HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: Where better to celebrate Independence Day than in the nation's capital? The museums, the monuments, the concert, the fireworks. Kathleen Koch is in the middle of it all on the national mall in Washington. Good morning to you on this Fourth of July, Kathleen.</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. I am in the middle of, frankly, not very much right now, and that's because the crowds haven't arrived here on the mall, in part because the security checkpoints haven't opened up yet. You can see, the lawns are still opened. But give us a few hours and this place will be wall-to-wall people. There is a fence lining the perimeter of the mall. There are 19 checkpoints, and they believe, officials believe, once things open up, this place will be packed this year. Attendance was way down last year, not only because of securities over terrorism and the intense security, but, also, people were put off by the heat. It was 98 degrees last year with a heat index of well over 100. Now this year, expected to have a high of 95 degrees, but still, you've got to keep it in perspective. We've had a very soggy spring here. So actually, I think Washingtonians are going to be ready to come out here and celebrate on the mall. When they do, they will still see a lot of security as compared to last year. Nineteen checkpoints versus 23. But there are fewer checkpoints because four of the cross streets that cross the mall are going to be shut down this year. And that will enable them not only have fewer checkpoints but let's the pedestrians really go up and down the mall so they can go to the folk live (ph) festival, better seat at concerts, things like that. A lot of plain clothes policemen, a lot of bomb sniffing dogs, all to keep everyone safe this Fourth of July -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Thanks, Kathleen Koch.
Security Tight at Washington Celebration