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Hot summer days across the country contributed to  six child deaths so far this year from heat stroke when children were left unattended in vehicles; that fact has caused the California Highway Patrol to issue a warning about the extreme danger of leaving children in hot vehicles this summer.

As the hot summer season sets in, most young people are thinking about activities like lounging poolside, hosting backyard barbecues and sneaking away to tropical getaways. But for Gilroy resident Aimee D’Hondt, that isn’t necessarily the case.

2012 Morgan Hill Freedom Fest July 4 Parade Winners

Before the customary Fourth of July backyard barbecues and fireworks displays, the annual Morgan Hill Independence Day parade kicked off the cascade of local, national and cultural traditions that accompany the holiday Wednesday.

Space is still available for a series of outdoor adventure campout workshops for children through July. The workshops sponsored by local nonprofit Birthola organization promote overnight campouts, hands-on learning and teamwork. Children will learn how to prepare breakfast and lunch at the camp site, pitch a tent, group games and will be able to browse the camping gear display station.

This year’s Fourth of July fireworks display in Morgan Hill will be bigger and better than previous shows, the parade Wednesday morning will feature everything from musical performances to aircraft flyovers, and veterans and school children promise another rousing performance at the annual “Patriotic Sing.”

Hobby Lobby, a 77,000-square-foot retail paradise for crafters, artists, scrapbookers, decorators, photographers and lots of other types of hobbyists, will open its new location in Morgan Hill in August.

It’s that time of year to bust out the barbecues and the bathing suits if you haven’t already, relax with friends and family, and kick back to some fireworks while taking a moment to be thankful for the freedoms you have in America.

Friends and relatives of Joshua or “Joshie” Valdez gathered in Gilroy's Christmas Hill Park Tuesday to share memories of the 22-year-old who remains in a coma after he was hit by a car while walking in Morgan Hill June 16.