9/11 Families - Latest News

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For the latest information and news related to news specifically for the 
members of the 9/11 community (family, friends, survivors, rescue and 
recovery workers, & volunteers), please visit our Community News page.

The Tribute WTC Visitor Center has been selected as one of the 
beneficiaries of the first educational firefighting seminar presented 
by BullEx Digital Safety and the NY Fire Rescue Training Group.  
Please click here for more information.

Big Ax Looming at the FDNY: Threat of 1,000 Layoffs, Closing of 62 Fire  
Companies
Published: March 11, 2010 l  NY Daily News

The FDNY is bracing for doomsday. The department will be forced to close a 
staggering 62 fire companies and lay  off more than 1,000 firefighters if the 
bad-news state budget becomes reality,  Commissioner Salvatore Cassano 
told the City Council Wednesday.  More>

Firefighters Union, Elected Officials Denounce Firehouse Closures
By: March 10, 2010  l  NY1 News

New York City Fire Department officials say they are going forward with 
their budgets cuts, even as City Council members vowed to fight the 
closing of fire companies.  More>

Obama to nominate ex-Army general to head TSA
Published: March 8, 2010  l  Washington (CNN)

President Obama has tapped a former Army general to lead the Transportation 
Security Administration, sources have told CNN.  Obama plans to nominate 
Robert A. Harding, a retired major general with 33 years in the Army, to 
become the TSA administrator, sources said. More>

TSA hopes scanners can let you keep your shoes on
By Thomas Frank
Published: March 4, 2010 l USA Today

The Transportation Security Administration is reviving an idea that aims to 
take one of the biggest hassles  out of airport security: removing your shoes 
at a checkpoint.  More>

Commissioner slams  airport body scanners 
Published: January 28, 2010

(BRUSSELS)  - The nominee to become the EU's top justice official slammed 
Thursday the  quick introduction of body scanners at airports, saying the 
devices could  invade travellers' privacy.  More>

Body scanners are headed to 11 major airports     
WASHINGTON — Eleven major airports will begin using body scanners to 
screen passengers as the Transportation Security Administration launches a    
plan to buy 1,000 of the machines over the next two years. The scanners 
can look under passengers' clothing in order to detect weapons and 
explosives.  More>

Meet the DOJ Lawyers Who Defended Terrorist Detainees
By Thomas Joscelyn, www.weeklystandard.com
Published: March 3, 2010

As the  controversy heats up over the DOJ lawyers who once represented, 
or advocated on  behalf of, al Qaeda and Taliban members, it is worth taking 
a quick look at their body of work.  More>

Airports 'Wide Open'  to Terrorist Attack 
Published: The Sunday Telegraph (Australia) l  February 28, 2010

Gaping holes have  been identified in Australia's  air security system that 
could allow terrorists to plant bombs on planes or steal aircraft to turn 
them into flying weapons. Up to 40 regional  airports have been assessed 
as having "minimal" security in an audit  of air infrastructure and practices.
More>

Song-and-dance Bollywood makes room for 9/11-inspired  films          
By  Rama Lakshmi, Sunday, March 7, 2010

NEW DELHI -- An Indian Muslim in the  United States  downloads the travel 
itinerary of President George W. Bush, packs his backpack  and arrives at 
an airport quietly chanting "Allah." As nervous  passengers remove their 
shoes, belts and jackets at a security point, the man  is singled out for 
a search and interrogation. More>

Brother to the Bravest 
Published: NY Post March 5, 2010   

New York's Bravest honored  a fallen Marine this week, bestowing the title  
of honorary firefighter on Sgt.  Christopher Hrbek. Hrbek, who was killed in 
Afghanistan's  Helmand Province  in January after  three combat tours in 
Iraq, had been accepted to begin  training with the  FDNY -- but 
deferred enrolling twice to continue fighting  overseas. More>

Air traffic controller, supervisor on leave after kids talk to pilots 
Published: March 3, 2010

Washington (CNN) -- An air traffic controller and his supervisor are under 
investigation  because the controller allegedly brought his two small children 
into the  control tower and allowed them to speak with pilots on an air 
traffic control  frequency. More>

'Miracle on the Hudson' Pilot Sullenberger Retires: 
Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, 'Miracle on the  Hudson' pilot,  
retires after 30 years

By Mitch Weiss and Samantha Bomkamp, Associated Press 
Published: March 3, 2010 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Captain Chesley  "Sully" Sullenberger has flown his 
final flight. The pilot who  landed a US Airways plane safely on the Hudson 
River last January said Wednesday he is retiring after 30 years and plans to 
spend  some of his time pressing for more flight safety.  More>

Obama Aides Near Reversal on 9/11 Trials:
Advisers may urge using military tribunals instead of civilian courts
By Anne E. Kornblut and Peter Finn, The Washington Post

President Obama's advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik 
Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, 
be prosecuted in a military tribunal, administration officials said, a step that 
would reverse Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.'s plan to try him in civilian 
court in New York City.  More>

Pentagon Gunman Dies after Shootout with Police 
Published: March 5, 2010 l  Washington (CNN)

A man who was shot after calmly opening fire on two Pentagon police officers 
died early Friday, authorities said. The gunman was John Patrick Bedell, a law 
enforcement source said. At a Friday morning news conference, Pentagon 
Police Chief Richard S. Keevill referred to him only as Bedell.  More>

Top Taliban leader arrested in Pakistan  
Published: March 5, 2010 l  Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN)          

A top Taliban leader has been arrested in the southern Pakistani port city of  
Karachi, a senior Pakistani military official told CNN. The official did not say 
when or how Agha Jan Motasim was detained. More>

Eagle Grove recognizes Aaron  Eilerts’ legacy 
By Lindsey Mutchler, Messenger staff writer l  Published: February 25, 2010

Eagle Grove, Iowa -  It only takes one random act of kindness to create a 
ripple effect.  A smile. Holding a door for someone. Stopping to  say hello.
Aaron Eilerts is one small rock whose sense of  service to his community 
created a wave of service in Eagle Grove.Eilerts’ spirit of service never left, 
even though  he died from injuries sustained in a tornado that hit the Little 
Sioux Boy  Scout Ranch in 2008.

