September 06th, 2026

Remembering 9/11

More than 150 people attended the 9/11 remembrance ceremony Friday, Sept. 11, at the Linn County Courthouse. Organized by Albany American Legion Post 10, the ceremony included wreaths laid for the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks 25 years ago and those who died in the aftermath; remarks by emcee Dave Busby of Sweet Home Legion Post 133 and Albany Fire Chief Chris LaBelle; presentation of the colors by The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rhonde Honor Guard; the "National Anthem" sung by the Central Linn Blue Notes; "Amazing Grace" performed by the Willamette Valley Pipes and Drums; a 21-gun salute by the American Legion Post 10 Honor Guard; and "Taps" played by Pat Johnson of Corvallis American Legion Post 11. A 9/11 remembrance ceremony, organized by the Lebanon Police Department and Lebanon Fire District, was also held on the morning of Sept. 11 at the Lebanon Fire Station on Oak Street.

Oregon House District 15 candidate Joanna Robinson and Linn County Democrats Susan and Mark Leonard listen to speakers.

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'This day is etched in my memory
​and brings up powerful emotions'

Cindy Bethell

   Cindy Bethell, Linn County Democrats Ambassador, wrote this remembrance in observance of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks:
   At 8:40 in the morning on September 11, 2001, I walked into the Environmental Protection Agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters to go to work. A group of staffers were staring at the closed-circuit TV in the lobby, so I walked over. What I saw was horrifying and confusing. The first World Trade Center building was collapsing.
  My boss was trying to connect to the Office of Personnel Management for guidance but none of the phones were working. Weirdly I found my office phone was working so I immediately called my dad in Oregon to tell him I was fine. As I looked down at my computer someone had sent an email. In the subject line it said in all caps, “THIS IS OUR GENERATION’S PEARL HARBOR.” My heart sank and tears filled my eyes. Office mates started lining up to use my working landline to call their families. 
  Within minutes the radio announced that the Pentagon had been hit. I rushed to my ninth-floor office window, which looked south, down onto the Washington Channel and the Pentagon. I could see it had been struck from the west and scores of people were outside trying to respond. My husband Roger and I lived just five blocks south of the Pentagon, so I immediately called him and said, ‘"Go turn on the TV right now!"
  Roger quickly jumped on his bike and pedaled up to the Pentagon to see if he could help. We were told that a fourth plane was headed for the White House — this was the plane that went down in Pennsylvania — and my boss was trying to decide if he should evacuate our building. We heard that the White House had been evacuated but couldn’t be sure without phones.
  When Roger arrived at the Pentagon he found a phone on the ground and searched until he found the firefighter who it belonged to. The man was very grateful. For the next few days we were glued to the TV to glean every detail that was known about this unprecedented attack on the United States. 
  This day is etched into my memory and even writing it down after 25 years brings up powerful emotions.

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