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Bells Toll As The US Marks 22 Years Since 9/11, From Ground Zero To Alaska
NEW YORK – Americans remembered 9/11 with tolling bells, personal tributes, and tears on Monday, with commemorations stretching from ground zero to small communities.
People gathered at memorials, fire stations, city halls, campuses, and other locations to mark the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror assault on American soil.
“That day is still happening for those of us who lost loved ones on that day.” Everyone else has moved on. And you find a way to move ahead, but that day always comes for you,” Edward Edelman said as he arrived at Ground Zero to pay tribute to his dead brother-in-law, Daniel McGinley.
President Joe Biden was scheduled to speak at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska. His visit, on his way back to Washington from India and Vietnam, serves as a reminder that the impact of 9/11 was felt in every corner of the country, no matter how remote. In an attack that altered American foreign policy and home worries, hijacked planes flew into New York’s World Trade Centre, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field, killing almost 3,000 people.
“We were one country, one nation, one people on that day, just as it should be.” “That was the feeling — that everyone came together and did what we could, where we were, to try to help,” said Eddie Ferguson, the fire chief in Goochland County, Virginia.
It’s almost 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the Pentagon and more than three times the distance from New York. However, a local memorial containing steel from the World Trade Center’s collapsed twin towers instilled a sense of connection.
Americans remembered 9/11 with tolling bells, personal tributes, and tears on Monday, with commemorations stretching from ground zero to small communities.
The mostly rural county of 25,000 people holds two annual ceremonies: one in the morning honoring first responders, and one in the evening honoring all victims.
Other communities across the country observe minutes of silence, toll bells, candlelight vigils, and other activities in remembrance. In Iowa, a 21-mile (34-kilometer) march from Waukee, a Des Moines suburb, to the state Capitol was scheduled to begin at 9:11 a.m. Monday. 911 dispatchers in Columbus, Indiana, broadcast a commemoration message to police, fire, and EMS radios throughout the 50,000-person city, which simultaneously holds a public memorial ceremony.
Boy and Girl Scouts raise and lower the flag at a 9/11 commemoration in Fenton, Missouri, where a ‘Heroes Memorial’ has a piece of World Trade Centre steel and a plaque honoring 9/11 victim Jessica Leigh Sachs. Some of her relatives live in the 4,000-person St. Louis suburb.
“We’re just a little bitty community,” Mayor Joe Maurath said, “but we need to remember these events.” Not just 9/11, but all the events that led to our liberation.”
Monmouth County, New Jersey, home to some 9/11 fatalities, declared September 11 a holiday this year so that county employees may attend commemorations.
Many Americans also volunteer on Patriot Day, which Congress has designated as both a Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Vice President Kamala Harris joined other dignitaries at Ground Zero for a ceremony on the National September 11 Memorial Plaza. The event does not include any political speeches, instead giving the podium to victims’ families for an hour-long reading of the names of the deceased.
Reading the names of those who have died “is the biggest honour of my life,” said Gabrielle Gabrielli, who lost her uncle and godfather, Richard Gabrielle.
“We must preserve the memory of everyone who died.” “This will be their legacy,” she explained. “This is where he will be laid to rest.” It’s holy.”
There are around 1,100 fatalities whose remains have yet to be recognized.
Americans remembered 9/11 with tolling bells, personal tributes, and tears on Monday, with commemorations stretching from ground zero to small communities.
Biden, a Democrat, will be the first president to observe September 11 in Alaska or elsewhere in the western United States. He and his predecessors have visited one or more attack sites in most years. However, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama have both honored the occasion on the White House lawn. Following one of those commemorations, Obama visited Fort Meade in Maryland to honor the military.
Jill Biden, the first lady, is scheduled to lay a wreath at the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial, where workmen stretched a massive American flag over the side of the structure Monday morning.
Doug Emhoff, Harris’ husband, is due to attend a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the hijacked planes crashed after passengers attempted to assault the cockpit.
The National Park Service will manage the memorial site, including a new educational video, virtual tour, and other items for teachers to utilize in the classroom. Educators with more than 10,000 pupils have registered for the free “National Day of Learning” program, which organizers claim will be available through the autumn.
“We need to get the word out to the next generation,” said National Park Service ranger and monument spokesperson Katherine Hostetler.
SOURCE – (AP)
News
King Charles Could Millions Annually from Renting His Properties
A recent analysis suggests that King Charles might earn over £1 million each year by renting out royal properties to holidaymakers.
The Royal Family’s historic houses and mansions are popular holiday rentals, contributing significantly to the Palace’s revenue.
Pikl Insurance estimates that the royals may earn up to £118,775.85 per month, or around £1,425,310.20 per year, from their holiday rental portfolio. Even after accounting for cancellations, the monarchy is anticipated to generate a net annual income of somewhat more over £1.4 million.
Estimated Annual Rental Income of £1.4 Million
The four primary royal properties accepting public bookings are Balmoral Castle, Castle of Mey’s Captain House, Restormel Manor, and Dumfries House, according to Express.co.uk. Cottages at Balmoral Castle in Scotland are expected to generate £36,798.30 per month after accounting for cancellations.
According to the numbers, the 500-year-old Restormel Manor in Cornwall is the most profitable of them all, earning a solid £47,082 every month. The resort, located in the Fowey Valley, has four booking spaces and six converted barns.
Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, adds an estimated £31,185.63 and offers 25 rooms for booking. The Castle of Mey’s Captain House in the Scottish Highlands is estimated to generate a more modest £3,709.92 per month, despite the fact that the entire property is available for booking.
The analysts stated, “While the Royal Family’s primary role is undoubtedly to serve the nation, it is clear that their properties are also a valuable asset.” These estimates highlight the royal estate’s considerable financial potential and provide an intriguing peek into the monarchy’s corporate operations.”