And yesterday, on his 16th birthday, the  community of Eagle Grove gathered 
together at the Robert Blue   Middle School to honor  him during the second 
annual Aaron Eilerts Day of Service and Giving.  More>

Medford Lakes plans special 9/11 memorial
By Jeremy Rosen  l  Published: Courier-Post March 3, 2010

A seven-member committee created by the borough fire company, in  part, 
to raise $50,000 to landscape and light the circle, replace a cracking walkway 
with cobblestone, install four benches and mount a half-wall as a base for 
the steel relic. The  project, intended to be completed by next year's 10th 
anniversary of  the 9/11 terrorist attack, is to enhance the appeal of the 
often overlooked  veterans' memorial circle at Stokes Road and Minnetonka 
Trail.  More>

Sept. 11 memorial taps ex-Port official for key role    
Published: Crain’s, March 03, 2010

The National September  11 Memorial & Museum has tapped James Connors 
to oversee the museum’s  design and construction department. The move 
comes at a time when there are  growing worries about whether it will be 
able to open by the 10th anniversary  of the attack as scheduled. More>

Congressman Nadler Calls for an Independent Investigation into the 
2001 Anthrax Attacks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jerrold Nadler  (D-NY), Chair of the House 
Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil  Rights and Civil Liberties, 
reiterated his call for an independent  investigation into the 2001 anthrax 
attacks which killed five people and sickened 17.  More>

‘Invincible’ Taleban routed in raids on border camps
By Anthony Loyd in Peshawar, The Times of London
Published: March 1, 2010

Significant leaders of the Pakistani Taleban have been killed or captured in 
an onslaught of frontier ground and air attacks, a Pakistani general has 
told The Times.  More>

Al Qaeda Growing in Strength in North Africa  
Published: March 1, 2010, Associated Press 

WASHINGTON —   Al Qaeda's terror network in North Africa is growing  
more active and attracting  new recruits, threatening to further  
destabilize the continent's already  vulnerable Sahara region,  
according to U.S. defense and counterterrorism officials. More>

Holder: Location for 9/11 Trial Expected  ‘Relatively Soon,’ 
NYC Still an Option
By Ray Storez, The Public Record, CT  l  Published: Feb. 24, 2010

With attempted terrorist Najibullah Zazi pleading  guilty to three criminal 
charges before a federal judge in New   York, Attorney General Eric Holder 
says that Zazi’s case proves  that the US  Justice Department can 
effectively prosecute terrorists. More>

Frustrated Strivers in Pakistan Turn to Jihad
By Sabrina Tavernise and Waqar Gillani
Published: February 27, 2010  l  New York Times

LAHORE, Pakistan — Umar Kundi was his  parents’ pride, an ambitious young 
man from a small town who made it to medical  school in the big city. It 
seemed like a story of working-class success, living  proof in this unequal 
society that a telephone operator’s son could become a doctor.  But things 
went wrong along the way. On campus Mr. Kundi fell in with a hard-line  
Islamic group. More>

Wellington To  Build ‘Patriot Memorial’
By Lauren Miró l  Published: January 29 2010

The Wellington Village Council granted approval Tuesday, Jan. 26 for a 
“patriot memorial” that will honor the victims of 9/11 and serve as the entry 
focal  point to the new municipal center on Forest Hill Blvd.  More>

Plans for a Warren Township  9-11 Memorial Are Moving Forward 
By Frank Coelho, Independent Press l  Published: February 18, 2010  
WARREN  TWP. — If all goes according to plan, 10 years to the day of the  
tragic  events of September 11, 2001, a good portion of our community will  
be present  at the unveiling ceremony of a 9-11 Memorial monument in  
downtown Warren. More>

Eagle Scout Candidate Creates Unique 9/11 Memorial 
Reported by Mark Jenkins  l  Published: Sunday, February 21, 2010 
               
WINDERMERE -- A 15-year-old Eagle Scout candidate has caused quite a 
commotion with his one-of-a-kind tribute to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 
attacks.More than eight years and 1,100 miles removed from Ground Zero, 
the new monument was dedicated Saturday outside Windermere City Hall.
The display’s centerpiece is a 650-pound steel beam, taken directly from 
the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York.  More>

Convictions Overturned in Bronx  Firefighter Deaths
By Sam Dolnick, NY Times l  Published:February 23, 2010

A Bronx judge on Tuesday overturned the convictions of the owner and 
former owner of a building where two firefighters  died in 2005 after leaping 
from  a window to escape the flames. More>

Pentagon Memorial Fund President on CFC 
Published: February 18, 2010                 
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 18,  2010) -- For the sixth year in  
a row, the Army in the nation's capital has  contributed more than $3 million  
to the Combined Federal Campaign, the world's  largest annual workplace  
charity program. More>

Obama Administration Proposes Coast Guard Consolidation:
Sen. Schumer & Community  Board 1 members see threat to NYC 
security: By Terese Loeb Kreuzer, Daily Broadsheet   
Published: Friday, Feb. 19, 2010
 
In the aftermath of 9/11, small, fast, orange-hulled vessels armed with        
machine guns  were stationed in New York  harbor and elsewhere around        
the country by the Department of Homeland Security.  Now, as a 
cost-saving measure, the Obama Administration has proposed reducing 
the New York Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) that patrols 
New York harbor and consolidating the Coast Guard's eastern operations 
in Boson.  New York politicians and community groups are protesting the 
proposal. More>

Weiner wants funds for 9/11 mom:
By Anna Gustafson l Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010

Howard Beach  resident Dorie Pearlman is tired of waiting for justice.
When her only son, 18-year-old Richard Pearlman, died Sept. 11, 2001, 
after  responding to the city Fire Department’s call for help from trained 
emergency  personnel, she was able to take some comfort in the following 
years with the  thought that the federal government would honor the 
member of the Forest Hills  Volunteer Ambulance Corps as a hero.
This, she said, has yet to happen. More>

Family Members Push for Legislation in Wake of 3407 Crash:
By: Katie Morse
Published: Monday, February 8, 2010 l  Your News Now, Buffalo 
  
Immediately after the crash of Flight 3407, family members began a quest  
for change. They pointed out the problems within the airline industry that 
could have played a role and set out to improve things.  More>

Activist's case will test U.S. anti-terrorism law:
By David G. Savage
Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010  l  Los AngelesTimes

USC  professor Ralph Fertig says he's protected under the 1st Amendment 
for advocating for the Kurdish minority in Turkey, whose political party has 
been designated a terrorist group by the U.S.  More>

Quinnipiac Poll results on the trials February 18, 2010:
Move the 9/11 terrorist trials out of Lower Manhattan, New York City 
voters say 68 - 25 percent, with no group opposed to moving the trials.                                   
The trials should be held somewhere in New York State, 42 percent of                
voters say, as 44 percent say get them out of New York State.                               
The 9/11 terrorism suspects should be tried as enemy combatants in                
military courts, 56 percent of New York City voters say, while 36 percent                
say they should be tried as criminals in civilian courts. Manhattan voters                
tip 48 - 46 percent in favor of criminal courts, but feeling in the other                
boroughs is strong in favor of military courts.  More>

