want justice. >> reporter: so that his soul will be saved, they say, and a community can finally be at ease. >> once again that was melissa kinney reporting for our affiliate wspa. this isn't the first time that

the town has faced a serial killer. in 1968, the so-called gaffney strangler killed four women before being caught. he was convicted and later was stabbed to death while in jail. ♪ if your summer plans include a dave mathews band concert chances are you'll see the work of mark and robert. the friends create limited edition posters for music acts. >> we print say 150 and that's it. it's never printed again. they're collectibles. >> reporter: after graduating art school in ohio mark and robert moved to atlanta as freelance artists to make ends meet, they learned the art of screen prints in t-shirt shops. >> you used to learn everything you can at those jobs. >> reporter: they began to use the presses to promote flyers promoting the band robert played in. she wanted posters for her club. >> nobody else was doing it. it was a good grab for us to

jump on that. >> reporter: they did. mark and robert formed methane studios named after the smell of the inks they used. >> we always worked a nine to five job but we would always go home and work on matt thane. -- methane. >> reporter: over the past decade the company has found success designing posters for many bands and even the cartoon network which like cnn is part of time warner. now they can focus on methane full time. >> it's been a long road but it's been worth it for sure because it's our dream, draw pictures for a living.

we're getting a wide mix of your views on the palin resignation. i-reporter katie brown voted for the mccain/palin ticket but she's ready to write off alaska's governor. >> i'm sorry, palin, i've backed you up so long but now, with you quitting, that's not my style.

so sarah palin, i think you just made a mistake. >> and here is a reaction from i-reporter rick sena who calls himself a proud left wing, tree hugging democrat. >> sarah palin resigning as governor of alaska only goes to prove that not only was she not capable of being vice president of the united states, but she certainly does not have the internal fortitude to be president in 2012. this is the woman that has no experience, that obviously cannot even finish the job for which she was elected. >> now let's check some e-mail responses. a palin supporters writes, i hope she can now concentrate on running for president in 2012. this country needs somebody who is real, true and honest. we will definitely be on the palin bandwagon. john agrees saying, right on, sarah palin. she has decided to spend more time with her family which really counts these days.

but a palin critic makes this point, if palin's actions are an attempt for publicity in a bid for 2012, voters must ask themselves jacqueline says -- >> we always want to hear your views. e-mail us at cnn.com/hln and click on your views. the doctor who tried to revive michael jackson is not commenting on what, if any medications he gave the singer. the lawyer says that's part of the agreement with investigators. he was on diprivan. a nurse who worked as jackson's nutritionist said he pleaded to her to provide the drug. she says she always refused. >> he asked me, he said can you

find me a doctor? i don't care how much money they want. i don't care what it is they want. i want this drug. i want this medication. he didn't say drugs, he said medication. he wanted it to sleep. >> this is south africa shows incredible talent. several hundred people gathered in mandela square to honor the superstar, black, white, young and old, they did their best to imitate jackson's signature dance moves. many dressed like him from the "thriller" days. we have expanded coverage of michael jackson's life tonight at 6:00 p.m. eastern. watch "the life of michael jackson" here on hln at 6:00 p.m. eastern. >> you heard the phrase, wrapped

in a flag. here are young people taking it literally. find out how they feel about living in america.

i'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual. >> alaska governor sarah palin stuns the country by announcing she was resigning. could she be planning a run for a higher office? the clock is ticking for fans try ing ing to get a ticke his memorial service. how you could get one. the crown opens for the first time since the september 11 attack. don't plan on getting in anytime soon. a serial killer is on the loose. happy fourth of july. you're watching hln, i'm natasha

curry. alaska governor sarah palin will soon be out of a job. she's leaving her poet on july 26 with more than a year left in her term of office. some republicans say it may eventually say it may turn out to be a smart decision, others say it wasn't. she did say she was never the type to follow trends. >> it may be tempting and more comfortable to keep your head down and appease those demanding a sit down and shut up. it's a quitters way out. i think a problem in your country is apathy. it would be apathetic to hunker down and go with the flow. >> paul stine houser has more on what palin's stepdown could mean for the political landscape.

