David Marchick’s term as interim president of American University began on July 1, but he already had a big vacation planned: a bike ride through the Pyrenees mountains in the south of France.

He didn’t want to cancel his trip. So, he had a thought: “Let’s turn this into fundraiser to help students,” he said.

“I love biking. I’ve been biking for years,” Marchick told 草莓传媒. “I had planned as a bucket list trip to bike some of the Tour de France routes and then realized that I was going to be on vacation in the first week of my presidency.”

Posting on social media with the hashtag #SummitForScholarships, Marchick started the grueling ride through the mountains with an elevation goal 鈥� 29,000 feet, the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest.

Marchick, 60, completed the 549-kilometer journey in about a week.

“There were so many times I wanted to quit,” he said. “But I was thinking of the students and the example I was setting. And I couldn’t quit.”

His ride from more than 250 donors.

“That money will change students’ lives. I’m very happy and proud of the effort,” Marchick said.

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The child’s mother allegedly told authorities the child was left in the closet for around 12 hours every day.

, sheriff’s deputies went to a residence in the 20000 block of Roh Ranch Lane in Callaway on Monday, after a caller reported a child was being confined in a closet.

When they arrived, the closet door was tied shut with a bungee cord and the 4-year-old was inside, deputies said.

“The closet was in deplorable conditions,” said ALisa Casas, public information officer for the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. “There was no light in that closet, and they did not observe any edible food.”

The child, whose name and gender were not released, was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Their condition is not known.

Four other children were also found inside the residence, but they did not require medical assistance, the sheriff’s office said. They are being cared for by Child Protective Services.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested the child’s mother, 28-year-old Kaylynn Nicole Moore, and Moore’s boyfriend, 27-year-old James Earl Stone.

The sheriff’s office said Stone admitted tying the door shut with the bungee cord.

All the children belonged to Moore and there was another adult living in the home, but that person was not involved in the investigation, according to sheriff’s deputies.

Moore and Stone have been charged with child abuse and seven counts of child neglect. They were transferred to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown to await bond hearings.

“This is the kind of case that sticks with any first responder,” Casas said. “This case is heartbreaking because it involved a young child.”

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“It worked for the past six years, why tear it down now?” said Patrice Cleary, chef and owner of in Mount Pleasant.

For months, the District Department of Transportation allowed restaurants seeking permanent streatery permits to continue operating existing structures, most of them constructed under special COVID-19 permits, while their applications moved through the approval process.

Temporary permit extensions expired May 31, and inspectors began enforcing new rules for permanent structures in June.

Cleary told 草莓传媒 she has been compliant, but that multiple layers of bureaucracy are slowing the process for her and other restaurant owners.

“We just had an inspector come by over two weeks ago and said, ‘If you don’t have this structure down within two weeks, you’ll be fined $500,’ and the possibility of having this structure torn down by the city at three times the amount that it would normally would have been charged,” she said.

“Why would we be fined if we are doing everything correct but it’s being held up by the government? That’s not our fault,” Cleary said.

DDOT said it has given restaurants multiple deadline extensions and provided regular updates throughout the permitting process. The D.C. Department of Buildings has also started a fast-track review program aimed at accelerating approvals.

Officials said the tougher standards are designed to improve safety, ensure outdoor dining structures are more durable and maintain access to city streets.

While Cleary said she understands those goals, she believes her streatery and others like it have become centers of their community and should be preserved.

“To keep this structure would mean so much to the community, not just the restaurants that use it because it’s very much a community space,” Cleary said.

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The deck in D.C.’s year-old Connecticut Avenue is starting to take shape.

Using a crane and working overnight, crews have been placing steel beams across the area between Q Street and Dupont Circle Northwest where four Connecticut Avenue lanes descend beneath the circle.

The crews are constructing a pedestrian plaza at the site. Construction began in June 2025 and is expected to be complete in late spring or summer of 2027.

When the plaza is finished, it will provide ample space for community events and feature a large collection of public art.

Progress has been steady and the project remains on schedule, according to the D.C. Department of Transportation.

People can follow the progress of the project by going to .

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A study published in Consumer Reports .

Its researchers tested sunscreens from K-beauty brands Beauty of Joseon, Innisfree and Round Lab against formulas from the same brands with Food and Drug Administration-approved ingredients.