Tuesday's Children Says Move the Terror Trials Away from NYC: 
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010  l   PRNewswire               

MANHASSET,  N.Y. - Tuesday's Children, the family services organization        
serving  the needs of those directly affected by the terrorist attacks of        
9/11/2001, announced  today that it strongly opposes holding the trial of      
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9/11 terror suspects in NYC.  More>

Officials: Captured Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is 
providing 'useful information':
By Richard Sisk Daily News Washington Bureau 
Published: Wed., February  17, 2010

WASHINGTON -  The captured No. 2 Taliban commander, in the hands of 
none-too-gentle Pakistani intelligence agents, is  already giving up "useful 
information," U.S. and Afghan sources said Tuesday.  More>

Section  of Roadway Near Pentagon Expected to Be Renamed: 
By Scott McCaffrey, SunGazette l  Published: Tuesday, February 16, 2010               

The section of Virginia Route 27 adjacent to the Pentagon could soon be        
known as  the “9/11 Heroes Memorial Highway,”  if the state Senate goes       
 along with legislation approved unanimously by the  House of Delegates.              
The legislation is patroned by Del. Bob Brink (D-48th), to honor  those who        
responded to the Pentagon after the terrorist attack on Sept. 11,  2001.        
Brink said it would be a “fitting tribute,” especially with the 10th anniversary        
of the attack on the horizon.  More>

Devastating Jackson Heights  Fire Could Have Turned Fatal Under 
Bloomberg's Proposed Budget Cuts: 
By Nicholas Hirshon, NY Daily News l  Published: Wed., February 17, 2010

The blaze that destroyed several Jackson Heights businesses last Saturday 
could have turned fatal under the mayor's proposed cuts to fire companies, 
local leaders warned.  More>

Pork or Protection? Follow the money in your community to fight 
terrorism:  
By G.W. Schulz, Center for Investigative Reporting
Published: Monday, February 15, 2010

Nearly $70,000 worth of surveillance gear left unused in its original 
packaging by a county north of San Francisco. A $2,300 plasma TV for  
university cops. More than $1.3 million spent without maintaining proper  
documentation to show where it went. Millions more in bomb-disposal 
robots and  new communications systems bought from suppliers who 
weren’t forced to compete.  The biggest mistake any reporter could make 
now is to assume that the best homeland security stories already have 
been done.  More>

‘Hero’ K-9 put down:
 By Kathleen Brady Shea  l  Philadelphia Inquirer

When his longtime K9 partner began barking incessantly on Wednesday, 
a Chester County police chief knew something was terribly wrong. Such  
behavior was out of character for Ricky, who worked at Ground Zero. After 
visits to the veterinarian and the animal hospital, Martinez learned the 
reason for the dog's distress: a softball-size tumor in his spleen.  More>

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Disagrees with Vice President Biden on 
9/11  Trial Costs:
Associated Press l  Published: February 16, 2010

NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been  lobbying against a New 
York City trial of Sept.  11 suspects, citing the cost and disruption to 
downtown Manhattan. More>

Flight 3407 crash anniversary observed with walk in Buffalo:
By Associated Press  l  Published: February  12, 2010

CLARENCE,  N.Y -- The Newark-to-Buffalo trip of Continental Connection 
Flight 3407 ended  tragically early in a fiery crash into a home last 
Feb. 12. Now, relatives and friends of the  passengers killed plan to 
complete the journey.  More>

When  politics sound the alarm on national security:
By Fred Hiatt  l  Published: Monday, February 15, 2010

John Brennan, who is deputy national security adviser for homeland security 
and counterterrorism, wrote in USA Today that critics of Obama's handling 
of the would-be Christmas Day bomber were "misrepresenting the facts 
to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe."  
"Politics should never get in the way of national security," Brennan wrote.  
More>

After 9/11 Trial Plan, Holder Hones Political Ear:
 By Jodi Kantor and Charlie Savage, New York Times
 Published: February 16. 2010

Holder's plan — to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described architect 
of the Sept. 11 attacks, in federal court in Manhattan — collapsed before it 
even began, after support from the public and local officials withered. Now  
Mr. Holder has switched from resisting what he had considered encroachment 
by White House political officials to seeking their guidance. More>

Lawmakers Say Queens Fire Proves Cuts Should Be Shelved:
By: NY1 News l  Published: February 15, 2010

While speaking to reporters at the scene Monday, Councilman Daniel Dromm  
and Assemblyman Jose Peralta said the safety of residents should outweigh 
any  decision to shutter city firehouses.  More>

Obama  will help select location of Khalid Sheik Mohammed terrorism 
trial: By Anne E. Kornblut and Carrie Johnson, Washington Post 
Published: Friday, February 12, 2010              

President Obama is planning  to insert himself into the debate about where        
to try the accused mastermind of  the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, three        
administration officials said Thursday,  signaling a recognition that the        
administration had mishandled the process and  triggered a political        
backlash.  More>

City  Council holds hearing on 9/11 terror trials; Public is invited to 
attend and to comment: Published: Friday, February 12, 2010

Despite almost unanimous opposition from politicians, community activists        
and Lower Manhattan residents, the Obama Administration still has not        
abandoned  plans to hold the trials of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the        
self-proclaimed  mastermind of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack,        
and four accomplices, at  the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl St. in        
Lower Manhattan. More>

Holder Open to Holding Terror Trials before a Military Tribunal:
Published: February 13, 2010  l NY1                 

Attorney General Eric Holder says he's leaving open the possibility of holding 
the September 11th terror trial before a military  commission, instead of in 
Lower Manhattan.  More>

FDNY Celebrates Graduation for Two:
By: Amanda Farinacci, NY1  l  Published: February 11, 2010

A total of 23 firefighters and fire officers were  promoted Thursday at 
the Fire Academy. But the loudest  cheers were for probationary 
firefighters Anthony Lombardo and Julio Rosas - the only two in the 
latest Fire Academy class. More>

Loved Ones Mark One Year Since Upstate Plane Crash:
By: NY1  News

February 12, 2010 marks one year since Continental Connection Flight 3407 
crashedinto a home upstate, killing 49 people on board and one person on 
the ground. The plane took off from Newark  and was en route to Buffalo 
when it crashed in Clarence, New York.  More>

Aerial Photos of Trade Center on 9/11 Released:
By The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Newly released aerial photographs of the World  Trade Center terror 
attack capture the towers’ collapse, from just after the first fiery plane 
strike to the dust clouds that spread over Lower Manhattan and New 
York harbor. More>

9/11 Plaques Rescued from Trash:
By Tom Topousis, The New York Post
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010