>> definitely shocking news out of alaska. why is governor palin quitting? that's the huge question here. she said yesterday, in alaska, part of it was for her family. they have been in the spotlight a lot lately. she wanted to take her family away from the criticism and mockery they have been facing. she's doing it to escape ethics probes. she's leaving to help the state out. it's in the best interest of the state. it will allow her to advocate her issues. she also said that once she decided not to run for re-election next year, she did not want to be a lame duck governor. if sarah palin wants to run for the presidential nomination 2012, does this help or hurt her? well, that is a good question. a lot of people are saying that this may hurt her. she's being seen as a quitter.

one of the arguments against her was that she didn't have enough experience. she's leaving her job with a year and a half to go. she's been governor for two and a half years. others say it may help her. it will free her up now. she's known well enough across the country, she doesn't need to be governor of alaska. it will free her up to travel the lower 48 states to be much more visible. it's another way to look at it. remember, she may not want to run for president. we don't know what's in her mind. maybe she is sick of it and wants to get away from politics. if she wants to run for the republican presidential nomination, where does it stand now? look at the numbers, a poll we did two months ago. sarah palin and mike huckabee and mitt romney are all basically in a dead heat there. it's wide open among republicans

right now. 2012 is a long way away. natasha, back to you. >> thanks again for that. from paul stine houser. serena williams clinched her third wimbledon title, defeating her sister. it's the third time she's taken the title in six years. the third time she's beaten her older sister. she's hoping to become the first woman to win wimbledon three years in a row. tomorrow, they will play in the double final. we have breaking news from north carolina. four people setting up a fireworks display are in critical condition and one person is dead after an explosion on the outer banks. all work for a company that produces a pyrotechnics show.

the fireworks suddenly exploded. one said it looks like 40 minutes worth of fireworks went off in about four seconds. we'll have more information for you when we get it in. tourists are climbing the 354 steps at the statue of liberty, again. it was closed after the terror attacks on the world trade center. >> it's braet taking. it gives you goose bumps. >> we're excited to see the first group. >> proud to be an american. proud to be a new yorker, first. after that. >> if you want to visit the crown, you have to plan ahead. tickets are sold out for the weekend and the next several months ahead. tickets won't be good until this fall. north korea test fired at least seven missiles.

a south korean news agency says there were skud missiles with the range of 300 miles. it could escalate tensions in the region. they conducted a test in may and the u.s. is trying to get tougher penalties against the country. countless michael jackson fans are trying to get a chance to attend his memorial service. they are registering online to get tickets by the thousands. 17,500 free tickets will be given out to the public. the rest will be for the family. 11,000 public tickets are for the actual memorial at staples center. the other 6500 for the nokia service where it's televised. a jackson spokesman says more than half a million people registered in the first seven hours yesterday. you can register by tonight at 9:00 eastern. a computer will randomly choose

the winner later tonight. the memorial service will be directed by kenny ortega. he was supposed to co-direct the concert this summer. no details will be released in advance and plans are still in the work.pñ we talked to cnn about a conversation he had with jackson just before he died. >> always got together at the end of rehearsal. i walked him to his dressing room, helped him put his jacket on. he said are you happy? >> i said happy and proud. i'm proud of you. it's given everyone confidence. how about you. anything you want me to share with anyone. notes or thoughts about the lighting, staging or core i don't go fi or band. he looked at me and so no, i'll see you tomorrow. it was a good night. >> doctors are still trying to

determine the cause of michael jackson's death. his autopsy results are not expected for several weeks. could diprivan be the cause? president obama is calling on the unyielding spirit of americans to meet the challenges facing the nation. he struck a fourth of july theme in his radio address. he recalled it as he sought to ramally support for his agenda to overhauling the health care system. we're not a people who fear the future. we're a people who make it. on this july 4th we need to summon that spirit once more. we need to summon the same spirit that inhabited the hall 233 years ago today. that's how this generation of americans will make a mark on history. it's how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. it's how we will write the next great chapter.

>> the first family is back at the white house after celebrating malia's 11th birthday at camp david. senator john mccain seems paralleled between the fight for american independence and what's happening today in iran. in a republican's weekly address, he said americans share a kinship of ideals for those who stand-up for freedom. he pressed for a more forceful sup prt. >> a strong and unequivocal support with the cool regime and power to convince their subject people the united states is behind the civil unrest they have attempted to hide from the world. the regime will make that claim no matter what we say or do. president khatami met with

police during the protest. he said the courts should uphold their civil rights and set them free. vice president joe biden is celebrating the fourth of july with u.s. troops in iraq. he told the troops they are the reason america is strong. biden's surprise visit includes meeting with top leaders. it underscores the commitment to withdrawal u.s. combat forces. two u.s. soldiers died in afghanistan today. a u.s. military spokesman says they were killed on a military base. in another part of afghanistan, u.s. forces continue their offenses against taliban militants. the fight is taking place in an area where opium is grown. they rely on opium. a small town is being targeted by a serial killer. some people who live there are turning to things that keep them safe and help find the killer.