“What we found in each instance was that the Korean formula was more effective than the U.S. formula in protecting against UVA and UVB rays,” Trisha Calvo, Consumer Reports’ deputy editor for health and food, said.

The FDA regulates sunscreen as a drug, introducing new UV filters in the U.S. versions requires a lengthy and costly approval process.

In South Korea and many other countries, however, sunscreen is regulated as a cosmetic product, allowing new ingredients to reach the market more quickly.

“The true Korean sunscreens use ingredients that are not approved in the U.S. for reducing the exposure to UV light,” Calvo said.

As a result, sunscreen makers outside the U.S. can often incorporate a wider variety of UV filters into their products.

As for how each sunscreen felt, panelists conducting the testing said they were surprised to find U.S.-formulated sunscreens were just as good as the Korean formulas and they saw little difference between the pairings.

Consumer Reports notes that while it is possible to buy Korean sunscreen from overseas retailers, and it did so for its testing, there is some risk involved.聽Packages may be stopped at the border and potentially seized by customs officials, it said.

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With Greenbelt’s Beltway Plaza Mall as a backdrop Wednesday, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman announced this year’s “” is Aug. 9-15.

“Marylanders buying clothing and footwear priced under $100 will not pay our state’s 6% sales tax,” Lierman said, surrounded by local elected leaders and business owners.

In addition, the first $40 of the purchase price of a backpack or bookbag will be tax-free during the period. Accessories other than backpacks聽are not eligible for the tax exemption.

“We know that times are tough right now,” Lierman said. “We know that costs are rising. We know that you paid more for that tank of gas to get here today. And we know that we have to do everything we can to build a more affordable state.”

The savings can have a big impact on household budgets, officials said. This year, families with elementary- through high school-aged children plan to spend $863.86 per student, on average, according to the National Retail Federation.

“This is an initiative that we as a General Assembly are very proud of,” Del. Nicole Williams said. “It is something we feel is super important for all of our families across the state of Maryland, and we’re so excited that for almost two decades we have been fostering this program to really help all of our families during their back-to-school efforts.”

Officials and Beltway Plaza business owners also touted the tax holiday’s benefits to the local economy.

“Tax-Free Week is especially important for small businesses like ours,” said Pierre Abraham, who owns the Shoe Box store in the mall.

“It brings more families into the mall, it helps shoppers save money and gives local businesses an opportunity to grow during this busy back-to-school season,” he said.

Another Maryland Tax-Free Week promotion is a video contest. Shoppers can win cash prizes of $250, $500 and $1,000 for posting during the sales tax holiday.

Virginia’s sales tax holiday is Aug. 7-9. include school supplies priced at $20 or less, and clothing and footwear priced under $100.

That state’s sales tax exemptions also apply to emergency supplies such as chainsaws and portable generators, and certain energy- and water-saving products for the home.

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Under the bill, known as the , the money would be refunded when the items are returned.

Council members intend for the bill to decrease the amount of plastic bottles that end up in the District’s rivers and streets. The bill aims to incentivize people to recycle their bottles and encourage city residents to earn money by collecting discarded bottles and cans.

But the business community sharply rebuked the bill at Thursday’s roundtable discussion led by Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, chair of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, on the grounds that it would unjustly increase cost burdens on beverage distributors.

Brendan Williams-Kief, who testified on behalf of the District of Columbia Beverage Alcohol Wholesalers, detailed a study funded by his association indicating the bottle bill would increase costs to consumers by some $60 million every year.

Pushing back on that study’s findings was the bill’s main sponsor, Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who said that extra cost would be ultimately refunded to consumers.

“Six hundred seventeen million bottles and cans per year are distributed and sold in the District, and we are paying for each and every one,” Nadeau said. “It’s no wonder that the big beverage industry doesn’t want this bill; they don’t want to pay for the cost to clean up the mess they created.”

“I haven’t paid myself in two months,” said Thor Chester, co-owner of Right Proper Brewing Company. “I cannot pay (for) another government program,” he said, adding that his margins are already narrow, and it was difficult to see how his business could incur any extra costs.

Allen and Nadeau say they have made changes to the bill that would negate any impacts to brewers in the city. Nadeau said the recycling program would be run by a nonprofit organization, minimizing any potential expenditures to the city.

