9/11 Nineteen Years Later

 

Nineteen years ago, September 11, 2001, 2996 people,
2996 HUMAN BEINGS, lost their lives.
There have been innumerable losses since due to
injuries and exposure to the toxic dust.

September 11, 2020 —
"In a year when the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped countless American rituals, even the commemoration of 9/11 could not escape unchanged."

Ceremonies and memorials conducted at the WTC in New York, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania are all being modified because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Shanksville PA the ceremony will be without music and victims' name will be spoken by just one reader. At the Pentagon no families will be in attendance, all victims' names will be played on a recording and only Military leaders will be present. And in NYC, there will be DUAL ceremonies — no names will be read at the World Trade Center site; however a few blocks away the Stephen Siller Tunnels to Tower Foundation will allow families to recite their loved ones' names. Earlier this week FDNY held a "limited attendance" ceremony to honor those who have died since 2001 due to toxic dust.

Although originally cancelled, the twin blue Tribute in Light beams WILL be displayed. The Stephen Siller Foundation is displaying memorial lights at the Flight #93 site and the Pentagon. 

This year MORE THAN EVER we need to remember and #NeverForget the sacrifices and horrendous losses suffered that bleak Tuesday in 2001.

As a former Rockland County NY resident, I have always listed those
local residents that we lost on 9/11/2001

Ø Janet M. Alonso 41 Stony Point NY

Ø Calixto Anaya Jr. 35 Suffern NY

Ø Japhet J. Aryee 49 Spring Valley NY

Ø Richard E. Bosco 34 Suffern NY

Ø Sgt. John Gerard Coughlin 43 Pomona NY

Ø Welles Remy Crowther 24 Upper Nyack NY

Ø John D' Allara 47 Pearl River NY

Ø Bernard D. Favuzza 52 Suffern NY

Ø Thomas Foley 32 West Nyack NY

Ø Andrew Fredericks 40 Suffern NY

Ø Robert Joseph Gschaar 55 Spring Valley NY

Ø Dana Hannon 29 Suffern NY

Ø Capt. Frederick Ill Jr. 49 Pearl River NY

Ø Farah Jeudy 32 Spring Valley NY

Ø Joseph Marchbanks Jr. 47 Nanuet NY

Ø John Marshall 35 Congers NY

Ø Patricia A. McAneney 50 Pomona NY

Ø Robert Garvin McCarthy 33 Stony Point NY
Ø Robert William McPadden 30 Pearl River NY

Ø Luke G. Nee 44 Stony Point NY

Ø Gerald O'Leary 34 Stony Point NY

Ø David Ortiz 37 Nanuet NY

Ø Lt. Vernon Allan Richard 53 Nanuet NY

Ø Thomas G. Schoales 27 Stony Point NY

Ø Mohammed Shajahan 41 Spring Valley NY

Ø Gregory Sikorsky 34 Spring Valley NY

Ø Catherine T. Smith 44 West Haverstraw NY

Ø Robert W. Spear Jr. 30 Valley Cottage NY

Ø Loretta A, Vero 51 Nanuet NY

Ø Benjamin Walker 41 Suffern NY

Ø Weibin Wang 41 Orangeburg NY

Ø Steven Weinberg 41 New City NY

Ø Capt. David T. Wooley 53 Nanuet NY

To view a full memorial list of 9/11 victims go here: 
https://www.911memorial.org/names-memorial-0

To view a list of law enforcement officers from 10 agencies, go here
https://www.odmp.org/search/incident/september-11-terrorist-attack
(includes those who have died from 9/11 illnesses)

To view of list of FDNY officers who died on 9/11, go here:
http://www.fdnylodd.com/Memorials/343-Firefighters

To view a list of all Emergency workers killed in the September 11 attacks, go here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_workers_killed_in_the_September_11_attacks

Betrayal - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/01/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

I'm introducing snippets from More Than a Friend, a part of The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero, a short-story collection which exemplifies (I hope) the diversity of my writing.

