President Ronald Reagan led the ceremonies to unveil the newly restored Statue of Liberty tonight. He appointed a commission to "save, restore and preserve" the statue in 1984, and after a $66 million restoration process, Liberty was returned to her glory.
"The 150-foot-tall Statue of Liberty will stand cloaked in darkness. President Reagan's finger will touch a button on Governor's Island and send an arrow of laser light across the hushed waters to illuminate the tablet in the statue's left hand, bearing the date of independence. Then the light will spread, to the crown and face, to the body, and finally to the right arm lifting the torch, and the entire reconditioned statue, the world’s best-known symbol of freedom, will glow in brilliant white light," the Syracuse Herald Journal reported on July 3, 1986.
NOTE: It took nine years to construct the Statue of Liberty, and after money was raised for the base, the massive statue was dedicated in 1886. One hundred years later, Americans celebrated the cherished monument that continues to be a symbol of refuge to the world.
Starbucks hurting
Starbucks Corp. has announced that it plans to close 600 stores in the U.S., eliminating 12,000 full and part time jobs. The giant coffeehouse chain, known for their abundance of locations, has experienced slow growth and will eliminate stores that are not profitable. The company admitted that the slow economy and skyrocketing gas prices have negatively impacted coffee sales, and that it may have purchased unwise locations during its rampant growth over the past five years. This downsizing will still leave more than 6,000 U.S. locations, so don’t fear, your latte will still be only a short drive away!
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