Ten states in the U.S. currently have container deposit laws in place.

Supporters say there is evidence that financial incentives have a big impact on the environment. They point to the District’s five-cent plastic bag fee as an example, noting that plastic bags quickly disappeared from the Anacostia River after the charge was introduced.

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One person had contact with the cat, which later tested positive for rabies, on June 18 at a veterinary facility in the county. The Loudoun County Health Department is working with this individual for proper treatment, the department said in a news release.

The cat, which was euthanized June 26, was an average-sized brown tiger/tabby cat with white feet and white markings on her face and had no collar or microchip, according to health officials. The cat was seen with five kittens with gray and white fur and black striped markings.

Anyone who thinks they may have been in contact with the cat or kittens between June 6 and June 16 should contact their healthcare provider or the Loudoun County Health Department at 703-777-0234 or via email.

There have been several reports of rabid animals in the region this year. Across the state, 117 animals tested positive for the virus during the first three months of the year, including a bat and a skunk in Culpeper County, and three raccoons and a skunk in Fauquier County.

No human exposures have been reported, and Virginia has reported only two human cases of rabies since 2009, according to the state’s health department.

In Maryland, officials at the Carroll County Health Department are asking anyone who attended a fireworks display on July 3 in Mount Airy to get evaluated for possible rabies exposure after bats were scared out of trees as the fireworks began.

, county health officials warned of potential exposure.

鈥淏at bites are very small and may not be noticeable. If you had contact with a bat, get a rabies risk assessment to make sure you get treatment if needed,鈥� said Joe Mancuso, rabies program manager with the Carroll County Health Department.

The bottom line, “Avoid contact with wild animals and unfamiliar pets,” said Dr. Zelalem Attlee with the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health Department.

Attlee said officials are not noticing a spike in confirmed rabies cases but that it’s never a bad time to remind the public that there is a potential danger for infection, especially among animals such as raccoons, ferrets, bats and cats. He said any animal that spends time outdoors potentially interacting with wild animals is at risk.

Attlee advised immediate action if a person thinks they have been exposed.

“Seek medical care immediately. Do not wait for symptoms,” Attlee said.

If you’re bitten by an animal, wash the wound immediately with soap and water, and use rubbing alcohol if it’s available. If a pet has been exposed, Attlee recommended immediately contacting a veterinarian.

“If possible, safely identify the animal so it can be evaluated or tested,” Attlee said. “Do not attempt to capture it yourself.”

Symptoms of rabies in humans generally appear after an incubation period of one to three weeks. Early symptoms are much like the flu: Fever, body aches and sore throat. Advanced symptoms include hyperactivity, extreme anxiety, hallucinations and, in severe cases, severe pain in the throat while attempting to drink water.

Pet owners in D.C., Maryland and Virginia are legally required to get their pets vaccinated against rabies by the time they are four months. A booster shot is required one year later.

If not treated, rabies infection is almost always fatal. But with early intervention and treatment, the disease is 100% preventable, according to Attlee.

“Early treatment can prevent rabies and save lives,” he said.

草莓传媒’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.

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The productions continue CATF’s long-standing commitment to developing and showcasing new American work.

This year’s season also underscores CATF’s unique place in the theater world. The festival is now the last remaining U.S. summer theater festival devoted exclusively to producing new, fully staged American plays, making it a critical incubator for new voices and stories on the national stage.

“If we don’t have new work, we don’t build the canon of work that people see on the theater stages across the country and even across the world,” said festival artistic director Peggy McKowen.

Now in its 36th season, CATF’s summer lineup features five contemporary plays 鈥� four of them world premieres 鈥� presented in repertory at Shepherd University.

McKowen said the festival’s close connection to the community is one of its greatest assets. In Shepherdstown’s intimate setting, audiences often find themselves sharing sidewalks, restaurants and coffee shops with actors, playwrights and fellow theatergoers between performances.

“We have a responsibility to our industry and the audiences who love theater to continue to provide that opportunity,” McKowen said.

“We know that arts organizations in general are suffering,” she added. “We feel the need to continue to produce so that we can continue to keep art alive in our cultures and community.”

Founded in 1991 in West Virginia’s oldest town, the festival invites audiences to delve deeper into the creative process through its extensive TalkTheater program. The series features more than 30 events, including backstage tours, scene-change demonstrations, artist talks, lectures, post-show discussions and opportunities to meet playwrights and performers.

