This Week's Stories
GG's quick takes on recent NYC news


Week of 17 September 2000:

Bush Address
In an address to a joint session of Congress on last week's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President George W. Bush demanded that the rulers of Afghanistan hand over all terrorists "immediately," and told Americans to expect "a lengthy campaign" against terrorism. "It may include dramatic strikes, visible on television, and covert operations, secret even in success."

He also announced the formation of a new cabinet-level position called the Office of Homeland Security, and said that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge would head up the office.

"Tonight we welcome two leaders who embody the extraordinary spirit of all New Yorkers," Bush said at one point, and then introduced Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, to a long, standing ovation. "As a symbol of America's resolve," Bush continued, "my administration will work with Congress and these two leaders to show the world that we will rebuild New York City."

The Numbers
The official list of the missing has grown to 6,333, a rise of 911. Most of the new people on the list are foreigners not previously included in the official tally, including 250 British nationals. In his address, Bush said that citizens from 80 different nations were among the victims.

There are 241 confirmed dead.

The police said there have been 56 reports of bias attacks, mostly verbal, on Arab-Americans in the city, since the events of 9/11.

Rebuilding NYC
In the first of a series of articles by the major mayoral candidates, Public Advocate Mark Green outlines his measures for recovery, including the creation of a superagency called the New York City Emergency Reconstruction Authority. "The nation and the world look to us to rise from the ashes and prove that terrorism will fail. A City that built an Empire State Building in fourteen months during the Depression can and will renew and rebuild."

Damage Assessment
As President Bush ordered planes to within striking distance of Afghanistan and prepared to address a joint session of Congress tonight, New York continued rescue operations, assessing the damage, mourning the dead and trying to get back to some routines.

With eight days having passed since a survivor was found in the rubble, the city prepared for the likelihood that all 5,400 people reported missing at the Trade Center will be dead. However, rescuers have not yet begun the full scale demolition operations that would indicate they have completely given up hope for anyone in the rubble.

Damage to structures may be less dire than had been originally thought. The New York Times reports that no buildings near the Trade Center seem to be in danger of imminent collapse, according to engineers who have conducted detailed inspections. Although three large buildings need structural repairs, and many others sustained interior and facade damage, none will have to be demolished. Number 4, 5 and 6 World Trade Center will have to be razed. The Times also reports that destruction in subway stations in the Trade Center area is less severe than some officials had originally anticipated.

The papers today also discuss the city trying to get back to normal. Most lights around the Trade Center went back on yesterday, and two lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge reopen today.

Legislating Recovery
The federal, state, and city governments all moved to help New York City recover yesterday. President George W. Bush issued an order increasing federal funds to pay for the full cost of the cleanup of the collapsed buildings in lower Manhattan. In Albany, state lawmakers proposed free college tuition for children of victims and making lower Manhattan an empire zone, which would give tax breaks to area businesses. Also Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone released more details on a special emergency commission, which would help businesses and expedite the demolition and construction process. The commission would have seven members appointed by the mayor for five-year terms. But the rebuilding commission is not without its problems. Eric Lane, who worked on the 1989 city charter revisions, said the changes presented "a host of policy issues." And according to Newsday, a campaign aide for Public Advocate Mark Green called the proposal an attempt by Vallone to politicize the rebuilding process. The legislation will be introduced at an emergency city council meeting on Friday.

One Week Later
New York went back to work yesterday, with as much as 85 percent of the city's work force, according to Mayor Rudy Giuliani's estimate, returning to their jobs. Wall Street returned as well, the New York Stock Exchange reopening for the first time since the day before last Tuesday's terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the longest time it has been shut down in 70 years. As expected, stocks dropped sharply. The Dow Jones industrial average suffered its biggest drop in almost four years, falling more than seven percent, or nearly 685 points, to 8,920.70. The hardest-hit sector was the airline industry. Richard Grasso, the New York Stock Exchange's chairman, said yesterday that the day's market activity "is not important - it's the market a year from now, two years from now."

South of Canal and west of Nassau Streets remains closed to all non-emergency traffic, whether automobiles or pedestrians, as rescue workers continue what is becoming an increasingly grisly business. The official list of the missing has grown to 5,422. No survivor has been rescued since last Wednesday. "The reality is that the longer the time," Giuliani said, "the less realistic hope we can offer people."

"As Normal"
The world mourns and sympathizes (see pictures from a Web site entitled "America's tragedy as seen by the world"). So many people from around the world are donating so much to New York City, according to the New York Times, that it is creating its own problems. Many of the perishable items have had to be thrown out. "I wish people would back off and pace themselves, because there's going to be work to do for months," Ken Curtin of the American Red Cross said. "Clearly, there are now more donated materials on hand than will ever be used."

The rescue effort continues, though no survivors have been found since last Wednesday. The city's official tally of bodies from Tuesday's terrorist attack on the World Trade Center reached 190 (only 99 of whom have been identified), with 4,957 people officially missing and feared dead.

Meanwhile, businesses are being urged to reopen south of Canal Street and east of Broadway. To aid them in doing so, the city has set up an emergency information center for businesses and others at 80 Pine St. It is being staffed by people from city and state agencies and the utilities. There are also three telephone hotlines: 800-ILOVENY; 718-403-2220 and 718-630-2457.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani will hold his regular 8 a.m. staff meeting at City Hall for the first time since Tuesday; and the New York Stock Exchange is opening again today for the first time since Tuesday. Most of the commuter trains, buses, and subways are, in the words of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority official, "operating as normal."

But the area west of Broadway and south of Chambers remains closed to all but emergency workers (see details of what is closed in the Daily News. City officials are urging commuters to keep their cars home, and take mass transit. There is still a ban on cars south of Canal Street; the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, the West Side Highway south of Canal, and the FDR Drive south of Houston are all closed (though the Brooklyn Bridge is open to pedestrians). Some subway lines, bus routes, PATH trains, etc. also remain closed (See details on the MTA web site and this Daily News article). To compensate, the city today will introduce ferry service from Brooklyn to the Battery for the first time in more than a century.

Looking more long-term, officials announced yesterday that the City of New York will form a reconstruction commission with extraordinary powers to lead the recovery from the terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center. According to the Times, the Council will amend the City Charter to give the commission "extraordinary powers to redo and rebuild and to do whatever's necessary," City Council Speaker Peter Vallone said. He said the mayor and the Council would appoint the commission's members. Aided by enabling state legislation, the commission could have such powers as the ability to condemn property and sell bonds.

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