Written by Julia Haggerty and Alexandra Winchester BROOKLYN, N.Y. When the world was falling apart, Michael Passentino, a New York City firefighter for more than three decades, didn’t hesitate. He remembers the smell, the silence, and the dust of 9/11 like it was yesterday. “I got a call. I was in Brooklyn, and we were […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: When the Skies Went Silent
Written by Robert Cochran and Zachary Biemer Nearing 25 years ago on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the United States had an attack on the two World Trade Center towers, the pentagon, and flight 93 going down in a Pennsylvania field. An event that affected many families. Robert Cochran Sr., a United Airlines pilot, […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: The Day the World Stopped
Written by Paris Christie, Mckinley Corey, Ellie Hart, and Shady Andil On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, nearly an entire nation watched the devastation in New York City on their television screens. Steven Wineburg, owner of Bernard’s Custom Logo and Engraving in downtown Cortland, remembers watching in disbelief as the attacks occurred. “I remember […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: Remembering September 11th through a professors eyes
Written by Zachary Biemer Ibipo Johnston-Anumonwo, a Geography Professor at SUNY Cortland since 1988, learned about the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, by chatting with one of her coworkers, Larry Ashley, while getting paperwork printed before class. Anumonwo didn’t know what was happening at first and just continued going about her day, teaching morning classes […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: 89-year-old Cortland Veteran and Retired Firefighter reflects on 9/11, Service, and Life Lessons
Written by Caitlyn Dorman and Ella Gentile Working in his farmer shop at the Marketplace Mall on Main Street, 89-year-old Burt is still living with the same spark he has carried throughout his life through his years of service. Once in the military and a Cortland firefighter, his stories reflect humor and heartbreak throughout his […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: From Rookie to Responder Overnight, One NYPD Officer’s Story
Written by Jamie Cuozzo and Caitlyn Dorman Lauren Giangrasso was a rookie officer in September 2001. She was freshly out of the academy, on active duty and ready to work and serve as a New York City Police Officer. Giangrasso’s neice, Jamie Cuozzo, is a SUNY Cortland student and co-author of this article. At the […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: Memories from the Cortland Fire Department
Written by Eva Olinek and Abigail Neber On the morning of September 11, 2001, Wayne Friedman was not even supposed to be working as he was a firefighter paramedic at the Tully Fire District at the time. He and a friend had stopped at Royal Auto on Route 281 in Cortland NY to drop off […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: Firefighter Shares Firsthand Account of Responding to 9/11 Attacks
Written by Annabel Gell & Kayla Wasserman Peter Wasserman served for twenty years as a firefighter, dedicating his life to helping others. Wasserman, the father of SUNY Cortland freshman Kayla Wasserman, had been on the job for ten years on Sept. 11, 2001, a day that forever changed the nation and his life. “My life […]
9/11 25th Anniversary: Cortland Employee Was Student at SUNY IT in 2001
Written by Scott Wilson and Terrell Parks Many people remember where they were on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Chris Valenti, who is currently the Assistant Director of Programming and Integrations at SUNY Cortland, was a student at SUNY Institute of Technology on that tragic morning. As a regular college student studying computer applications, […]
Letter to the Editor: Homelessness in Cortland
To the Editor: It is surely good news that since November 2023 through April 2024, there is now both the Night Time Warming Center (Salvation Army) and the community-funded day time warming space (Grace/Holy Spirit Church [formerly space for the Unhoused at the Cortland Free Library]), covering 24/7, serving Folks Without Homes who can be […]