More Than a Friend is a short story based on a manuscript of the same name (which has never been published) This manuscript was co-authored by my sister, Barbara Cordero Du-Bois, and me. I re-wrote it as a short story because I wanted my characters to LIVE.

Jerry knew something was wrong when he heard how upset Janis sounded and he came over right away. I hadn't planned to continue with this story this week, but several of you said you were curious about what would happen, so ...the 8 sentences:

She told him about Loretta’s tirade and how it led to the conversation with Mandy; she asked him if it was true, did he love her?

It took a moment for Jerry to overcome his embarrassment, “Janice, I loved you since the day I first met you, the first day we spent in the squad car together.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“You were new to the force and I knew you felt like you had to prove yourself.” He paused, “Would it have made a difference?”

“Billy said that you had a girlfriend and that was why you asked him to take me home after Mandy and Brian’s wedding.”

“He told me that you wanted to leave early and had asked him to drive you.”

Billy had betrayed both of them.

Yes, it may look like Janis and Jerry are going to get together, but there are a lot more obstacles they are going to have to overcome. I hope you've enjoyed this little preview.
Next week I am moving on to another story.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

More Than a Friend

Can best friends become lovers
and share a lifetime together?

 AUDIO 

PRINT 

Kindle 

 AllRomance Ebooks 

 iBooks 

 Smashwords 

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero is a single author collection of short stories featuring Introduction, Pussycat Tails, Holiday Happiness, Not Alone, I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door, Stormy Weather, A Mother’s Love, More Than a Friend, The Meeting, The Vacation and a special bonus section.

It's Super Bowl XLIX

While avid sports fans will be watching the game today, there are those who are in it just for the snackage and drinks, and even more who will be glued to TV sets all over just for the commercials - "A 30-second advertisement during this year's game costs a cool $4.5 million. That's an average of $150,000 per second." Oh my!

This year running right alongside well-trained horses and lost puppies, attractively scented men, cell-phones, and frugal hotel accommodations,  will be a very important PSA (public service announcement) that will hopefully get people thinking and talking. 

brought to you by NoMore.org you can read
more about the message here I've written about relationships and sometimes my stories talk about abusive relationships, but this video about a real life 911 call truly chills me. It's a subject we need to talk about - get involved. ~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, this is a shoutout to the brave (& probably slightly off-their-rockers!) folks who will be running into the ice-cold and frigid waters of the Hudson River in Stony Point NY today to help raise funds for local children with high medical bills; in 2013 they raised funds to help families devastated by SuperStorm Sandy. This yearly event hosts hundreds of "swimmers" and thousands of watchers and has raised  thousands of dollars for its beneficiaries. If you'd like to help a worthy cause please click HERE my daughter participates every year (oy!); in this video from  2013 she is one of the two gals wearing Viking helmets!

He loves her, he loves her not... ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 01/25/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

I'm introducing snippets from More Than a Friend, a part of The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero, a short-story collection which exemplifies (I hope) the diversity of my writing.

More Than a Friend is a short story based on a manuscript of the same name (which has never been published) This manuscript was co-authored by my sister, Barbara Cordero Du-Bois, and me. I re-wrote it as a short story because I wanted my characters to LIVE.

Last week Mandy told Janis that she knew who Billy was and left Janis questioning Billy's motives for marrying her. What was worse was wondering if she had lost her chance to be happy with Jerry forever. This week is the last snippet from More Than a Friend, but for now ...the 8 sentences:

Would she have married Billy if she had known how Jerry felt?

The phone rang and startled her; caller ID said it was Jerry’s cell phone.

“Hello.”

“Hi, I took a chance that you’d be home early,” his voice sounded warm and rich, “Are you doing anything tomorrow?”

“Jerry,” her voice caught.

“Hey, are you okay?” he sounded concerned.