NEW YORK, N.Y. - There'll be little room for history in Anderson Cooper's  
new home. Before he bought his century-old firehouse in Greenwich 
Village, bronze plaques honoring members of Fire Patrol 2 who died in the 
line of duty - including on 9/11 - were stripped from the building to make 
it easier to sell. The plaques were rescued from a pile of trash by Arnie 
Roma, whose son, Keith, a member of  the fire patrol that worked out 
of the building, died on Sept. 11, 2001, rescuing people from the World 
Trade Center. More>

Justice Dept. official Gary Grindler says New York City 9/11 KSM   
terror trial 'not off table':
By James Gordon Meek, DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU 
Published: Tuesday,  February 2, 2010      

WASHINGTON - The Justice  Department's No. 2 official says aManhattan  
9/11 trial is "not off the  table," despite the collapse of support from city  
leaders - and the White House. More>

N.Y. Judge Quietly Steers Only Active Civilian  Prosecution of 
Ex-Guantanamo Detainee:
Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010

As the debate over where  and how to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and 
his alleged fellow 9/11 conspirators  rages on, one judge is quietly 
handling the only active civilian prosecution of  a former Guantanamo 
detainee. More>

New Aerial Photos of 9/11  Attack Released:
By Ula  Ilnytzky and Colleen Long, Associated Press 
Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010

NEW YORK — A trove of aerial photographs of the collapsing World Trade 
Center  was widely released this week, offering a rare and chilling view 
from the  heavens of the burning twin towers and the apocalyptic shroud 
of smoke and dust  that settled over the city. The images were taken 
from a police helicopter — the only photographers  allowed in the 
airspace near the skyscrapers on Sept. 11, 2001. They were obtained by 
ABC after it filed a Freedom of Information Act request last year with the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the federal agency that 
investigated the collapse. The chief curator of the planned Sept. 11 
museum pronounced the pictures “a  phenomenal body of work.”   More>

Poll: Americans don't want 9/11 terror trials in New York - or any court:
By Richard Sisk and Thomas M. Defrank with Michael Mcauliff
Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010  l DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - It's not just New Yorkers who don't want terror thugs tried 
in their backyard. A majority of Americans also disagree with President Obama's  
plan to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in civilian courts, a 
Quinnipiac University poll found.  More>

Partisan Rancor Follows Terrorism Announcement
Intelligence chiefs warns of imminent al Qaeda attacks:
By Alex Kingsbury
Published: Monday, February 8, 2010 l  US News & World Report

In their annual threat briefing for legislators last week, the administration's 
top intelligence experts ran through a long list of adversaries, from a 
theocratic Iran obfuscating on its nuclear intentions, to a crumbling North 
Korean military increasingly reliant on a nuclear deterrent, to unknown 
cyberfoes capable of wreaking havoc on the nation's power grids and 
financial systems.  More>

Billion dollar nightmare looms as Obama refuses to rule out holding              
9/11  terror trials in NYC: 
By Kenneth R. Bazinet, DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU               
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010

The feds may still try the 9/11 terror thugs near Ground Zero, President 
Obama said yesterday, shocking critics. "I have not ruled it out, but I think 
it's important for us to take into  account the practical, logistical issues 
involved," Obama told CBS News anchor Katie Couric. More>

Families of 9/11 victims say forget politics;  justice needs to come 
soon in terror trial: 
By James Gordon Meek, Daily News Washington Bureau               
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010

WASHINGTON - They have their differences, but many relatives of 9/11                
victims agree on one thing: It's long past time to can the politics and put              
the thugs behind the attacks on trial. More>

City Council To Hold  Hearing On Proposed Terror Trials:
By: NY1 News

The City Council is stepping into the controversy over the upcoming 
September 11th terror trials with plans to announce today a hearing on 
the federal government's plans to hold the trials in Lower Manhattan. More>

Downtown trial site dying but not yet dead:
Published: Friday, February 5, 2010 l  Downtown Express

The plan to try five 9/11 suspects in Lower Manhattan appears to still be in  
doubt but not dead. At the end of last week, several news organizations, 
citing unnamed Obama administration officials, reported that a decision has 
been made  to find another location for a civilian trial, but officials speaking 
on the record have steadfastly refused to confirm the reports.  More>

White House: No decision yet on  moving 9/11 trial: 
Published: Sunday, January 31, 2010 
CNN's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report.

Washington (CNN) -- No decision has been made on whether to change 
the current plan to hold the September 11 terrorist attack trial in a civilian 
court in lower Manhattan, White House officials said Sunday.  More>

Update: Terror trials for Lower Manhattan?
City Council resolution suggests that issue is unresolved:

By Terese Loeb Kreuzer, Daily Broadsheet l  Friday, February 5, 2010
Around 8 p.m. last Friday, it looked as though people opposed to Lower                     
Manhattan trials for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed                
mastermind of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack, and four                
accomplices, could breathe easier. A headline in The New York Times                
of Jan. 29 stated "9/11 Trial to Be Moved from New York City. More>

Interagency teams can now question terror suspects:
By Walter Pincus and Carrie Johnson, Washington Post

Interagency interrogation teams have started to question key terrorism 
suspects under a classified  charter approved last week, but authorities 
have been slower to resolve  pressing issues that emerged since 
Christmas - including how to draw the line  between gathering intelligence 
and building a legal case, according to federal  officials and experts 
following the process.  More>

State Concerned Over Safety Of Deutsche Bank Building Demolition:
By: NY1 News 

As demolition of the former Deutsche Bank building goes on, the state is  
concerned about growing safety issues at the tower.  According to the 
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, city records show a  series 
of potentially-deadly mistakes at the building over the past three  
months.  More>

Deconstruction Update for 130 Liberty Street (Deutsche Bank Building):
The formerly 40-story building's decontamination process began in early 2006, 
with the erection of scaffolding and elevator hoists and new netting around the 
building’s exterior. Cleaning and removal of interior surfaces and non-structural    
elements in the building followed. More>

Contract Approved for Central Element of 9/11 Memorial:
Published: Wednesday, February 03, 2010

A central element of the September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero moved 
forward  today. The Port Authority approved an $11.7 million contract 
for the parapets  and bronze railings that will surround both waterfalls 
at the memorial.  More>

Intelligence  chiefs say another terror attempt in U.S. is 'certain':
Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Washington (CNN) - Another attempted terrorist attack on the United 
States  in coming months is "certain," the heads of major U.S intelligence  
agencies told a Senate committee Tuesday.  More>

Why the 9/11 trial  belongs in New York
By Peter Bergen and Karen  Greenberg, Special to CNN 
Published: Thursday, February 4, 2010

