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PASADENA (AP) — After a run of celebrity grand marshals, a real American hero led the Rose Parade on Friday. Onlookers stood and cheered as Capt. Chesley B. ''Sully'' Sullenberger III rode down Colorado Boule- vard in a vintage 1928 Pierce Arrow with his wife, Lorrie, and two daughters as part of the annual armada of flower-draped floats, marching bands and pranc- ing horses. Sullenberger said he did not hesitate when asked to serve as grand marshal because his family has watched the parade when he was growing up in Texas. ''It's really an American institution, a celebration of American values,'' he said after the parade. ''I think people see those in me, and I'm glad.'' Parade-goer Hilda Roy held a hand-painted, fluo- rescent sign that read, ''We (heart) you Sully!'' She waved and screamed the name of the man who land- ed a stricken jetliner on New York's Hudson River and was thrilled when Sul- lenberger waved back. ''We come every year, but when we found out he was grand marshal, we were really excited,'' Roy, 48, said. ''He's a real hero, not just a celebrity, and a real person, too.'' The 121st Rose Parade had something for every- one. Under signature sunny Southern California skies, onlookers gasped when the cannons of Honda's three- masted, sailing ship float boomed and shot sparklers and smoke rings toward the bleachers. A float celebrating Mex- ico's bicentennial featured Mexico City's landmark Angel of Independence and an intricate flower Aztec calendar, as well as dancers costumed in traditional regional dress. A swarm of children wearing butterfly wings while cruising on inline skates also got a round of applause as they twirled in front of a float depicting the city of Shanghai. The Kansai Honor Band from Japan rallied the crowd with ''Thriller'' dance moves and a color guard sporting teased hair and kimonos. The parade came 20 hours after hundreds of thousands of people began staking out sidewalk space along the route for the annu- al New Year's Eve celebra- tion. They lugged sleeping bags, lawn chairs and party favors, then spent the night under the light of a rare blue moon — the second full moon in a month. The new year dawned chilly, but brilliant sunshine brought the temperature into the 60s by the time the parade got under way. It was peaceful overnight along the route, except for some minor skirmishes. Police spokeswoman Janet Pope-Givens said 37 people had been arrested, mostly for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Jessica Mota, 19, of Pasadena claimed prime parade-watching real estate for about 30 of her friends and relatives. She said she's been coming to see the parade since she was 10. ''My little cousins were bouncing around all night, and now they're passed out,'' she said, pointing to some huddled bodies beneath a sleeping bag. Sullenberger was chosen to embody the theme of the 2010 parade, ''A Cut Above the Rest.'' No one could disagree that he fit the bill perfectly, parade-goer Jessica Oster- man said. ''It's good that they're going back to the roots and picking an average person,'' said Osterman, 28. ''Espe- cially these days, with the recent terrorism attempt, we need a little patriotism. He's someone we can all agree on.'' The grand marshal honor has gone to singers, astronauts, athletes, military men and politicians. 8B – Daily News – Saturday, January 2, 2010 GreenWaste of Tehama Holiday Tree Collection Will begin December 28, 2009 through January 15, 2010. Trees will be collected on your regularly scheduled pick up days, or may be dropped off at a dumpster located at: 1. Cedar St./Jackson St. 2. Fairgrounds front parking lot, Antelope Blvd. No ornaments, stands, tinsel or flocked trees will be collected. For more information please contact our Customer Service Department at 530-528-8500 or 800-433-6924. www.integrityhvac.com Visit our website @ 5213 Industrial Way, Anderson, CA State Lic. 750325 Solar Lic. 931200 Comfort you can trust! Redding 242-9100 Anderson 365-9100 Red Bluff 528-9100 632 Main St., Red Bluff 527-5837 NORTH VALLEY MATTRESS MON.-FRI. 9:00-5:30 • SAT. 9:00 -5:00 • CLOSED SUNDAYS ADDITIONAL 25% OFF ENTIRE INVENTORY Sullenberger leads 2010 Rose Parade Kathy Griffin makes vulgar quip on CNN NEW YORK (AP) — For the second straight year, comedian Kathy Griffin ushered in the new year by saying something vulgar on CNN. During the network's live New Year's Eve broadcast from Times Square, Griffin was jok- ing with co-host Anderson Cooper about how to pronounce the first name of ''balloon boy'' Falcon Heene when she mumbled something that sounded a little like ''Falcon'' and a lot like the F-word. Cooper hung his head, shook it and said ''You're terrible,'' before resuming his banter. The network said in a statement Friday that it ''regrets that profanity was used during our New Year's Eve coverage.'' During the same show a year ago, Griffin gleefully shouted at a heckler in the crowd and made a joke implying that the man performed gay sex acts for a living. In a statement released by her publicist Fri- day, Griffin made light of the ''balloon boy'' joke: ''Like every other serious reporter cover- ing the now infamous balloon boy hoax, I struggled to pronounce his name 'Falcon' cor- rectly and have gotten a kick out of how many ways I've heard it pronounced by other serious reporters. Just add me to that list and happy new year!'' Asked whether Griffin would be invited back next year, CNN spokeswoman Shimrit Sheetrit said planning for the 2011 celebration hadn't yet begun. MCT photo Floats make their way along the route in the 121st Rose Parade Friday in Pasadena.