Officials announced last week that the Statue of Liberty will be open to visitors again on July 4, but things aren’t going so well for neighboring Ellis Island. Hurricane Sandy destroyed the electrical systems and boilers in the museum, and the island still has no power. The artifacts were preserved in a storage facility, but officials say the buildings require significant repairs and probably won’t reopen this year. Tourists will be able to take a short and unpleasant tour of the island later this summer. Authorities have resolved their disagreement over screening procedures for visitors to the Statue of Liberty and the tents in Battery Park will be scrapped in favor of a screening facility on Ellis Island.
