Inauguration

When Barack Obama took the oath of office to become the next President of the United States on Jan. 20, 2009, millions of people around the nation and around the world were overwhelmed with joy and pride.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the famous "I Have a Dream" speech line up directly with the steps to the Capitol Building where Barack Obama, the United States' first black president, will be sworn in today.

WASHINGTON -- Josh Dunton is 14. The Fresno resident could live to see another presidential inauguration, but the odds appear against it.

People attending Merced's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade said the event was made even more significant by the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The security bins, overflowed with heavy coats and high boots, were packed tight on the conveyer belt. Their rounded edges formed a dull, grey chain link at the security lines in San Francisco International Airport on Sunday morning.

WASHINGTON -- Jeremiah Williams is a realist. The Modesto cabinet store owner knows what to expect amid the upcoming inaugural pomp and circumstance: "Just getting from point A to point B will be a chore," Williams said.

ATWATER -- Mariana Mancebo is all aflutter about Barack Obama's impending inauguration.

LIVINGSTON -- Haidar Ali Anwar, a 16-year-old Livingston High School junior, doesn't yet have his driver's license -- but he does have the hottest ticket in town.

LIVINGSTON -- In a lot of ways, Izzak Mireles is a typical 13-year-old kid. He plays soccer, likes to listen to music, competes in track and cross country, and has a doting mother.