>> tonight crowning glory, on our nation's birthday visitors are welcome to climb the is a statue of liberty once again. >> i am jeff glor, also tonight, millions are applying in the on-line lottery for michael jackson's memorial service. >> what is next for sarah palin now she announced she resigning as alaska's governor? and wilderness warrior, remembering a monumental role of theodore roosevelt in creating america's national parks and preserving its wildlife. >> you showed him pictures and says this species is in peril and he says, boy, let's save it. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with jeff glor.

>> god evening and happy 4th of july, we begin tonight with independence day, our nation turning 233 years old. as the nation celebrates and remembers programs nowhere were festivities more rich in symbolism than on liberty island in new york harbor. for something old is new again. bring a david explains. >> the iconic statue of liberty, a solemn century in new york's harbor is once again offering visitors the freedom to climb to her crown. it has been eight years since the stairway to the top was closed because of fears the statue would be a terrorist target following the 9/11 attacks. >> just like we opened the capitol and we opened the washington monument it should have been opened years ago. >> reporter: the statue of liberty opened in 1886, for decades was the first symbol of american freedom, immigrants saw. each year, more than 2 million visitors come here. >> we have taken some stems to make it safer. >> reporter: national park ranger dave den ham gave us a tour of the island and the statue's many features, none brighter than gold leave torch.

>> that torch, that beacon, that light is a light that shines not just for america but for the whole world and it is the idea of freedom itself. >> reporter: novice tors have gone to the for f since 1916, since 2004 they have been allowed as high as the statue's size 879 sandals. >> about 150 feet. >> and now people can go how far? >> now you can go up about another 125 feet. >> the stairways have been renovated with more hand rails and ventilation but it is still 354 stems to the top. >> honestly the stairs are narrow, they are steep, and there are a lot of them. >> reporter: visits to the crown are now by reservation only, limited to 30 people an hour. everyone who gets inside the statue must pass through airport style security twice. >> this morning, this was the first group up. >> i was feeling really claustrophobic. >> love was in the air for one couple. >> she said yes. >> i hereby declare --

>> lady lint's promise of a new beginning was honored with a special swearing in of these seven servicemen from seven different countries. >> you have made america great. >> newly minted citizens seeing america as truly their own for the first time. >> priya david, cbs news, new york. >> some memorial service for michael jackson is three days away but the number of attempts to register for tickets is well into into the millions. >> bill whitaker is in los angeles with more on that. good evening to you. >> good evening, jeff. so many fans want to come here for michael jackson's memorial service that one web site calculated they have a zero .4 percent chance of getting a ticket which means they are more likely to be struck by lightni lightning. >> just the chance to register on-line for a ticket to michael jackson's memorial service could

make your day. i just got sub mitt tans, sub mitt fans and, submit tans. >> or more likely it ruined your day. >> i am calling everyone i know to please register for me. i have to be there. i have to be there. he meant so much to me. >> reporter: 11,000 tickets to attend the tribute at the staple center tuesday with jackson's family and famous friends like diana ross and elizabeth taylor. 6,500 more fans get to watch on screens at the nokia theatre next door. when the web site opened yesterday, it was in undated with 4 million hits in the first hour and a half, so many it crashed. fans were crying but city officials showed little sympathy. >> if you do not have a ticket, not only will you not be allowed at these venues, you will not be allowed in this area. >> reporter: predictably if tacky the tickets are the hottest item in town, going for up to $10,000 on ebay, even

though the memorial site clearly states tickets are nontransferable. resale not permitted. policeman to cordon off the staple center and urge nonticketed fans to stay home, but just in case this cash strapped city will tap emergency funds to pay for police and crowd control. some maxed out taxpayers are asking why the public must pay for a private service. >> i did place a call to try to speak to some representative of the jackson appeal to see if i could reach out to their family and friends and see if there were people there interested in making a contribution. >> reporter: nature abhors a vacuum. >> and so do michael jackson fans. in the absence of real information about the king of pop's burial, reporters and satellite trucks lined the road to forest lawn cemetery where rumor and tabloid chatter claimed his final resting place will be. meanwhile, the investigation

into jackson's death is taking a sharper focus. the los angeles times reports today investigators are looking at five doctors who prescribed drugs to the king of pop. now bags of prescription drugs were taken from michael jackson's mansion right after his death, some prescriptions made out to michael jackson,çó others to fake names, and some with no labels at all. jeff. >> all right, bill whittler the kerr in la tonight, thank you. >> in scores of communities tonight people spent their 4th of july not celebrating but protesting, take a queue from the 1773 boston tea party, they rallied against federal tax and spending policies. brown has more. >> reporter: fireworks of a different sort this independence day. >> i am as mad as hell. >> reporter: thousands of activists held rallies in cities across the country, protesting big government and big government spending. >> the government is way too