the sheriff in south carolina says a serial killer is on the loose there. four people have been shot to death over the past few days. police released this sketch of a suspect. our affiliate with wspa says some people in the town are asking god for help in finding him. >> reporter: where fear has frozen a community, here it brought many to their knees. >> i have three daughters. all three of them were scared. >> reporter: scared and shaken. this family of faith is coming together, praying for peace and answers. >> we do it and i view it myself, personally, as an attack upon the families. it's an attack on the community. i see it as a spiritual attack. >> reporter: some are connected to the victims. >> lift up families -- >> reporter: others, just

strangers saying the tragedy is a problem for everyone. >> it takes a tragedy like this to hit close to home before we get up and arm ourselves together. >> reporter: until the violence ends, they are lifting their hands to the families who lost. >> as devastating as it is, we believe the spirit of the lord can be a strength to them. >> we want him caught and brought justice. >> reporter: so his soul can be saved and the community can finally be at ease. >> that was an affiliate from wspa. it isn't the first town they have faced a serial killer. in 1968, a strangler killed four women before being caught. he was convicted and later was stabbed to death while in jail. >> this amtrak train was involved in two deadly incidents in a day. they say it first hit and killed

someone near berkeley, california. a new crew took over the train and hit another person two hours later in oakland. police and amtrak are investigating the incident. cnn looked at the world of medicine around the world. today, dr. sanjay gupta went from california to china to look for a treatment for spine dif ya. >> did you always want kids? >> yes. >> when did you first think of it? >> when i met him. >> american actors live a hollywood fairy tale. there's another part to the story. they have a 4-year-old daughter with spine bif ya. the tissue surrounding the spinal cord doesn't close properly. half a world away in china,

another mother is hoping the cards will fall on the sign of potential gain for her 9-year-old son. she brought him to a hospital where the doctor prepares him for a procedure he created. >> his procedure involves rerouting nerves from the leg. for more on this, go to our website, cnn.com/vitalsigns.

the doctor who tried to revive michael jackson is not commenting on what, if any medications he gave the singer. the doctors lawyer says that's part of an agreement. he was on diprivan at jackson's rented home after his death. a nurse who worked as his nutritionist said he pleaded with her to supply the drug for insomnia. she always refused. >> he asked me, can you find me a doctor, i don't care how much money they want or what it is they want. i want this drug. i want this medication. he didn't say drugs, he said i want this medication to sleep. >> we have expanded cover onlg after michael jackson's life tonight at 6:00 p.m. eastern.

watch "showbiz tonight's" terrible resport, "the life of michael jackson" here at 6:00 eastern. i'm reynold's wolf with a look at your forecast. we're going to see storms across midwest in kansas city. we're going to deal with high temperatures into the 100s again for texas. dallas, 101. austin, san antonio in the triple digits. atlanta in the 80s and 90s. in the late afternoon, you may deal with these showers. a thunderstorm or two. new york and boston, high temperatures. if you're going there for a hot dog eating contest, temperatures in the upper 70s. 80 in kansas city. could be showers in denver later on today. 86 in seattle. portland going up into the 90s. 69 san francisco. 80 degrees in los angeles. take a look at what else you are

going to be seeing. it's very comfortable. for the eastern sea board, until you get to the outer sea board. 60s and 70s, especially 60s toward the new jersey shore. that's a look at your forecast. i'm reynolds wolf for hln. carolyn manning lost a family member on 9/11. she rebuilt her life and used her experience to show others how to do the same. she's today's c nrnn hero. >> my brother-in-law was killed in tower one on september 11. after september 11th i saw a picture of an afghan family that lost a member because of the taliban. we lost a family member, too. we naturally went from that to let's show them we welcome them.

