Fireworks honor Ann Landers

CHICAGO, July 3 (UPI) -- The city of Chicago will honor the late advice columnist Ann Landers, dedicating its annual Independence Day fireworks to her Thursday night.

"Eppie's love for life and people made her bigger than life itself," said Mayor Richard M. Daley. "Honoring her with this event is appropriate because it's a living thing."

Lederer and her twin sister -- who wrote the "Dear Abbie" advice column under the name Abgail Van Buren -- were born on the Fourth of July, 85 years ago.

When she died of bone cancer on June 22, 2002, Lederer was the world's most widely read newspaper columnist. Many newspapers ran both columns.

Daley considered her a friend and said he truly missed corresponding with her.

Before her death, Ann Landers received more than 2,000 letters a day from around the world, offering often witty but straight-from-the shoulder advice in a seven-day-a week column that

"Eppie Lederer was one of the most influential women in America and we are happy to have called her a Chicagoan," Daley said.