“I, I’m fine,” her voice was shaky.

“Janis, you don’t sound fine, I’ll be right over.”

Yes, it may look like Janis and Jerry are going to get together, but there are a lot more obstacles they are going to have to overcome. I hope you've enjoyed this little preview.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

More Than a Friend

Can best friends become lovers
and share a lifetime together?

 AUDIO 

PRINT 

Kindle 

 AllRomance Ebooks 

 iBooks 

 Smashwords 

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero is a single author collection of short stories featuring Introduction, Pussycat Tails, Holiday Happiness, Not Alone, I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door, Stormy Weather, A Mother’s Love, More Than a Friend, The Meeting, The Vacation and a special bonus section.

Well it is snowing out there tonight and

I am so glad to know that all my brood are safe

in warm homes for a change - With 3 of my 4 kids

working in EMS being out on the roads in

the most horrendous weather when everyone else

has been told to stay home is really the norm (Is it

any wonder I'm beginning to see grey strands lately?). 

Hope y'all are safely tucked away from any foul weather.

A Matter of Respect ~ #MondayBlogs

The New York City Police Department had to bury two of their own who were ambushed and killed while innocently eating their lunch while seated in their parked patrol car. The perpetrator claimed, in anti-police rants posted on social media, that he was going to kill police officers as retribution for recent fatalities of alleged police brutality.

Despite personal sentiments regarding the lack of convictions in two separate cases (Michael Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York), public opinion overwhelmingly condemned the actions of Ismaaiyl Brinsley who committed suicide after ambushing NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu on December 20. There has been a growing memorial at the site of the ambush in memory of the fallen officers both of whom had exemplary records and no involvement in any police brutality charges. Hundreds of law enforcement officers from all over the nation came to New York City to pay respects at the memorial and attend the funerals.

The NYPD had earlier expressed discontent with the New York City Mayor Bill DiBlasio after his remarks about protests over the Grand Jury decisions on the Brown and Garner cases. Their claim was that he did not support the police officers and questioned his apparent friendship with vocal critics of law enforcement. At the hospital on December 20 NYPD Patrolmen's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch said "blood on the hands starts on the steps of City Hall." When the mayor showed up at the hospital the line of police officers turned their backs on him in protest.

DiBlasio asked New Yorkers to postpone protests over the court rulings until after the executed officers were buried in order to focus on the grieving families. Many residents complied; however several also ignored and added cries of dissent. Ironically some of the more vocal objections and criticisms about the mayor’s plea for understanding came from the Reverend Al Sharpton and The Answer Coalition who labeled the request as an "outrageous attempt to chill free speech. DiBlasio’s assumed friendship with Sharpton is one of the NYPD gripes about City Hall’s lack of police department support. Fox News reported one protester as stating "We will not let recent tragic moments derail this movement. This is the revolution and we will not be repressed."

On December 27 when Mayor DiBlasio showed up to honor and pay respect at Officer Ramos’ funeral, hundreds of uniformed police officers turned their backs to him in a show of disrespect for his policies. Police Commissioner William Bratton chastised the officers’ action for taking place at the funeral and asked them not to display the same disrespect for the mayor at Liu’s funeral reminding them that the funerals were a time for “grieving, not grievance.” On Sunday, January 4, although there were a few officers who desisted, uniformed officers once again turned their backs on the mayor citing his perceived lack of respect for the department.

It’s obvious that the various factions involved in all the acts leading to these multiple deaths need to find some common ground, they need to find a way to smooth relations and move forward with mutual respect and positive growth. Yes I have my beliefs about the incidents and responding events as most people do – but it doesn’t matter if we agree or not. Continued violence, mass destruction, and the failure to show compassion and sympathy for mourners is contradictory to the best interests of communities, civil servants, families and human relations.