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Algorithmic pricing refers to software that uses complex algorithms to gather and analyze large amounts of public and private market data on behalf of landlords and property managers.

These tools can evaluate factors such as local rental trends, vacancy rates, tenant demand and competitors鈥� pricing to generate recommendations on rental rates and lease terms.

Landlords may use this information to set rents, determine fee structures, adjust lease conditions and make pricing decisions aimed at maximizing revenue and maintaining competitiveness in the housing market.

The amendments to Chapter 18 of the Rockville City Code, 鈥淩ental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations,鈥� are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.

During the hearing Monday, members of the public, including Wendy Murphy, testified before the council about the practice before the vote.

“I’ve watched families in the city get priced out of apartments they’ve lived in for years. That left kids switching mid-year as people find they must leave neighborhoods they’ve been part of for years,” Murphy said.

The rewrite of the city code is intended to provide greater clarity for landlords and tenants while strengthening housing stability and tenant protections.

“Everyone deserves a fair chance to find and keep a place to call home,” Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton wrote in an email to 草莓传媒. “This comprehensive update reflects our commitment to fostering a housing market that works for everyone.”

The updated law limits and clarifies landlord fees, including restrictions on payment-processing and administrative charges. It also expands relocation assistance for tenants displaced by unsafe housing conditions or code violations, requires greater transparency around lease terms, utility costs, and other mandatory fees, and strengthens the city鈥檚 enforcement authority in accordance with Maryland law.

Grant Samms, president of the Rockville Renters Association, said even with the adjustment to the city code, there will “still be a serious shortcoming in our city’s laws that leaves renters vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.”

Samms urged city leaders to do more to curtail what he called abuse of renters by some landlords.

Similar legislation has also been introduced at the state level that would prohibit the use of algorithm-driven rent-setting practices.

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On a list ranking cities with the best drivers, D.C. comes in second to last, surpassed only by Boston, which ranked dead last.

“I think there are a lot of distractions,” said Allstate’s Rudy Alston about driving in the D.C. area.

“You have a lot of Uber drivers, you have a lot of the DoorDash drivers on the motorcycles, you have a lot of pedestrians, the Metro buses,” Alston said. “Then when you mix in all of the speed cameras, the stop light cameras, all those things put together and then in such a small area, it just creates a unique environment that promotes a lot of claims.”

The report ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities using auto insurance claims data and includes insights from a feature in the Allstate app that tracks habits like speeding, hard braking and phone use behind the wheel.

Texas is once again home to several of the nation鈥檚 safest cities for drivers, while Massachusetts communities including Boston, Worcester and Springfield rank among those with the highest crash risk. The report gives drivers a better idea of how likely they are to be involved in a crash where they live, and what they can do to lower that risk.

The top five riskiest cities:

1. Boston, Massachusetts
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Baltimore, Maryland
4. Worcester, Massachusetts
5. Springfield, Massachusetts

The top five safest cities, according to the report:

1. Brownsville, Texas
2. Fort Collins, Colorado
3. Boise, Idaho
4. Laredo, Texas
5. Cary, North Carolina

As for D.C.-area drivers, Alston said not everyone in the region is accustomed to driving on District roadways, which presents a challenge.

“You have the locals who are kind of more accustomed to the driving patterns, the road signs, the traffic circles, all the speed cameras,” Alston said. “But you get a lot of people from Maryland and Virginia that aren’t as familiar with how to navigate through D.C.”

The report determined just how frequently drivers made claims. In Brownsville, Texas, for instance, a driver on average makes an insurance claim once every 14.99 years. In D.C., it’s once every 4.24 years. And in Boston, the riskiest city in which to drive, it’s one in every 3.76 years.

Waco, Texas, posted the biggest year-over-year improvement, climbing 40 spots in the rankings. Detroit saw the largest drop, falling 38 places. Overall, about one-third of the cities moved at least 10 spots, with three newcomers entering either the top or bottom 10 鈥� highlighting how changing traffic patterns and driver behavior can quickly affect crash risk.

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Now, a D.C. man who had a similar experience is speaking out.