Royal Family received £86.3 million from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant in the previous fiscal year, according to official numbers released in July.
All revenues from the Crown Estate, which includes royal households, forestry, agriculture, and offshore wind, are paid directly to the Treasury, with a portion of this money, now 12%, returned to the Royal Family to finance their tasks.
The records also cover a period of jubilation, including the coronation and festivities surrounding the King and Queen’s crowning in May of last year.
News
Man Creates Candy Cane Car to Spread Christmas Cheer
In a delightful display of holiday spirit, a local resident in North Providence, Maine, has transformed his vehicle into a candy cane delight that is capturing hearts and spreading Christmas Cheer.
Over the past 15 years, Dave Clayman has transformed a simple 1991 Toyota Camry into a rolling holiday icon that captivates everyone who encounters it.
It’s wrapped in $3,000 worth of reflective tape, the same kind used on trailer trucks. Whether parked at a mall or cruising down the highway, you can’t miss it with its candy cane decorations.
This whimsical project started with an unusual idea. When an old exercise bike landed in Clayman’s possession, he mounted it on top of his car instead of letting it gather dust in his garage.
“There’s nothing like working out in the fresh air,” Dave said. That quirky addition quickly drew eyes, inspiring him to keep going.
The car features homemade rockets built from trash cans and salad bowls, candy cane-themed hubcaps, and candy cane lights dangling from the mounted exercise bike.
The Candy Cane Car cost Clayman $3,000
To top it off, it boasts a PA system and a custom horn, making it a true sensory experience.
The candy cane car has now become a local landmark every Christmas. Parked outside Clayman’s house, it’s a favourite backdrop for people snapping photos or simply stopping to admire it.
Some visitors even share stories of seeing the car as a child, reminiscing about how it’s been a beloved part of their neighbourhood for years.
“When people see it, their mood amplifies,” Clayman explained. “If they’re happy, they become happier. If they’re upset, well, they sometimes get angrier.” But for the most part, he estimates that over 96% of people love the festive car, particularly around Christmas.
Clayman said he used to wear a Santa costume when riding in his festive car for years. A few years ago, he bought a Grinch costume and never looked back.
“It’s like a state of euphoria. Every time I get behind the wheel and people see it,” he said. “Anything that people are in a better mood, it seems to make you in a better mood. It’s a labor of love you got to be committed to it.”
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Senate Approves Social Security Fairness Act, Heads to Final Vote
(VOR News) – On Wednesday, the United States Senate Social Security passed a measure with a vote of 73-27, indicating that the legislation, which is co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins of Maine, is likely to be implemented before the end of the year.
The law may be beneficial to personnel working in the public sector in Maine, including teachers, firefighters, and other workers.
The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal two restrictions that lower the amount of Social Security payments paid to public employees.
These regulations would be eliminated with the passage of the act. A provision known as the Windfall Elimination Provision makes it impossible for public employees who are currently receiving pensions to continue receiving them.
The Government Pension Offset, as it is commonly referred to, is designed to limit the amount of money that can be paid to the surviving spouses of recipients who are also receiving government pensions.
This problematic situation impacts Social Security benefits.”
In November 2024, the Social Security Administration reported that more than 2 million individuals, including more than 20,000 in the state of Maine, had their Social Security benefits reduced as a result of the Windfall Elimination Provision,” Collins stated in a statement that was released by her department.
In November 2024, the Government Pension Offset had an impact on more than 650,000 individuals, with more than 6,000 of those individuals residing in the state of Maine, according to the previously mentioned line of reasoning.
A vote of 327 to 75 was necessary for the measure to be approved by the House of Representatives the previous month. On Wednesday, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate, announced that he intended to work rapidly in order to deliver the act from the House of Representatives to the president’s desk.
As indicated by Schumer, who was speaking on the floor of the United States Senate today, “Passing this Social Security fix right before Christmas would be a great gift for our retired firefighters, police officers, postal workers, teachers, and others who have contributed to Social Security for years but are now being penalised because of their time spent serving the public.”
In the beginning, the measure was supported by two individuals: Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, and Collins, a Republican. During her speech in support of the proposal, which was made on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, Collins stated that the idea will have a significant impact on a number of individuals, including teachers in the state of Maine.
These advantages are the direct result of the effort that they put forth. During the course of her remarks, Collins asserted that the punishment in question was both unreasonable and unacceptable.
This will strain Social Security’s already shaky budget.
In a recent examination, it was discovered that the Windfall Elimination Provision was one of the primary problems that contributed to the difficulties that the teacher workforce in Maine is experiencing, which experts are referring to as a crisis.
A poll that was conducted and released by the non-profit organisation Educate Maine found that teachers in each and every county in the state of Maine identified the provision as a hindering factor in the process of recruiting new teachers.
According to the findings of the study, “this federal policy that reduces social security payouts is a disincentive,” which implies that it is detrimental to teachers who take on additional work and discourages people from switching careers in order to become teachers.
Sharon Gallant, a retired educator who worked in Gardiner for a total of 31 years, is one of the educators that are now employed there. Prior to beginning his career as a teacher in the public school system, Gallant was employed in the business sector. He made a little contribution to the Social Security system during the entirety of this time period.
“When you move into public education, you are faced with a certain degree of punishment,” according to her statement.
In letters that Gallant sent to Collins and to Sen. Angus King of Maine, who is an independent, he urged both of them to support the concept. She stated that even if it is unsuccessful, Maine will still have a difficult time recruiting teachers because of the clause that deters them from employment.
She made the observation, “If this does not pass, then it is just another reason not to enter public service.”
SOURCE: FR
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