I think that funerals should be a time when parents, spouses, children, siblings and others should be allowed to grieve without protest. No matter what your opinions might be, and we are all entitled, anytime someone loses a loved family member the pain is immense and they are entitled to our compassion and understanding. Any life lost is a blow to humanity.

A revival (& a short story)

Sometime in the 1980's I wrote a manuscript I called More Than a Friend - it was about a female NYC police officer, the (gender) prejudice she encountered on the job and two men, the one she married and the one who loved her. It had suspense, mystery, passion and, of course, a happy ever after.

I made the rounds of big-name print publishers and and a few agents; while I received some compliments, some constructive criticism, and many form letter rejections, no one wanted to take a risk on a relatively new writer. Although I had started writing professionally, it was mostly as a stringer for a local weekly paper.

The manuscript was put away in a drawer. A few years later my sister and I attacked it with a fresh re-write. Long story short, it went back in a drawer again. I never thought to send it to small press or e-publishers.

As any writer knows, our characters are our pseudo children and we yearn to bring them to life. Unfortunately Jerry and Janis, my main characters in More Than a Friend, had resided silently in drawer space for decades.

BUT I FINALLY DID IT!

Thanks to Vanilla Heart Publishing and managing editor Kimberlee Williams, Jerry and Janis are alive and well and living in a short story called More Than a Friend in The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero: Short Story Collection, Vol 1

I am so excited to see my characters given a chance at life.

from the intro:

As a youngster I was always fascinated by Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” and the concept that every decision we make can have life altering effects.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

I have never regretted the roads I chose to lead me to where my life is now, but I certainly had no idea when I was a teen of the things I would get to see and do in my lifetime...

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero Short Story Collection Volume 1

including:

Nine short stories and a special bonus section, featuring:
Introduction
Pussycat Tails
Holiday Happiness
Not Alone
I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on the Door
Stormy Weather
A Mother’s Love
More Than a Friend
The Meeting
The Vacation

Available on Smashwords http://bit.ly/13sN86Q
and on Amazon Kindle :http://amzn.to/13sMXZt

Remembering 9 years ago

Rockland County Residents

Janet M. Alonso 41 Stony Point NY

Calixto Anaya Jr. 35 Suffern NY

Japhet J. Aryee 49 Spring Valley NY

Richard E. Bosco 34 Suffern NY

Sgt. John Gerard Coughlin 43 Pomona NY

Welles Remy Crowther 24 Upper Nyack NY

John D' Allara 47 Pearl River NY

Bernard D. Favuzza 52 Suffern NY

Thomas Foley 32 West Nyack NY

Andrew Fredericks 40 Suffern NY

Robert Joseph Gschaar 55 Spring Valley NY

Dana Hannon 29 Suffern NY

Capt. Frederick Ill Jr. 49 Pearl River NY

Farah Jeudy 32 Spring Valley NY

Joseph Marchbanks Jr. 47 Nanuet NY

John Marshall 35 Congers NY

Patricia A. McAneney 50 Pomona NY

Robert Garvin McCarthy 33 Stony Point NY

Robert William McPadden 30 Pearl River NY

Luke G. Nee 44 Stony Point NY

Gerald O'Leary 34 Stony Point NY

David Ortiz 37 Nanuet NY

Lt. Vernon Allan Richard 53 Nanuet NY

Thomas G. Schoales 27 Stony Point NY

Mohammed Shajahan 41 Spring Valley NY

Gregory Sikorsky 34 Spring Valley NY

Catherine T. Smith 44 West Haverstraw NY

Robert W. Spear Jr. 30 Valley Cottage NY

Loretta A, Vero 51 Nanuet NY

Benjamin Walker 41 Suffern NY

Weibin Wang 41 Orangeburg NY

Steven Weinberg 41 New City NY

Capt. David T. Wooley 53 Nanuet NY

for a complete list: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/index.html

And remembering with gratitude all of the rescue workers who put their own health in jeopardy during the following bleak weeks and months of recovery.