>> my name is carolyn manning. i started the welcome america to help refugees in phoenix, arizona. the families we help are from war and genocide. they have never flushed a toilet. the welcome to america project is the community. it operates by community volunteers. my husband and i, many times, have been out here pulling in furniture. before work, after work. this is our life. >> thank you very much for all your help. >> all right, let's go to the next family. >> when they step foot in theitis, i want them to feel this is their home. that's what america has been built on. it's our history and who we are. they are part of it. dddddd

i'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual. >> alaska governor sarah palin stuns the country by announcing she is resigning. could she be planning a run for a higher office? the clock is ticking for michael jackson fans trying to get a free ticket to his memorial ticket. how you could get your chance to win one. the statue of liberty crown reopens to tourists for the first time since the 9/11 attacks. a serial killer is on the louis. they want fo get help from a higher authority. happy fourth of july you're

watching hln. alaska governor sarah palin will soon be out of a job. she's leaving her post july 26 with more than a year left to go in her term of office. some republicans say it may be a smart decisions, others say it was the wrong move, es speshlgly if she has future political ambitio ambitions. she didn't give an exact reason for quitting, but she said she was never the type to follow trend. >> it may be tempting and more comfortable to keep your head down and appease those demanding, hey, sit down and shut up. that's a worthless easy cop out. it's the quitters way out. i think a problem in your country today is apathy. it would be apathetic to hunker down and go with the flow. >> paul has more on what palin's announcement could mean for the political landscape.

>> reporter: natasha, definitely shocking news out of alaska. the first question, why is she quitting? that's the huge question here. she said in her remarks yesterday in alaska, part of it was because of her family. she wanted to protect her family. they have been in the spotlight a lot. she wanted to take her family away from the criticism and mockery. she's escaping ethic probes draining her family's resources and leaving to help the state out. she says it's in the best interest of the state. this will allow her to advance, advocate her issues. she also said once she decided not to run for re-election, she didn't want to be a lame duck governor. one of the other big questions is if sarah palin wants to run for the republican nomination 2012, does it help or hurt her? well, that is a good question. a lot of people are saying this may hurt her. she's being seen as a quitter. one of the big arguments against

sarah palin was that she didn't have enough experience. well, she's leaving her job with a year and a half to go. she's only been governor for two and a half years. others say it may help her. it will free her up now. she's already known well enough across the country, she doesn't need to be governor of alaska. this will free her up to travel the lower 48 states to campaign for republican candidates and become much more visible. it's another way to look at it. remember, she may not want to run for president. we don't know what's in her mind. maybe she is sick of it all and wants to get out of politics. if she wants to run in 2012, where does it stand now. i know it's early. take a look at these numbers, sarah palin, mike huckabee and mitt romney, the former governor of massachusetts who ran last time, they are all in a dead heat there. it's wide open among republicans

right now. 2012, though, is a long way away. natasha, back to you. >> thanks, again for that. serena williams clinched her third wimbledon title defeating her sister. it's the first time she's taken the title in six years. today's match was the fourth all williams final at wimbledon and the third time she's beaten her oldest sister. she's hoping to become the first woman to win wimbledon three years in a row. they will play in the double final. we have breaking news from north carolina. four people, who were setting up a fireworks display are in critical condition. one person is dead after an explosion on the outer banks. all five work for a company that produces an annual fourth of july pyrotechnics spectacle.

they were working on it when the fireworks suddenly exploded. one witness said it looked like 40 minutes of fireworks went off in four seconds. we'll have more information for you as soon as we get it in. tourists are climbing the 354 steps to the statue of liberty's crown. it was closed for nearly eight years. >> it's breathtaking. >> it gives you goose bumps. it's breathtaking. we're excited to see the first group. >> proud to be an american. proud to be a new yorker after that. >> if you want to visit, you have to plan ahead. tickets are sold out for the weekend and the next several months as well. if you book tickets now, they won't be good until this fall. this morning, north korea test fired at least seven

missiles. it cording to the ministry. a range of 310 miles. the test could further escalate tensions in the region. they conducted a nuclear test in may and the u.s. is trying to get support for tougher penalties against the country. countless michael jackson fans are trying to get a chance to attend his memorial service. they are registering online for tickets at the staples center in los angeles. 17, 500 free tickets will be given out to the public. the rest will be for the family. 11,000 will be for the actual memorial in staples center, the other 6,500 for the nokia theater where it will be televised. more than half a million people registered in the first seven hours yesterday. you can register on the staples center website by tonight at 9:00 eastern. a computer will randomly choose