New York City (CNN) -- Obama administration officials, apparently bowing 
to political pressure,  said over the weekend they are considering moving 
the trial of Khalid Sheikh  Mohammed, the accused operational commander 
of the 9/11 attacks,  out of New York City. More>

Town of George Washington's HQ could be 9/11 trial site:
By Wayne Drash, CNN  l  Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010  

(CNN) --  Newburgh, New York, was a main military headquarters for 
George  Washington during the American Revolution. More recently, 
authorities say, it  was the birthplace of a foiled terrorist plot. If  Mayor 
Nick Valentine gets his way, the town of 30,000 will host the terror trial 
of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged  
accomplices.  More>

Senators push  legislation to pull funding for civilian 9/11 trial:
Published: Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Washington (CNN) -- Several senators announced legislation Tuesday 
that would cut off funding for the federal trial of alleged 9/11  mastermind 
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four accused accomplices, saying the five  
should be tried in a military court.  More>

Joint Statement by Manhattan Elected Officials on Mayor Bloomberg’s  
Manhattan Elected Officials Urge U.S. Attorney General to  Conduct  
Comprehensive Evaluation of 9/11 Trial Sites and Request Meeting:
please click here to the letter written to the U.S. Attorney General on 
January 28, 2010.  More>

Pile-On Against Lower Manhattan 9/11 Trial:    
By Eliot Brown l Published: Friday, January 29, 2010

More than two months after Attorney General Eric Holder initially announced 
that Lower Manhattan would  play host to the trial for five accused 
conspirators of the 9/11 attacks, resistance—suddenly—has mushroomed. 
More>

New Yorkers Express Concern Following Congressional Meeting with                
HHS on 9/11 Health Bill:
Published: Thursday, January 28, 2010 l Washington, D.C.

Members of the New York Congressional delegation met with Health and 
Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss the federal 
government’s programs to provide medical treatment and monitoring to 
those who are sick because of the 9/11 attacks. The representatives also 
discussed with Secretary Sebelius the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, 
legislation to make federal 9/11 health programs permanent and reopen the 
federal Victim Compensation Fund – a bill for which President Obama 
expressed support during the 2008 campaign. More>

Mayor's Budget to Cut 16 Firehouses: 
Talk about the possibility of closing 16 fire companies overshadowed 
Wednesday's EMT graduation ceremony on Randalls Island where  
newly-installed Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano admitted the  
department is facing some tough choices as it seeks to trim nearly 
$100 million from its budget. More>

Feds Offer $200 Million To Terror Trial's Hosting City:   
By: NY1 News

As federal officials searched for a location for the trial of the 
September 11th terror attack suspects, the Obama administration reportedly 
offered Saturday a $200 million fund for security costs for any city willing 
to host the trial.  More>

Bloomberg Wants Terror Trial Moved:
By Al Baker, New York Times
Published: Wednesday, January 27, 2010

For the first time, Mayor Michael  R. Bloomberg has spoken out against 
plans to stage the trial of Khalid Shaikh  Mohammed, accused mastermind 
of the Sept. 11 attacks, at the federal courthouse  in Lower Manhattan, 
joining a growing chorus  of people who believe the epic trial will be too 
disruptive and expensive for  the city.  More>

Worried Downtown residents sound off to Community Board 1: 
Terrorism trials and school zoning  draw standing-room-only crowd 
to monthly CB1 meeting:On Wednesday, Jan. 27, the monthly meeting of  
Community Board 1's full board packed the Downtown  Community Center 
on Warren Street with people worried about having terrorism trials in Lower 
Manhattan and  with parents concerned about how Downtown schools will 
be zoned for the  upcoming school year. More>

Ruling Sets Back Developer of Trade Center  Site:
By Charles V. Bagli, New   York Times
Published: Wednesday, January 27, 2010

An arbitration panel has  ruled against the developer Larry Silverstein on a 
series of critical issues involving rebuilding  three office towers at ground 
zero, including his request for free rent and  $2.75 billion in damages from 
the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,  which owns the 16-acre 
site.  More>

Terrorist Trial Report Card: The Center on Law and Security at NYU 
School of Law has released its latest Terrorist Trial Report Card (TTRC), 
its most comprehensive analysis of the prosecutions of the 828 defendants 
in terrorism cases since September 11, 2001. More>

9/11 Health Care Bill Could Get Boost in Congress
By Ari Paul, The Chief Leader l  Published: January 2010

The medical centers treating the thousands of 9/11 responders as well 
as lower Manhattan residents and workers suffering from  respiratory 
ailments and mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder 
survive on annual appropriations funding from Congress. Already a 
precarious situation, the financial crisis makes things shaker, which is 
why advocates are intensifying their push for a more reliable funding 
source. More>

For 9/11 Team, Haiti  Brings It All Back: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A pile
of rubble is  a pile of rubble, whether it isLower Manhattan or central 
Port-au-Prince. As a New York rescue team combed the wreckage of last 
week’s earthquake in search of long-shot survivors on Monday, some said  
one particular past disaster — the collapsed World Trade Center towers — 
was not  far back in their minds. More>

Homeland Security Chairman Thompson Writes Obama about Terror 
Attack 
Mon., January 11, 2010 (WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, 
Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to 
President Barack Obama detailing the problems with our national security 
infrastructure which need to be addressed and reformed following the 
terrorist attack on December 25.  A link to the letter is below.  More>

A Message from the National  Air Disaster Alliance/Foundation 
(NADA/F): As we enter the New Year and a new decade, hopefully the 
recent failed aviation terrorist attack will serve as a "wake up call" that  
more must be done to improve Aviation Security. For hundreds of our 
members  whose loved ones were murdered by terrorist bombs and 
preventable disasters this is all a painful reminder.  More>

Authority Seeks Bids for Partner on Tower:
By Charles V. Bagli, The New York Times l Published: Sunday, January 3, 2010

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey wants to sell the skyscraper, 
the former Freedom  Tower, known now by its original name, 1 World Trade 
Center.  More>

Feds order toughest airport security rules ever, with extra measures: 
for terror-prone nations: By Michael Saul, Daily News  

The Feds issued the toughest airport security rules ever for U.S.-bound  
passengers Sunday, ordering patdowns, body scans and other new  
screenings for most fliers  Airport security officials ordered "enhanced" 
screenings for all passengers  from a group of terror-prone nations - and 
plenty of others as well.  More>

