We want to wish all Alaskans a Happy Independence Day. May this 250-year-old experiment in defending the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness be ever more firmly grounded in the acknowledgement that these gifts are not bestowed on us by mortal men or earthly governments, but by the hand of God.

A Mat-Su Central fire truck rolls through downtown Wasilla for the annual Independence Day parade on July 4.

Patriots carry flags marking America’s 250th birthday during the Wasilla Independence Day parade.