the winners later tonight. the memorial service will be directed by kenny ortega. he was supposed to co-direct the concert in london this summer. no details about the memorial will be released in advance. plans are still in the works. ortega talked to cnn about a conversation he had before they died. >> we got together at the end of a rehearsal. helped him put his jacket on. he said are you happy. i said happy and proud. i'm so proud of you. the last couple nights gave everybody such confers and courage and strength. i said how about you? he said i'm happy. i said anything you want to share with anyone, give any notes or lights or staging, core i don't go fi or anything? he said no. it was a good night. >> doctors are still try iing t

determine the cause of his death. autopsy results are not expected for weeks. could diprivan be to blame? we'll hear from a nurse. president obama is call iin for the unyielding spirit of americans to meet the challenges facing the nation. he struck a fourth of july theme in his radio address. the country's founders to rally support for his agenda to overhaul the economy. >> we're not a people who fear the future. we're a people who make it. on this july 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. we need to summon that same spirit that happened 233 years ago today. that's how this generation of america will make its mark in history. it's how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. it's how we will write the next

great chapter. >> they have back at the white house after celebrating malia's 11th birthday at camp david. they will host a barbecue for military families. john mccain seems parallel about the fight for americans and what's going on in iran. mccain said americans share a kinship of ideals for those who stand-up for freedom. he pressed for a more forceful show of support. >> there are those among us who warn a strong and unequivocal would be years by the cool regime and power to convince their subject people that the united states is behind the civil unrest they have attempted to hide from the world. the regime will make that claim no matter what we say or do. >> the former president, k

khatami. he said the courts should uphold civil rights and set them free. vice president, joe biden, is celebrating the fourth of july with troops in iraq. he said they are the reason america is strong. the surprise visit includes visits with top iraq leaders. it underscores president obama's commitment to withdrawal combat forces. two u.s. soldiers died while fighting in eastern afghanistan. they were killed on a military base. in another part of afghanistan, u.s. forces continue their offensive against militants. the fight is taking place in an area where opium poppies are grown. they rely on opium production to finance the operation. a sheriff says his small town is targeted by a serial killer. some people who live there are turning to faith to keep them

safe and help find the killer.

the sheriff in a small town in south carolina says a serial killer is on the loose there. four people have been shot to death in the past few days. police released this sketch of a suspect. our affiliate with wspa tells us, some people in town are asking god for help in finding him. >> reporter: where fear has frozen a community, here it brought many to their knees. >> i have three daughters. all thi of them were scared. >> reporter: scared and shaken. this family of faith is coming

together, praying for peace and answers. >> we view it and i view it, myself, personally, an attack on the families is an attack on the community. i see it as a spiritual attack. >> reporter: others just strangers saying the tragedy is hurting everyone. >> it takes a tragedy like this to hit close to home before we get up and arm ourselves together. >> reporter: until the violence ends, they are lifting their hands to the families that lost. >> as devastating as it is, we believe the spirit of the lord can be a strength to them. >> reporter: as a picture reminds them, asking the killer turn himself in. we want him caught and justice. >> reporter: so his soul will be saved and the community can finally be at ease. >> once again, it was melissa

kinney reporting from wspa. it's not the first time they experiences a serial killer. he was kin victimed and later stabbed to death while in jail. a mother accused of posting a suggestive ad on craig's list to harass a 9-year-old girl. the ad claimed it was from a girl who was 21 years old and included the question, looking for a good time. the 9-year-old got more than 20 calls from people looking for sex. the 40-year-old did it because the girl fought with her daughter. she's been charged with aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. a license family told hln this mother may have done damage to her own child as well as the other girl. >> the paradox is this mother is the shame and the potential

psychological damage she's done to her own daughter is so much worse than any little tift her daughter may have had with a school buddy. >> it started when they got into an argument. this amtrak train was involved in two deadly incidents in a day. amtrak said it hit and killed someone near a train station in berkeley, california. a new crew took over the train and hit another person two hours later in oakland. police and amtrak are investigating the incident. ♪ as michael jackson spent his final days preparing for a comeback tour, he may have been relying on a powerful drug. what police discovered at the pop star's home. a nurse who said she tried to send a warning about the risk jackson was taking.

we're getting a wide mix of your views on the palin resignation. katie brown voted for the

mccain-palin ticket, but she's ready to write off alaska governor. >> i'm sorry, i backed you up so long. now, with you quitting, that's not my style. so, i think you just made a mistake. >> here is a reaction from ireporter rick who calls himself a proud left wing tree hugging democrat. >> sarah palin resigning as governor of alaska only goes to prove that not only was she not capable of being vice president of the united states, but she certainly does not have the internal fortitude to be president in 2012. this is a woman that has no experience and obviously cannot finish the job for which she was elected. now, let's check e-mail responses.

