Heavily guarded Statue of Liberty reopens today Visitors can tour base, but trip to the top is a thing of the past

As Willi casts his fishing line out into New York harbor, he stopsand admires Lady Liberty standing in the distance.

"The Lady is alive," says the longtime New Yorker. "It means she'scome back to life."

Today, for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terroristattacks, the Statue of Liberty will open to the public.

A symbol of hope to millions of Americans and others around theworld for generations, the reopening of the statue after almost threeyears comes amid renewed security fears, which have changed LadyLiberty and people's access to her.

Tourists now have to go through metal detectors and screeningbefore they board the Circle Line boats that bring …