big, taxes are way too high and this country is in trouble. >> they are spending our money, our children's money, our grandchildren's money, and they are just going to continue to push this country into debt and destroy the economy of america. >> reporter: similar so-called tea parties spring up around the country last april, about the stimulus package a movement champions everything is big in texas. >> from high profile conservatives. >> many blame obama for making the problems worst but the people we talked to are just as upset with republicans. >> even the republicans, all of my life i supported them. i don't think i am anymore. >> reporter: political analysts say conservative republicans are hoping these rallies give them the united front they desperately need. >> the movement has given fiscal conservatives something to hold on to, you talk to republican strategists in washington and all looking for ways to kind of grab that energy and put it into campaigns, so far they haven't done it. >> reporter: that energy republicans seem to need now more than ever. >> the last few weeks they have

taken a bruising with john ensign the senator from nevada, mark sanford going down and of course sarah palin resigning her spot yesterday. >> reporter: and we are in boston tonight, jeff, as you mentioned home of the first tea party, that was 236 years ago. organizers of this grass roots effort hope to go marble in september with a march on washington. jeff. >> all right, material brown in boston this evening, terrell, thank you. >> the big political news this week was sarah palin's surprise announcement friday that he is resigning as alaska's governor effective three weeks from now. so with us in washington with to help put the week in focus is cbs news analysis john dickerson. good evening to you. you wrote an article in slate where the headline was sarah palin picked the wrong day to resign. i know this got a lot of attention, can you explain what that meant? >> well, if you listen to the governor, when she made her announcement she said she was sick of all of the speculation, the media scrutiny about her life as governor, and if that

was the case, the timing was odd because on the eve before a national holiday, that is usually when you drop bad news, and so when she announced in this kind of haphazard press conference immediately the question asked by political pros and even by just civilians is, what is the other shoe to drop? what is the mystery behind here there was no evidence there was one but the way she announced this news suggested there might be some back story. >> reporter: all right so we have covered now sarah palin's past, we are talking now about her presence present. let's deal with the future. at this point what are her options? >> well, she has got a couple of options. he is quite popular in the conservative movement, so if she wanted to test her national ambitions or test the national scene, she could go throughout the country, raise money for republicans, build morale in a party that could use a boost right now. he is a superstar among many republicans, or she could take another path, which is she could become an advocate for some of the causes she cares a lot about. she of course is anti-abortion and could also talk about improving the lives of parents

of special needs kids. those would -- that would create a platform for her she could then translate quickly into a political organization, if, in fact, she decided to run for some kind of national office. >> reporter: all right. shawn dickerson we will leave it there. we appreciate you joining us as always from washington, thanks, jeff. >> two soldiers were killed in eastern afghanistan, seven other americans were hurt in that attack. >> coming up on tonight's cbs evening news, the search for a serial killer in south carolina. ♪ discover a light yogurt like no other. activia light!

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death in nashville, along with a woman who was 36 years old, mcnair retired last year after a 13 year career with the titans and ravens, taking the titans to the 2,000 super bowl. unintensified for a serial killer in south carolina who now claimed five victims all were killed in and around gafney in cler key county. dozier has more on that. >> forget celebrating the 4th of july in gaffney, south carolina. a killing spree has people here making other plans. >> he was sitting at home with a gun hoping this guy shows up at his house. >> they believe he shot five people dead since saturday. >> the fifth victim abby tyler died of her wounds today. she and her father were shot thursday night in a furniture store. >> this is a very difficult time for the tyler family. >> the other victims are a 63-year-old peach farmer and 83-year-old woman and her daughter, bound and shot inside

their home. >> the local sheriff now has a task force of up to 100 investigators scouring this rural county of just 50,000. >> we are still following leads, we have many leads coming in, still coming in. >> >> reporter: one problem this weekend is every firework will sound like a gunshot, and in a town where everyone is on edge and most are armed. >> i pull the trigger back and they are done. >> reporter: as the hunted are threatening to fight back. >> we are looking for you, the whole community is out looking for you. >> reporter: one policeman said if they don't find the killer soon people are going to start shooting at shadows. >> kimberly dozier, cbs news, washington. >> glor: to raise awareness of als major league baseball teams across the country today honored hall of famer lou gehrig by reading his famous farewell speech. 70 years ago today he lost his life to the disease, and delivered his farewell. >> today i consider myself the

luckiest man on the face of the earth. i have been in ball parks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. >> so in close, in saying that i have had a few break. >> but i have an awful lot to live for. >> glor: strard man. next up on cbs evening news, washington's front yard in need of a makeover, and the cash to pay for it. the only one that has bifidus regularis and is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system. activia light. ♪ activiaaa! we decide to turn in early. we just know. announcer: finding the moment that's right for you both can take some time. that's why cialis gives men with erectile dysfunction options: 36-hour cialis or cialis for daily use.