>> john agrees, saying -- sarah palin, she has decided to spend more time with her family, which really kounds. >> if her actions are an attempt for publicity, voters must have themselves the same questions alaskans are. will palin quit on them too? >> jackson says, good riddance to another irrelevant republican. we always want to hear your views on today's top stories. e-mail us. senator elect, al franken, has a busy fourth of july before him. the minnesota democrat is marching in four independence day parades today. he marched in two yesterday. last week, minnesota supreme court officially declared him the winner. he is due to be sworn in to office on tuesday.

t the doctor who tried to vee vif pop superstar, michael jackson, is not commenting on what, if any medications he gave the sinlger. the doctors lawyer says that is part of an agreement with investigators. the associate press say police and a powerful operating room anesthetic called diprivan said he pleaded with her to supply the drug for his insomnia. she says, she always refused. >> he asked me, can you find me a doctor. i don't care how much money they want. i don't care what it is they want. i want this drug. i want this medication. he didn't say drug. he said, i want this medication to sleep. we have expanded coverage of michael jackson's life tonight at 6:00 p.m. eastern. watch "showbiz tonight's" special report, "the life of michael jackson" right here on hln at 6:00 p.m. eastern.

you've heard that phrase wrapped in the flag. well, here are socme young peope who are taking it literally. find out how they feel about living in america.

governor sarah palin's shocking announcement leaves people all along the political spectrum asking the same question. why is she quitting? opponents of president obama raised their voices on independence day. see how the second round after tea party protests are going. a july fourth tradition becomes one for the record. we are going to show you who won the national hotdog eating contest. hi. you are watching hln. i'm natasha curry. political analysts are trying to get to the bottom of alaska governor, sarah palin's decision to leave office more than a year early. the announcement caught even palin supporters by surprise, including the man who will replace her when she steps down.

lieutenant governor, sean parnell says once he spoke to palin he understood her decision. >> she told me her decision and explained her rational. i was very surprised at first but then as she began to explain why she was doing it, i began to see that it was sarah palin once again moving to put alaska's interest first. remember that basketball metaphor she used where she talked about the full-court press being on her and it is time for her to pass the ball to a teammate so we can progress here in alaska with our agenda. i think that was an apt way of describing how she perceives things. >> she says she is leaving because she does not want to milk her lame duck status for the next few years. her staff is shooting down rumors that she is leaving politics. her spokesman says she wants to continue to serve the public, leaving many to speculate she may be gearing up for a

presidential run in 2012. thousands of americans are gathering in cities to hold a second round of protest against president obama's economic stimulus bill. the first round of tea parties were held on april 15th. the demonstrations are based on the boston tea party. in this case, tea is an acronym of tax enough already. paul steinhauser is keeping an eye on these rallies. >> reporter: we are right across the street from the u.s. capital. you can see the crowd behind me. it has been growing as the hours have past. this is what the organizers say is one of what they hope 1,500 rallies across the country today on independence day. if you remember, there were coast to coast rallies on april 15th, which, of course, is tax deadline day. that is what this is all about, tea stands for taxed enough already. they feel just that. they are also very worried about the federal government's involvement, they say, too much involvement in the private sector. they point to the bailout of

wall street and the federal government's involvement in the big auto companies. they are very concerned about the federal budget deficit and upset about things like the federal stimulus as well. take a listen. we speak to some of the people in the crowd here. here is what they have to say. >> we seal at the end of this how you all portray us but we are just regular citizens speaking up for our rights. it's part of taking personal responsibility. >> you need to be more transparent in what everyone says we are going to be. read the documents, explain what's going on in these documents to the american people. >> we are also hearing a lot from these people today about some of the legislation from front of congress, like cap and trade, which is part of the clean energy bill. they are very much against that. they also have problems with the president's proposal for health care reform. what's next? >> they say there could be another rally later this month and they are planning rallies across the country on september