Roswell Encina is the man pictured in the photographs, and he said seeing them left him stunned. Civil rights groups and extremism watchdogs, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League, classify Patriot Front as a white supremacist organization.

Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images

Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images

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He said it was shocking to see hundreds of men, all dressed in tan khaki pants and blue jackets, wearing white masks and tan ball caps.

“At first I had a little bit of panic, not knowing what their motives are, who they were,” Encina said. “Then I had to compose myself and kind of had to figure out who are these men? So I started looking closely at their baseball caps, looking closely at the patches on their shirts, and that’s when I put two and two together, which made me feel more uneasy.”

Encina, who is president and CEO of the , told 草莓传媒 he was traveling to a Fourth of July party in Maryland when Patriot Front members boarded the train at the Eastern Market station.

His instinct, he said, was to stay calm, keep his distance and avoid interacting with them.

Encina said the group’s members never directly confronted him or anyone else. Instead, he said, he avoided eye contact as they spoke among themselves. The only interaction came as passengers began exiting the train at the New Carrollton station.

鈥淥ne person wanted to let me go first,鈥� Encina said. 鈥淎nd I said, ‘No, go ahead.’ It was actually when the doors opened, that’s when I realized how many there were,” Encina said.

Encina said he was raised in a family that emphasized the responsibilities of citizenship. The son of Filipino American immigrants, including a father who served in the U.S. Navy, he said voting and participation in democracy were core values in his household.

Encina became a naturalized U.S. citizen and still vividly recalls casting his first vote in a U.S. presidential election in 1988 at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

Patriot Front emerged in 2017 after a split from Vanguard America in the aftermath of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The organization promotes a vision of the U.S. centered on white European heritage.

Researchers who track extremist movements say the group often packages its message in patriotic imagery and rhetoric while advancing anti-immigrant and racist ideologies. The organization has drawn attention for its carefully staged public demonstrations, with members frequently appearing in matching clothes and masks.

“It does reflect that our democracy is fragile, and it’s still very delicate,” Encina said. “We all need to play a part in making it another 250 years,” he said.

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Virginia Task Force One was activated June 25, mobilizing approximately 80 first responders and a half-dozen dogs to help with rescue efforts after two powerful earthquakes ravaged a portion of the Venezuelan coast north of Caracas.

Deputy Chief of Special Operations for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department David Barlow welcomed the team home by detailing the scope of their mission.

“All 50-plus international teams combined in Venezuela triaged 391 sites, conducted technical rescue operations at 146 locations, resulting in 14 live rescues,” Barlow said. “Of that, USA1 (Including VA Task Force One) worked over 186 continuous hours, triaging 74 sites, working 41 different locations, resulting in five live rescues,” he said.

A video that went viral on social media showed the team rescuing a mother and her nine-month-old baby days after the earthquakes hit June 24.

The earthquakes struck 39 seconds apart, measuring magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, according to the Associated Press. Officials say they were the strongest earthquakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

The AP reports at least 2,295 people have been killed, while thousands remain missing.

Members of the local Venezuelan community were on hand for the homecoming, including Andrea Ramos, who has family members in Venezuela, some of whom did not survive the disaster.

“You were there working so hard, and thank God you brought equipment that you had,” said Ramos through tears. “I heard that the firefighters there, in Venezuela and Caracas, didn’t know how to use them,” she said. “And you were teaching them.”

First responders were presented with a Venezuelan flag, in appreciation of their efforts.

In addition to Virginia Task Force 1, the U.S. deployed urban search and rescue teams from Los Angeles and Miami to assist with the response.

The U.S. Embassy in Caracas thanked the rescue crews in a post on X, praising their 鈥渆xtraordinary work on the ground.鈥�

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During the hearing on June 30, subcommittee chair Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) asked, “is there something that you’re going to present or is there somewhere we can find what exactly DOGE accomplished as far as reductions in dollars spent, people at agencies, or whatever? Is there going to be some documentation of what took place?”

The DOGE website went dark last month. And the president’s proposed budget has no funding for the agency.

“We have no plans to do kind of a closing DOGE report,” Vought responded. “We’re always happy to give you our assessment of that work. I think it made some really important strides. You all passed many of the reductions that 鈥� DOGE found just through the normal appropriations process when you ended the year so much lower than the year before. We did some of that in the rescissions package. And so many of 鈥� the fruits of their labor are sprinkled all across the government, but I’m always happy to work with you on what you feel like you need.”

