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| Scorching heat, dry conditions |
| Scorching heat, dry conditions stifle July 4 celebrations
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 5-July-2012
3:15:40 AM |
| Millions of Americans headed for parades and fireworks shows on Wednesday to mark a sweltering Fourth of July holiday, some even celebrating as the nation's founders did - without electricity.
Storm-ravaged states from Indiana to Virginia carried on Independence Day celebrations on Day 5 of a power outage caused by deadly winds ripping through the region. More than 1 million homes and businesses remained affected and thousands of utility workers stayed on the job in a scramble to restore electricity.
"We still have a tree on the garage. It's been one of those weeks," said Gary Belniak, 57, of Wheaton, Illinois, who has been without power since Sunday when another destructive storm struck, forcing his town to cancel its parade and fireworks display.
Exhausted by three sleepless nights in a house where temperatures hover at about 90 Fahrenheit (32.2 Celsius), Belniak said he had all but given up on the holiday.
"I decided to come to work today. That's basically my Fourth of July. I'm so irritated," he said.
In hard-hit West Virginia, Karen Allen said she planned to spend the holiday - her sixth day without power - hunting for ice.
"I'm going to go look for ice, cold gold is what it is. It's very scarce," said Allen, 43, of Charleston, West Virginia.
Sizzling heat gripped much of the nation, with the National Weather Service reporting temperatures from 90 F to more than 100 F (37.7 C)from the Midwest to the Atlantic Coast.
Even sweltering temperatures couldn't wilt the patriotic spirit that drew crowds to hometown parades of marching bands, shiny fire trucks and children riding red, white and blue bedecked bicycles.
"America to me is small towns, kids, lollipops thrown from fire engines, balloons, dogs in the parade and hot dogs," said E.B. Kelly, 73, as she watched the 10-minute long procession in tiny Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
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