12th, the day after the 9/11 anniversary. four people setding up a fireworks display are in critical condition and one person dead after an explosion on north carolina's outer banks. this photo comes from i-report.com. the dead and injured were setting up a display on an island accessible only by ferry when the fireworks exploded. one witness says it looks like 40 minutes of fireworks went off in about four seconds. this morning, north cre wra test fired at least seven missiles. that's according to south korea's foreign ministry. a south korean news agency says there were skud missiles with a range of about 310 miles. north korea conducted a nukecle test in may. they are trying to get spoerlt for tougher penalties against the country. countless michael jackson fans are trying to get to attend his memorial service.

they are registers on line to get tickets at the staples center. 17,500 free tickets will be given out to the public. the rest will be for the family. 11,000 public tickets will be for the actual memorial in staples center. the other for the neighboring nokia theatre where it will be televised. more than half a million people registered in the first seven hours yesterday. you can register on the staples center website by tonight at 9:00 eastern. a computer will randomly choose the winners later tonight. the memorial service will be directed by jackson's creative partner, kenny ortega. he was supposed to codirect his concert in london. a family spokesman says no details about the memorial will be released in advance.pñ plans are still in the works. they called to our sister network about a conversation he had with jackson just before he died.

>> we always got together at end of rehearsal. i walked him to his dressing hoom and helped him put his jacket on and walked him out. he said, are you happy? i said, i'm happy and i am proud. i am so proud of you. these last couple of nights have just given everybody such confidence and courage and strength. and, i said, how about you? he said, i'm happy. i said, is there anything that you want to share with anyone, give anyone any thoughts about the lighting or the choreography. he said, no, it was a good night. the doctor who tried to revive pop superstar, michael jackson is not commenting on what, if any, medications he gave this singer. the doctor's lawyer says that is part of an agreement with the investigators. police put a powerful operating room an stet it is, diprivan, found at his home. a nurse says he pleaded with her

to supply the drug for his insomnia. she says she always refused. >> he said, can you find me a doctor. i don't care how much money they want. i don't care how much it is they want. i want this drug. he didn't say drug. he said medication. i want this made kaedication to. >> his death intensifies with sources making stunning claims that the singer kept a miniclinic. did the drugs ultimately kill the king of pop? ex-wife, debbie rowe claims she wants her kids. nancy grace has the latest develops. i'm reynolds wolf for hln with a look at your forecast. we are going to be seeing scattered storms across parts of the midwest, st. louis, kansas city, oklahoma city. we will also be dealing with high temperatures, into the 100s again for texas. class, 101, 98 degrees in houston.

san antonio also into the triple digits. tampa, atlanta, miami, into the 80s and 90s. parts of central florida, a thunderstorm or two. in boston, high temperatures in the 70s and 80s. for coney island, temperatures mainly the upper 70s along the coast. 86, d.c., 80 in san francisco. 86, seattle. portland, going up into the 90s. 69, san francisco. 80 degrees in lanes. take a look at what else we are going to be seeing. some very comfortable water temperatures on much of the gulf coast until you get to the outer banks of north carolina. then, the water temperatures cool down into the 60s and 70s, especially 60s as you get to the jersey shore. that's a look at your forecast. i'm reynolds wolf. we are seeing a site of new york that has been out of site for nearly a decade. the view from the newly reopened crown on top of the statue of liberty.

today, tourists once again can view the city and its harbor from the statue of liberty's crown. melissa long shows us the view. >> reporter: for generations of immigrants, the statue of liberty was the first glimpse of america. for returning soldiers and sailors it was reassuring of home. for generations of tourists, it offered a breathtaking view of the city. in the early years, visitors could go all the way up to the statue's torch, 305 feet above ground. but, in 1916, with world war i raging in europe. german sab tours blew up on the nearby jersey shore. they closed the torch to the general public.

visitors could climb only as high as the statue's crown. that was the way things stayed for 85 years until another nearby attack. the 2001 attack on new york's trade center raised figures that lady liberty could be the target of a similar assault. liberty island was closed for three months. the statue, itself, was closed for three years. finally, in august of 2004, visitors were readmitted but only to the statue's pedestal. officials said even if the terrorist threat had eased, the narrow steps leading up to the crowd was unsafe for the crowds. the mayor claims the view is better. >> this offers visitors for the first time the kind of sweeping, pan or ramic views of new york harm bore that were not accessible from the narrow app pa tours of the statue's kroen.