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purina cat chow. share a better life. >> glor: for those celebrating the fourth in the nation's capitol, the national mall is the place to be tonight. the mall runs through heart of washington, but it is also at the heart of a big budget controversy. nancy cordiss explains. >> reporter: each 4th of july, the national mall sparkles like a jewel, but by day, it is clear that the nation's front yard as it is known is in need of some serious yard work, crumbling sidewalks, stained marble, even a reflecting pool that civil rights and cultural touchstone, is a sad soupy algae filled mess. >> this is just the tip of the iceberg. >> reporter: stephen of the national park service says the

mall is over due for about $400 million worth of maintenance. including 18 million to shore up the rapidly sinking seawall that fronts the jefferson memorial. >> 3 years ago this stone here was level with the plaza of. >> reporter: congress made a dent in that repair bill when it okayed 56 million for mall maintenance in the stimulus bill. that is part of a larger $750 million outlay of stimulus funds for the entire national parks system. the interior department's claims that will help create or retain 30,000 jobs. >> that was criteria number one, which of the projects that we currently have on our entire list for the national parks are going to put people back to work. this project here will put people back to work. >> reporter: but those who opposed the stimulus package are particularly bugged by the seed money for the mall. >> you know what? it is not an emergency. >> reporter: texas republican jim lobbied successfully to strip the stimulus of mall cleanup funds, only to see them

only put back in at the last minute. >> this grass does look pretty bad. >> oh, i don't deny, i would like more grass on the mall, but, again, i don't want to borrow money from the chinese and send the bill to my children and my grandchildren to help pay for it. >> >> reporter: report the administration sees the funds as an investment in the local economy, 25 million tourists visit the national mall every year, that is more than the grand canyon, yellowstone and yosemite combined. nancy cordiss, cbs news, washington. >> glor: in a closely watched 4th of july competition, joey chestnut defeated long time rival kobayashi in the '94th annual coney island hot dog eating contest today. chestnut cloud down 68 dogs in ten minutes. nasty. farce farce that is a new world's record, congratulations. >> still ahead on tonight's cbs evening news, remembering these door roosevelt, the theodore

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discover a smoothie like no other! new activia smoothies. creamy, delicious, and above all, it contains bifidus regularis and is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system. new activia smoothies. ♪ activiaaa! >> glor: finally tonight on this 4th of july, sports remembering as millions head to national parks, those parks would not exist if not for theodore roosevelt who leftovers 100 years ago, cbs historian wrote a new book about roosevelt

and this is tonight's weekend journal, a conversation about america's first conservationist. >> tr went on these same walks, right where we are at now was his favorite woods. >> sag moore hill on long island new york, his retreat from his home in new york city and later washington. >> it is where he forged a love of nature that lasted a lifetime. >> we are walking along water here in his backyard that is now a national outlet, wildlife refuge. >> and inspired him that places like this should be around forever. for all to enjoy. >> he believe what made america unique and special was our wildlife and our nature and our get away places. he protected 230 million acres. that is a staggering number. it is as much land as from maine down to florida. >> reporter: including big-name parks, the grand canyon, the florida keys, devil's tower in wyoming, crater lake in oregon, 51 bird

preserves, 150 national forests. one out of every ten acres in this country. >> this is called our national heirlooms that the grand canyon is our louvre. >> that the tetons are, you know, taj mahal. >> reporter: in his new book the wilderness warrior, doug brinkley says this is before conservation was a cause, when the green revolution was still a century away. >> he was laughed at when he did this. they put crazy teddy they used to call him, people thought that this guy, there was never a tree he didn't like. >> reporter: it may seem obvious now but setting aside the grand canyon was at the time hugely controversial. congress wanted it mined for copper and zinc and when roosevelt protected mount 0 olympus loggers were outraged. not that he cared. >> he said the number one issue in america is conservation,

because if we don't save our own landscape, what are we going to have? >> reporter: he didn't just save land from big business, he turned it entirely over to animals, creating the fish and wildlife service, and wildlife preserves. >> he took vast millions of acres and said these lo belong to birds or these belong to moose, the big thing, if you had any interest in wildlife was to get an audience with roosevelt because if you showed him pictures and said this specie is in peril he would say, bully, let's save it, let's declare it. >> reporter: roosevelt may be better known as a rough rider, a hunter than an environmental crusader but brinkley says those different personas are not necessarily in conflict. >> >> the thing to keep in mind is that the first conservationist in america were hunters. they were actually elite sportsmen, and they would have hunting clubs and they wanted reserves. >> what would tr think of the state of our national parks today? >> he would be sadly shaken that we are not prioritizing them

enough. >> reporter: the government's massive stimulus package does include more than $750 million to views up national parks. nearly 11 million will go to the grand canyon, which roosevelt saved all those years ago. >> when politicians these days are doing something with decades ahead in mind it is considered amazing roosevelt it seems was doing things with my lenya in. >> millennium in mind. >> that is his genius he was thinking that far ahead as we are talking 100 years after he left the white house w are only now catching up with the green legacy of theodore roosevelt. >> and this is the cbs evening news tonight. later on cbs, 48 hours. russ mitchell will be here tomorrow night. i am jeff glor, cbs news in new york. good night and happy 4th of july. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org