President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order established DOGE as a temporary initiative scheduled to end on July 4, 2026.

Although reports indicated that DOGE had largely ceased operating as a centralized organization months before its official end date, administration officials maintained that its work continued through various federal agencies.

In the meantime, several former DOGE leaders transitioned into permanent roles within the federal government.

By 2026, DOGE had shifted away from the aggressive cost-cutting campaign that characterized its early months. Rather than pursuing large-scale staffing and budget reductions, the DOGE increasingly focused on improving government technology and citizen-facing services, reflecting a mission more closely aligned with the former U.S. Digital Service.

By the time DOGE approached its scheduled end date, its influence had diminished considerably from the outsized role it played at the start of Trump’s second term.

Under the leadership of Elon Musk, the initiative set an ambitious target of reducing federal spending by $2 trillion.

While DOGE later reported roughly $215 billion in savings, independent analysts and watchdog groups questioned whether those figures accurately reflected realized budget reductions.

The initiative also reshaped the federal workforce, contributing to the departure of more than 260,000 employees through layoffs, buyouts and early retirement programs. However, several agencies later acknowledged that some workforce reductions had gone too far, prompting efforts to restore staffing levels in critical areas.

Critics argue that DOGE’s rapid cost-cutting strategy often prioritized headcount reductions without fully accounting for operational needs.

During the hearing, Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) cited cases in which agencies were forced to reverse staffing cuts after determining that essential expertise had been lost.

“I think part of the concern with respect to DOGE, and I think most of my colleagues would agree, cutting employees that aren’t needed is fine, but it’s clear that what DOGE did was they advocated cutting a lot of people, a lot of federal government employees who were doing great work,” Ivey said.

“They didn’t know what they were talking about when they advocated for those cuts, then they quickly realized that they had to bring people back. And that really devastated the individuals’ lives who were caught up in that scenario,” he said.

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With hundreds of paradegoers waving U.S. flags and wearing all sorts of America-centric clothing, the annual Fourth of July parade along MacArthur Boulevard in the Palisades neighborhood of Northwest D.C. went on as usual.

With ambient air temperatures near 95 degrees, watering stations were set up approximately every 200 feet with volunteers handing out bottles of water and assorted items celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

When asked about his favorite thing about the parade, 10-year-old Tomas, from Maryland, said, “The drums and the candy and like seeing all the famous people.”

One of the people he enjoyed seeing and waving to was Erica Blanton, the executive director of Palisades Village and this year’s grand marshal.

“It was hot,” Blanton said. “But it was wonderful. You can’t march in this parade without feeling community support. This is a really special community and always has a sense of pride in the neighborhood.”

“It’s amazing; they give candy,” said 11-year-old Willow, visiting her grandmother in D.C. from Brooklyn, New York. She was watching all the action from near the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and V Street. She loved the Chinese dragons, marching bands, drum lines and colorful flags. But, not to put too fine a point on it, she loved the candy.

“I watch every year. I live two blocks from here,” said Deborah, sporting a fan collar on full blast. “I think it’s a great parade because it’s a wonderful neighborhood event.”

“Palisades 鈥� red, white and blue 鈥� hot dogs and watermelon,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. This is her last year participating in the Palisades parade as mayor.

“I’m just really grateful,” she said. “I’m grateful to all of the well-wishers I heard along the route. I’m grateful for all that we’ve been able to get done in the Palisades, including this great field, this great recreation center, great schools and really happy neighbors.”

The parade route started on MacArthur Boulevard heading west to Edmunds Place, then south to Sherier Place and ending at the Palisades Recreation Center, where there was a live band and free hot dogs, watermelon and drinks.

“We love coming here. The kids love all the interactions and celebrating America’s independence,” said Maria. “We always make an effort to come very early, get a spot and celebrate what it’s all about, freedom and the independence of America.”

“The parade is just great,” Kay McKenzie said, attending the parade for the first time. “It has a really small town, loving approach to life. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.”

Her husband, Dr. Merrill McKenzie, agreed.

“I appreciate being able to come to a parade where I see all kinds of people having a very good time,” he said.

“Everybody appears to be having a wonderful time for this celebration of the United States for the 250th year.”

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