Name Reading of Those Who Have Died from World Trade
Center-Related Illnesses: On  Tuesday, January 5, 2009, at 11:00am, 
first responders and recovery workers  from the aftermath of 
September 11, 2001 gathered at World Trade Center 7 and read the names 
of the more than one  hundred recovery workers, residents of lower 
Manhattan and others who have died of illnesses caused by the attacks. 
More>

Court Upholds Conviction in 9/11 Case:
Published: Monday, January 4, 2010, The New York Times

A federal appeals court on Monday upheld the conviction of the only person 
who has been tried in a United States court on charges of involvement in 
the Sept. 11 attacks.  More>

World Trade Center Families for Proper Burial, Inc. v. City of New York:
UPON CONSIDERATION WHEREOF, IT  IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, 
AND  DECREED that the judgment of the District Court is AFFIRMED. 
Plaintiffs-appellants  ("plaintiffs") appeal from a July 7, 2008 order of the        
District Court  dismissing their claims against defendants-appellees        
("defendants" or  "the City"). Plaintiffs are the next of kin of victims of        
the  September 11, 2001 attacks on the World  Trade Center  in New York  
and a non-profit organization purporting to represent approximately 1100  
families who lost relatives on that day whose remains were never recovered.  
Their complaint sought declaratory and injunctive relief for alleged violations  
of their rights to due process of law, denial of their  rights to free exercise  
of their religious beliefs, and violations of New York state law. More>

Massachusetts 9/11 Fund Seeks Family Members for
Ninth Anniversary Planning Committee:

The  Commemoration Planning Committee steers the decision-making for 
Boston’s anniversary  ceremonies and events. Committee meetings would 
begin in March, 2010 and meet  monthly until August, when meetings will 
occur more frequently.

Meetings  are usually held at the Massachusetts  9/11 Fund offices and 
tend to last about an hour and a half.

For  more information or to join the Committee, please contact Erica Cabag 
at Erica.cabag@massfund.org or call her  at 617-482-8153.

Massachusetts 9/11 Fund 
727 Atlantic Avenue, 3rd floor
Boston, MA   02111

Hero collection heads to 9/11 museum:
By John Johnston, Cincinnati.com | Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Tanya Hoggard started collecting letters, cards and artwork sent by children 
to New York City firefighters  and rescue workers eight years ago in the 
aftermath of 9/11.  She eventually collected nearly 3 tons of such tributes 
and couldn't bear to  throw  any of it away, which will now be sent to 
New York City where they will eventually be displayed at the National 
September 11 Memorial  & Museum at the World Trade Center. More>

Napolitano responds to surge of homegrown terrorism cases:
By Sebastian Rotella , LA Times | Publsihed: Saturday, December 19, 2009

Responding  to a surge of terrorism cases involving American suspects, 
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says her department is 
deploying more intelligence analysts nationwide and expanding teams that 
do outreach with Muslim communities. More>

Wreaths at Pentagon Memorial May Begin New Tradition:
By C. Todd Lopez

WASHINGTON (12/14/09) - On the western side of the  Pentagon, at the        
memorial to those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001,  terrorist attack,        
volunteers had mounted 184 evergreen wreaths on the fence --  one for        
each person who died there.  More>

Middle Township man, 80, brings flag to Pearl Harbor:
By Brian Ianieri | Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP - Two days before Roland Bebler's 80th birthday, he        
boarded a plane Dec. 3 for a  17-hour trip to Hawaii, sitting in coach and        
breathing through a tracheotomy tube. Bebler's health was a concern for  
him and family, but heading to Pearl Harbor had been his mission for nearly 
six years. "I said, ‘I'm going to be  80. How long am I going to live? 
So I'm going to go hell or high water,'"  Bebler said Monday from his 
home in Middle Township.  More>

Michael Chertoff: Human Failure Let Would-Be Bomber on Plane:
By Kevin Manahan | Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009 
                         
Michael Chertoff, a New Jersey native and  former U.S. Attorney for the 
state, was Secretary of Homeland Security from  2005 to 2009. He now 
operates a security consulting firm. Chertoff spoke with Kevin Manahan 
of The Star-Ledger editorial board about last week’s failed attempt to blow 
up a Northwest  Airlines flight, the investigation into the incident and how 
the nation’s  security procedures may change as a result. More>

Major Homeland Security Challenges and Initiatives of 2009: 
Published: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 

The year which ends tomorrow saw many homeland security-related    
challenges – the short list would include more cybersecurity attacks on   
U.S. (and European) infrastructure, military, and commercial assets;     
more  wide-spread flooding and more intense storms; North Korea openly  
testing  nuclear weapons, and Iran continuing its determined march    
toward the bomb;  intensified war against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan      
and Afghanistan; and  renewed threats to air travel, as exemplified by 
the Nigerian terrorist’s  attempt to bring down a commercial airline over     
Detroit; DHS launched many  initiatives, and re-fashioned many existing      
policies, to meet these and other challenges. More>

Relatives of 9/11 Victims Ask Appeals Court to Move Ground Zero
Debris from Landfill to Burial Site:
By Alison Gendar, Daily News | Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Relatives of 9/11 victims asked an appeals court Wednesday to force 
the city to move tons of Ground Zero debris from the Staten Island landfill 
to a proper burial  site.  The families contend the debris includes remains of 
loved ones, while the city says there is nothing identifiable there - and it 
would cost too much to move it away from household trash.  More>

Senate Bill # S5346 and  City Council Resolution# 43-2006  to
Recognize Retired  Firefighters Killed on September 11, 2001 as
Firefighters: Bill # S5346/A7464 has been  introduced in the NY State 
Senate to reinstate Captain James J. Corrigan, Firefighter  Phil Hayes, 
and Firefighter William Wren, all of whom were killed on 
September 11,  2001, to active-duty FDNY status.  More>

9/11 widow talks with Free Press:
By Bill Laitner, Free Press Staff Writer
Published: Sun., December 13, 2009

Kia  Pavloff-Pecorelli said she still battles paralyzing grief after the loss 
of her  husband, Thomas Pecorelli, who died aboard American Airlines 
Flight 11 when it  crashed into the World Trade Center's Tower One on 
9/11.

