Students and invited guests gathered Monday morning outside the entrance of West Essex Regional High School to honor in the words of Interim Principal Juliann Hoebee, "Americans who died entirely too young." While Hoebee and other speakers said we will never forget the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001, the new Memorial Garden will serve as a "place of new growth and reflection." Attending the ceremony, which began with an emotional performance of the National Anthem sung by the high school's mixed chorus, were Greg Vassallo, a trustee of the John P. Salamone Foundation, and Susan Rossinow, …
Inside the gently-lit sanctuary of Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church in North Caldwell, Christians, Jews and Muslims prayed and sang together Sunday evening, during a somber service to remember those who died on Sept. 11. Rev. Jeff Markay, the pastor at Caldwell United Methodist Church, gave the reflection at the service. Markay recalled residents meeting nine years ago at a local high school to call out the names of people who had perished on 9/11 and talked about how houses of faith are places of refuge, that offer help and hospitality to those in need. Markay recalled how St. Paul's Chapel …
The Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department is displaying a 50-by-30 foot flag in front of the firehouse on Roseland Avenue all day Sunday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Members of the CVFD arrived before 6 a.m. Sunday morning to raise the flag which, according to Chief Anthony Grenci, was donated anonymously by a local family in honor of U.S. Army Col. John M. McHugh, a native of West Caldwell. McHugh was killed last May in a suicide bomb attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The family that donated the flag asked the CVFD to display it during …
The birth of a first child is “a defining moment,” says Lisa Fellen-Saurborn. Her son Ryan was born 10 years ago, and she recalls the days leading up to his birth vividly. Due on Sept. 4, Ryan was late and Lisa was eager to meet her first child. Her husband was at a meeting at Windows on the World that day, but there was no need to call him home. Lisa didn’t feel the first twinges of labor until nearly a week later. Shortly after dropping her husband off at his office in Manhattan on Sept. 10, she called and told him to take the next train to Maplewood. Lisa thought Ryan would arrive that day…
Along a circular patch of grass at the eastern end of Crane Park in West Caldwell sit three monuments dedicated to township residents who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001: Scott W. Cahill, Edward Keane and Jennifer Tino. Area residents and officials gathered at the park Thursday night to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their tragic deaths. Parents, children and other family members of the victims sat under a tent near the monuments for the solemn ceremony, which lasted about 20 minutes. “Those we mourn today, in the moment of their death, assured their own triumph over …
West Caldwell will hold a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony in Crane Park on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., rain or shine. The township has invited the entire West Essex community to gather together to recognize the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “We must never forget that our fellow residents Scott Cahill, Edward Keane, and Jennifer Tino died tragically and unnecessarily that day,” stated West Caldwell Mayor Joseph Tempesta, Jr. in a release. Tempesta added, “We must remain strong as a community and as a country and always remember that there are some people around …
It was time for a change. After terrorists hijacked four passenger planes and slammed two into the World Trade Center buildings, one into the Pentagon, and another into a field in Pennsylvania, the way professionals approach security for mass transportation needed an overhaul. For NJ Transit, which operates 2,027 buses, 771 trains and 45 light rail vehicles over a service area of 5,325 square miles that meant a change in mindset. “In the past we only focused on crime and great service to customers, but now, here at NJ Transit, what we try to drive home to all our officers is that their main …
Municipalities, organizations and religious institutions are planning events in memory of the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Ceremonies of remembrance and hope, community gatherings and services focusing on healing will be held throughout the Caldwells and Essex County. Please feel free to add any other events we have not listed in the Comments section. The public is welcome at all of the following events: Thursday, Sept. 8 7 p.m.: West Caldwell’s Remembrance Ceremony at Crane Park—The three West Caldwell residents who died on Sept. 11, 2001—Scott Cahill, Edward …
Overlooking the New York City skyline, a 7,400-pound piece of steel from the World Trade Center perfectly frames the space where the Twin Towers once stood. The artifact, perched atop the Sept. 11 Memorial at Essex County's Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, was unveiled Tuesday morning, days before the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. "This piece of steel is very significant, this totally completes this project," said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., who led the effort to build the memorial a year after the attacks and personally chose the steel piece that would complete the…
"A Letter to Caitlyn" "You asked your mom why everyone is so sad around your birthday and you wonder why you never got to meet your Uncle Johnnie. I hope I can help you understand. "Before you were born, there were two really big buildings in New York City called the Twin Towers. Your Uncle Johnnie worked on the 104th floor of the building, almost at the very top! He worked with bankers and had lots of friends who worked with him. "A week before you were born, a group of men who did not like our country, did a very bad thing. They hijacked airplanes, which means they forced the pilots to let …
Classes were well underway on that beautiful Tuesday morning. At Gould School, where I then taught Language Arts, the halls were filled with children’s chatter. The kids still wore summer sandals and shorts, as they stood outside the school library waiting to choose books for the coming week. As a bell rang, I dismissed a group of students and waved at MaryAnne Dietrich, the school librarian. Another teacher came to use my classroom, so I went into the hall to make copies. I saw the band teacher going the same direction, I paused and greeted her. “Let me first check my voicemail,” she said. “…
From now through Sept. 11, Patch will be collecting user pictures of the World Trade Center, a growing gallery in tribute to the Twin Towers. As the summer draws on, we'll be remembering area residents who lost their lives, as well as talking to those whose lives were forever changed on that clear September morning. We also want to remember the towers when they stood proud, so please either upload your photos here or email them to teresa.akersten@patch.com with a short story about the origin and date of the picture.
In honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Patch has been gathering photographs and stories from all over the country about people whose lives have been affected by the attacks on America. Many of these photos will be featured in a photo gallery on the Huffington Post on Sept. 7. Above is a contribution from the Caldwells Patch.
It was a decade ago on a bright September morning that the world watched in horror as four hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, the deadliest terrorist attack ever to occur on U.S. soil. Among the dead were close to 700 New Jerseyans — traders, police officers, financial analysts, fire fighters, security guards, accountants and lawyers. Mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. Across the river from lower Manhattan, where the air was thick with smoke and …
The 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 is a month away, and local and county government officials are planning special remembrance events. West Caldwell The three West Caldwell residents who died on Sept. 11, 2001—Scott Cahill, Edward Keane and Jennifer Tino—will be recognized in a special Remembrance Ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks, the township announced recently. West Caldwell will host a ceremony at Crane Park on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. The entire community of West Essex is welcome to attend. “We must remain strong as a community and …