In tribute to our warriors in the Armed Services and in Emergency Services who work to keep us safe.

Remembering 8 years ago

Rockland County Residents

Janet M. Alonso 41 Stony Point NY
Calixto Anaya Jr. 35 Suffern NY
Japhet J. Aryee 49 Spring Valley NY
Richard E. Bosco 34 Suffern NY
Sgt. John Gerard Coughlin 43 Pomona NY
Welles Remy Crowther 24 Upper Nyack NY
John D' Allara 47 Pearl River NY
Bernard D. Favuzza 52 Suffern NY
Thomas Foley 32 West Nyack NY
Andrew Fredericks 40 Suffern NY
Robert Joseph Gschaar 55 Spring Valley NY
Dana Hannon 29 Suffern NY
Capt. Frederick Ill Jr. 49 Pearl River NY
Farah Jeudy 32 Spring Valley NY
Joseph Marchbanks Jr. 47 Nanuet NY
John Marshall 35 Congers NY
Patricia A. McAneney 50 Pomona NY
Robert Garvin McCarthy 33 Stony Point NY
Robert William McPadden 30 Pearl River NY
Luke G. Nee 44 Stony Point NY
Gerald O'Leary 34 Stony Point NY
David Ortiz 37 Nanuet NY
Lt. Vernon Allan Richard 53 Nanuet NY
Thomas G. Schoales 27 Stony Point NY
Mohammed Shajahan 41 Spring Valley NY
Gregory Sikorsky 34 Spring Valley NY
Catherine T. Smith 44 West Haverstraw NY
Robert W. Spear Jr. 30 Valley Cottage NY
Loretta A, Vero 51 Nanuet NY
Benjamin Walker 41 Suffern NY
Weibin Wang 41 Orangeburg NY
Steven Weinberg 41 New City NY

Capt. David T. Wooley 53 Nanuet NY

for a complete list: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/index.html

And remembering with gratitude all of the rescue workers who put their own health in jeopardy during the following bleak weeks and months of recovery.

In tribute to our warriors in the Armed Services and in Emergency Services who work to keep us safe.

Remembering - seven years...

Rockland County Residents

Janet M. Alonso 41 Stony Point NY
Calixto Anaya Jr. 35 Suffern NY
Japhet J. Aryee 49 Spring Valley NY
Richard E. Bosco 34 Suffern NY
Sgt. John Gerard Coughlin 43 Pomona NY
Welles Remy Crowther 24 Upper Nyack NY
John D' Allara 47 Pearl River NY
Bernard D. Favuzza 52 Suffern NY
Thomas Foley 32 West Nyack NY
Andrew Fredericks 40 Suffern NY
Robert Joseph Gschaar 55 Spring Valley NY
Dana Hannon 29 Suffern NY
Capt. Frederick Ill Jr. 49 Pearl River NY
Farah Jeudy 32 Spring Valley NY
Joseph Marchbanks Jr. 47 Nanuet NY
John Marshall 35 Congers NY
Patricia A. McAneney 50 Pomona NY
Robert Garvin McCarthy 33 Stony Point NY
Robert William McPadden 30 Pearl River NY
Luke G. Nee 44 Stony Point NY
Gerald O'Leary 34 Stony Point NY
David Ortiz 37 Nanuet NY
Lt. Vernon Allan Richard 53 Nanuet NY
Thomas G. Schoales 27 Stony Point NY
Mohammed Shajahan 41 Spring Valley NY
Gregory Sikorsky 34 Spring Valley NY
Catherine T. Smith 44 West Haverstraw NY
Robert W. Spear Jr. 30 Valley Cottage NY
Loretta A, Vero 51 Nanuet NY
Benjamin Walker 41 Suffern NY
Weibin Wang 41 Orangeburg NY
Steven Weinberg 41 New City NY

Capt. David T. Wooley 53 Nanuet NY

for a complete list: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/index.html