A nearby memorial would reopen the wounds, she said.  More>

Wreath Display Honors Victims of September 11th:
By: NY1 News | Published: Sunday, December 13, 2009

More than 3,000 holiday wreaths are now on display in Battery Park for 
September 11th victims and military personnel from the city who've been 
killed since the terror attacks.  More>

A Press release from the National  September 11 Memorial & Museum:
HISTORIC “LAST COLUMN” PERMANENTLY INSTALLED  AT THE WORLD 
TRADE CENTER  SITE RECEIVES A $200,000 PRESERVATION GRANT:

The National September 11 Memorial  & Museum announced that it 
received a Save America’s Treasures grant  totaling $200,000 to help 
preserve the iconic “Last Column” that will be on  permanent display in 
the Museum at the World Trade Center site.  More>

9/11 terror trial in NYC sparks protest:
By Jenny Tai, Washington Square News 
Published: Mon., December 7, 2009

More than 1,000 demonstrators rallied outside Manhattan's federal 
courthouse in the pummeling rain on Saturday, December 5, 2009.
For more than two hours, the group protested against the Obama 
administration's decision to  prosecute alleged Sept. 11 mastermind 
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other  suspected terrorists in New 
York City's civilian federal court.  More>

Muslim Prayers and Renewal Near Ground Zero:
By Ralph Blumenthal and Sharaf Mowjood | Published: December 8, 2009

The  Sept. 11, 2001, attack killed 2,752 people downtown and doomed the 
five-story  building at 45 Park Place, two blocks north of the WTC, keeping 
it abandoned for eight years. But for months now, out of the public eye, an 
iron gate rises every Friday  afternoon, and with the outside rumblings of 
construction at ground zero as a  backdrop, hundreds of Muslims crowd 
inside, facing Mecca in prayer and listening to their imam  read in Arabic 
from the Koran.  More>

Terror Trial: Grand Jury Video:

http://ny1.com/5-manhattan-news-content/top_stories/110155/report--
grand-jury-hearing-testimony-in-september-11th-case

For 9/11 Cases, a Short List of Lawyers:
By Benjamin Weiser, NY Times | Published: Monday, December 7, 2009

One lawyer calls it the “death list” — a cadre of  about 20 veteran 
defenselawyers in New York who have broad experience in death 
penalty and other complex criminal cases. And it is from this short list 
that lawyers are expected to be initially chosen to defend Khalid Shaikh 
Mohammed and others accused in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks when 
they arrive at the courthouse early next year.  More>

9/11 Families,  Supporters, Rally Against NY Trial:   
NEW YORK (CBS) ―  Published: Saturday, December 5, 2009 

Several hundred people rallied in the rain near Manhattan's federal 
courthouse   complex Saturday to protest the plan to put major 
terrorism suspects on trial in New York City. Demonstrators at the 
Saturday event included the actor  Brian Dennehy and a number of 
people who lost friends and relatives in the  9/11 attacks. More>

Angry 9/11 responders: President Obama  offers sympathy,
but no support:
By Michael Mcauliff, Daily News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Angry Sept. 11 responders say President Obama has 
offered sympathy but no  support for their appeal to champion their 
cause in Congress.  More>

America’s Camp 2009:
America’s Camp celebrated its 8th Anniversary this summer and is still 
going  strong.  For a second year, our attendance reached over 250  
children.  Parents and campers alike are singing their praises of yet  
another great summer. More>

Fiterman Hall Groundbreaking: Will provide classroom  and office 
space for Borough of Manhattan Community College: 
Mayor Michael Bloomberg led a host of politicians, educators, 
philanthropists   and a developer in ceremonial spadework today for the 
groundbreaking of  Borough  of Manhattan Community College's Fiterman 
Hall at 30 West Broadway. More>

“Muslim in NYC”series: Queens Imams Speak out Against Terrorism:
By: Ruschell Boone, NY1 News | Published: Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A largely-unknown coalition of imams in the city is confronting the dangers  
of radical Islam head-on during Friday prayers. More>

Help Hold the Door for Others win a prize!:
The September 11th family charity Hold the Door for Others honouring Ron 
Fazio has been entered in the Chase Community Giving Program. Chase is 
giving  away $5 million to a deserving nonprofit.  More>

Holder, Obama defend having 9/11 trial in N.Y.
Despite assurances, doubts are raised among families, lawmakers:
By Devlin Barrett, Associated Press 

Published: Thursday, November 19,  2009

WASHINGTON  - From opposite ends of the globe, President Obama and 
Attorney General Eric H.  Holder Jr. firmly rejected criticism yesterday of the 
planned New York trial of  the professed Sept. 11 mastermind and predicted 
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed would be  exposed as a murderous coward, 
convicted, and executed. More>

Terror Trials in U.S. Are A Worry: Classified Data Just One Hurdle:
By Jerry Markon, Washington Post Staff Writer        
Published: Friday, March 6, 2009          

When suspected al-Qaeda sleeper agent Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri was         
indicted  on criminal charges last week, the Obama administration said it         
was sending a  message that the U.S.  courts can deal with terror suspects. 
But Marri says he was subjected to painful stress positions, extreme sensory    
eprivation and violent threats and was denied access to lawyers when  
he was held in a military brig in South Carolina. More>

N.Y. terrorist trial raises stakes:
By: Josh Gerstein  l   Published: Friday, November 13, 2009   
    
The Obama administration’s decision to bring alleged Sept. 11 mastermind        
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York to face charges in acivilian federal        
court dramatically raises the profile of the 9/11 prosecution and increases        
the political stakes for President Barack Obama in the outcome of 
any trial. More>

Accused 9/11 plotter Khalid  Sheikh Mohammed faces New York trial:
Published: Friday, November 13, 2009

Washington  (CNN) -- Five Guantanamo Bay detainees with alleged ties 
to the  9/11 conspiracy, including accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh 
Mohammed, will be  transferred to New York to go on trial in civilian 
court, Attorney General Eric  Holder announced Friday. More>

Security threats inside and out for 9/11 trial:
NEW YORK – Hot sauce and a comb were all an al-Qaida suspect in New 
York needed to nearly kill one of his guards nine years ago. The bloody 
episode  suggests that security worries in bringing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 
and other 9/11 suspects to trial here could be just as big inside the 
courthouse as outside. Already, the U.S. marshals are promising the highest 
security possible — an acknowledgement of  how dangerous terrorism 
suspects have been in the past.  More>

Conviction of Sheik’s Lawyer for Assisting Terrorism Is Upheld: 
By Benjamin Weiser and John Eligon, New York Times 
Published: Saturday, November 17, 2009

A  federal appeals court panel in Manhattan on  Tuesday upheld the 
conviction of Lynne  F. Stewart, the outspoken defense lawyer who 
was found guilty in  2005 of assisting terrorism by smuggling information 
from an imprisoned client  to his violent followers in Egypt.  More>

Accused 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed faces New York trial:
Published: Friday, November 13,  2009

Washington (CNN) -- Five Guantanamo Bay detainees with alleged ties to 
the  9/11 conspiracy, including accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, 
will be  transferred to New York to go on trial in civilian court, Attorney 
General Eric  Holder announced Friday.  More>