>> reporter: visitors still wanted to go up to the crown. the government two months ago announced plans to open it up again. >> we will limit the number of visitors in the crown at any one time to about ten. >> visitors may never regain access to lady liberty's torch. parents and grandparents can share memories with their children and grandchildren. >> when i was a little girl, i went all wait up to the crown. >> how was that? >> it was great. >> reservations are being taken on a first come, first serve basis. only about 240 people can visit a day. it is one of the hottest tickets in town. >> thanks to melissa long for that report. one of the first tourists to reach the crown today immediately dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. she did say yes. it was a lot like old times. lance armstrong staked an early lead in the tour de france. he posted a strong performance in the first stage but it did not hold up.

a swiss cycleist posted the best time of the day and claimed the leader's yellow jersey. the 2100 mile race began on the mediterranean coast of monaco tad. serena williams has clinched her title beating her sister, venus williams. it is the first time she has taken the title in six years. today was the fourth all williams final. venous was hoping to become the first women since steffey graph to win wimbledon three years in a row. tomorrow, the sisters may in the women's doubles finals. today, chief medical correspondent, dr. sanjay gupta, goes from california to china for a look at the treatment of s spina bifida. >> did you always want to have

kids. >> yes. >> when did you first think about having kids? >> when i met boris. >> they live a hollywood ferry tail. there is another part of their story. they have a 4-year-old daughter, sophie, who has spina bifida. it occurs early when the tissues surrounding the developing spinal cord don't clothes properly. half a world away in china, another mother is always hoping the cards will fall on the side of potential gain for her 9-year-old son. she has brought him to union hospital where chief the chief you' you're olgist prepares him for the procedure. >> it involves rerouting nerves from the legs. for more, go to our website, cnn.com/vital science.

divers are finally finding the pieces of that airliner that crashed in the indian ocean tuesday. an investigating committee says part of the airbus 310's fuselage has been recovered. officials are listening to the recording of a yemeni airliner's radio communication. a 13-year-old girls the only one among the 153 people aboard the plane to survive the crash.

this amtrak train was involved in two deadly incidents in a single day. amtrak officials say it first hit and killed someone near a train station in berkley, california. a new crew then took over the train but it hit another person, about two hours later in oakland. police and amtrak are investigating the incident. word of a possible serial killer on the loose is spreading fear in rural south carolina. this is a composite sketch of the man police say shot and killed four people in three separate attacks recently in south carolina. detectives believe he is driving an suv but they won't say what links him to the killings. the killer's victims include an 83-year-old woman and her 50-year-old daughter. happy fourth of july. you are watching hln. i'm natasha curry. alaska governor, sarah palin, will soon be out of a job. the former vice presidential candidate says she is leaving her post on july 26th with more than a year left to go in her

term in office. although some republicans say it may eventually turn out to be a smart decision, others say it was the wrong move, especially if she has future political ambitions. >> palin didn't spell out her exact reasons for quitting when she made the announcement yesterday but she did say that she was never the type to follow trends. >> so it may be tempting and more comfortable to just kind of keep your head down and plod along and appease those who are demanding, hey, just sit down and shut up. but that's a worth less, easy path out. that's a quit ter's way out. i think a problem in our country today is apathy. it would be app threat particular to00 kerr do hunker o with the flow. president obama is calling on the unyielding spirit of americans to meet the challenges facing the nation. he struck a fourth of july theme in his weekly radio address. he recalled the dedication of the country's founders as he

sought to rally support for his agenda from the economy to overalling the health care system. >> we are not a people who fear the future. we are a people who make it. on this july fourth, we need to summon that spirit once more. we need to summon the same spirit that inhabited independence hall 233 years ago today. that's how this generation of americans will make its mark on history. that's how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. that's how we will write the next great chapter in the great american story. >> the first family is back at the white house after celebrating their daughter, malia's 11th birthday at camp david. this evening, they host a barbecue for military families. senator john mccain sees pair laels between the fight for american independence and what is happening today in iran. the republican party's weekly address, mccain says americans

share akin ship with those who stand up for freedom. he pressed president obama for a more forceful show of support. >> there are those among us who warned that a strong and unequivocal declaration of moral support foreirania iranians wou used to convince the subject people that the united states is behind the civil unrest they have attempted to hide from the world. the regime will make that claim no matter what we say or do. former iranian president mahmoud katami met with the press and says she should jun hold civil rights and set them free. we have just guy to help you out. join hln money expert, clark howard, at 4:00 p.m. eastern. night rider, batman, james

bond. they have really cool cars for getting the bad guys. real life cops are on their way to getting some nifty gizmos.