Trial Venue Leaves 9/11 Families Angry or Satisfied:
By N. R. Kleinfield & Jack Healy, New York Times
Published: November 13, 2009

This  sharp duality of reactions greeted the news on Friday that the 
government would  have the accused plotters of the Sept. 11 attack stand 
trial in New York, in a solemn  federal courthouse a few brisk blocks from 
where two tall towers once stood and  then fell.  More>

Toobin: 9/11 trial  the 'biggest challenge' ever for federal courts:
Published: Friday, November 13, 2009  

New York (CNN) -- The federal courts face an unprecedented challenge 
in trying accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 
Guantanamo  detainees for the terrorist attacks that took 3,000 lives, says 
CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.  More>

Statement to Victims from the Justice and Defense Departments:
The Departments of Justice and Defense Press Relesase in regard to the 
decisions for ten detainees at Guantanamo Bay whose cases were previously 
charged in  military commissions.  The Justice Department intends to pursue 
prosecution of five of the detainees in federal district court, while the other 
five will be prosecuted in military commissions consistent with the reforms 
to the military commission system recently enacted by Congress. More>

Keel Authentication Ceremony Set for USS Somerset:
By Vicki Rock, Daily American staff writer

A keel authentication ceremony for the USS Somerset will be held 
December 11, 2009 at the Northrop Grumman  Ship Systems’ Avondale 
shipyard in Louisiana. More>

WTC Memorial Unveiled on Pier by Intrepid Museum:    
By: NY1 News  l  Published: Saturday, November 7, 2009       

A memorial to the heroes of September 11th was unveiled Saturday on the  
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum pier. Governor David Paterson joined Intrepid  
Museum President Bill White by the battleship on Manhattan's West Side to  
present the memorial, which consists of two parallel beams that replicate how  
the twin towers once stood in Lower Manhattan.  More>

Ground Breaking for the Flight 93 National Memorial Saturday in
Shanksville, PA: Published: Sunday, November 8, 2009

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. - With the words "Let's roll" - the command issued by 
United Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer to lead the passenger revolt - 
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and 39 victims' relatives and dignitaries 
turned shovels of dirt at a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for a 
permanent national memorial.  More>

Review Finds  9/11 Potomac Exercise Was a Bad Idea:
By Eileen Sullivan, The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
WASHINGTON — Holding a training  exercise near the Pentagon on Sept. 11 
this year was ill-advised, but it did  not violate Coast Guard policies, an 
internal review found.  More>

Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman Win 2009 Purpose Prize: 
September11th family members Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman have been 
awarded  the top 2009 Purpose Prize of $100,000 for their establishing 
and running the  Peter C. Alderman Foundation.  More>

Flight 93 National Memorial Groundbreaking Ceremony:
At the site of the Flight 93 National Memorial, overlooking the ground that  
was tragically first broken on September 11, 2001 when United Flight 93 
plunged  into a remote Pennsylvania field while its passengers and crew 
members  heroically fought to resist a terrorist attack on our nation’s 
capital, U.S.  Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will lead a 
groundbreaking ceremony at 12  noon on November 7th.  More>


Father of 9/11 Victim Fights to Have 'Murdered by Muslim Terrorists' 
Inscribed on Son's Memorial:
By Douglas Kennedy  l  Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
KENT, Conn. -- Peter Gadiel wants everyone to  remember his son, James, 
who was killed during the September 11 terrorist attacks.
And he also wants people to remember  how he died: "Murdered by Muslim 
terrorists." More>


Demolition of the Deutsche Bank: The New York City Department of 
Buildings has issued permits to demolish the remaining 26 floors of the 
former Deutsche Bank Building at 130 Liberty Street.

The General Contractor, Bovis Lend Lease, and its subcontractor, 
LVI/Mizzochi, are now mobilizing the equipment necessary for the work 
to begin.

Demolition of the Deutsche Bank is expected to begin on Monday, 
November 2, 2009.

Officers who died after 9/11 added to memorial:
Associated Press, October 13, 2009 - The names of 10 New York City 
police officers who died from illnesses possibly related to the Sept. 11 
attacks have been added to a memorial wall blocks from ground zero. 
More>

USS New York Maidens Voyage from New Orleans to New York City:
The USS New York is heading from New Orleans to its  namesake city on 
its maiden voyage Tuesday morning. The warship is an amphibious transport 
dock ship that was built in Louisiana and named in honor of the victims of 
the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It incorporates in its construction nearly 
eight tons of steel salvaged from the fallen World Trade Center towers. 
More>

Three heroes of 9/11 die of cancer in five days:
A firefighter and two cops who worked at Ground Zero in the days and 
weeks after  Sept. 11 have died of cancer in the past five days, the Daily 
News has learned. More> 
Please also visit our 9/11 Health section.

NYPD  first responder remembered at Smithtown funeral:
By Chau Lam l  Published: Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 
NYC Police Officer Robert Grossman was remembered at his funeral in 
Smithtown Monday as a husband, a father, a son, a  brother and a friend 
to countless people he met over the years. Grossman, 41, developed a 
brain tumor his physician and family said he got when he worked at Ground 
Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the weeks following the terrorist attacks. 
More>

PCU New York Receives Special Gift:    
Avondale, La. - The crew of the Pre-Commissioning Unit New York (LPD-21)      
received a special gift from the family of a sailor stationed aboard USS New 
York (BB-34). The Reynolds family of Ocean Springs, Miss., donated the          
battleship's bugle to the LPD-21 crew. The bugle was used to sound 
reveille and taps aboard and was taken from the ship before it was 
used for bomb testing in 1946. More>

FBI Terrorism Report Terror Today:
Robert Mueller, the FBI’s Director, has released Terror Today, a discussion 
of recent events and terrorist plots and how the FBI is responding. More>

Secretary Napolitano Announces More than $355 Million in Recovery    
Act Funding for Airport Security Projects:
Published: Thursday, October 1, 2009: 

Department  of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today  
announced more than  $355 million in funding for more than a dozen airport  
security projects funded  by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
(ARRA).  More>

Rebuilding the WTC - Memorial Deadline Keeps Stakeholders Focus: 
The rebuilding of the WTC site is one of the largest building projects in the  
world. The Port Authority is overseeing development and building of the  
Memorial and Museum, the Freedom Tower, and the Caltrava transit station.  
Silverstein Properties, which has already rebuilt WTC 7, is also developing  
Towers 2, 3 & 4. More>


WTC Personal Property Update:  During the recovery process at Ground 
Zero, thousands of personal items were retrieved. Thus far, about 70% of 
the salvaged property has been connected with or returned to the owner 
or family members.  More>

Thursday, March 11, 2010

911 Families © 2009