Just this summer, I boarded an airplane, a process irrevocably changed by the events of that day. We all watched the scenes unfolding at the Kabul airport in recent weeks.

In case you hadn’t pieced it together, 2021 marks 20 years.

I’ve heard stories about the special edition that the Times Observer published that day. An image of the front page hung in the newsroom for years.

I intend to entirely avoid any of the pitfalls that one can easily fall into when discussing 9/11. Going back to that special edition, I wanted to look at what was known that day and take a look at the immediate reaction. That’s what follows.

A total of eight stories - and several poignant photos - were included in a special edition of the Times Observer published in the immediate wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The massive “TERROR” headline – the largest headline I can recall seeing in any of our papers – obviously stands out. But there were a total of eight stories in that extra edition on the attacks.

We’ll start with the national picture and conclude with the one of those eight stories that was local to the county.

Here’s the opening paragraph from the lead story: “In a horrific sequence of destruction, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center, and the twin 110-story towers collapsed Tuesday morning. An aircraft also crashed at the Pentagon in (an) apparent coordinated series of attacks that spread fear across the nation.”

That’s surprisingly accurate, though it was not yet clear – and stated as such in multiple stories – that the plane that crashed in Shanksville was related to the others.

Then-New York Mayor Rudy Guliani said he had a “sense it’s a horrendous number of lives lost. I don’t know yet. Right now we have to focus on saving as many lives as possible.”

The Associated Press reported in that article that 50,000 people worked at the World Trade Center. I still vividly remember reported death tolls far in excess of the final total.

They cited an aviation expert that said very few terror organizations could have pulled off this scale of an attack and gave a statement that proved prescient – “I would name at the top of the list Osama bin Laden.”

The Associated Press also gave reports from the ground.

Nearby a crowd mobbed a man on a pay phone, screaming at him to get off the phone so that they could call relatives.

Dust and dirt flew everywhere. Ash was 2 to 3 inches deep in places. People wandered dazed and terrified…. The planes blasted fiery, gaping holes in the upper floors of the twin towers.

A witness said he saw bodies falling and people jumping out. About an hour later, the southern tower collapsed with a roar and a huge cloud of smoke; the other tower fell about a half-hour after that, covering lower Manhattan in heaps of gray rubble and broken glass…. Witnesses on the street screamed every time another person leaped.”

The AP couldn’t link Flight 93 yet but did report on the crash.

They quoted a service center owner about 2.5 miles from the crash who said “It shook the whole station. Everybody ran outside, and by that time the fire whistle was blowing.”

Other stories provided more first person accounts, looked at how the networks covered it, talked at other safety precautions taken across the country as well as a story with financial market impacts that included comments from foreign leaders.

The local story was headlined “Warren County stops, watches, worries.”

Eyes were glued to television throughout Warren County this morning following terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.

In addition to local homes and emergency agencies, TVs were tuned to news channels and businesses and at the local American Legion Post 135 in Warren.

“I think the TVs are on everywhere,” said Dick Merenick, 54, manager of American Legion Post 135 in Warren. “It’s just beyond belief to me to sit and watch this.”

He compared it to scenes from a movie, but said it could be more appropriately compared to the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Warren County Sheriff Larry Kopko agreed.

“People are scared to death,” he said. “We’re just like everybody else… We’re going to try to remain as normal as possible. Hopefully, we aren’t going to have to deal with anything.”

He said local law enforcement agencies and emergency management personnel don’t want to jump to conclusions, but they also don’t want to take anything for granted.” Kopko said the Kinzua Dam and United Refining Company are on a heightened state of alert.

In addition, Warren County Emergency Management Agency Director Neva Rambish traveled to Oil City to meet with other regional Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency directors for precautionary reasons.

It’s simple a precaution and the Warren County Courthouse and schools within the Warren County School District will remain open Tuesday.

The Warren County School District, in cooperation with the Warren County EMA, will also be operating on a heightened level of awareness and security during the national emergency. Schools will operate as normal for the remainder of the day; students will remain in school until the regularly-scheduled departure time. Parents/guardians need to call their child’s school if they have questions or concerns.

However, all after-school and school activities have been canceled for Tuesday.

Principals and teachers are (discussing the attacks) with students in an “age-appropriate manner,” according to acting Superintendent of Schools Dr. J. Hugh Dwyer. He said principals and staff are reviewing in-place safety measures and monitoring exterior entrances to buildings.

Dr. Paul Yourchisin, assistant principal at Eisenhower High School, said early Tuesday that teachers at that school were not disseminating information to students prior to a directive from school district headquarters.

St. Joseph School, private Catholic school in Warren, is also attempting to remain as normal as possible and was not televising the disaster to its students.

“The kids might be frightening,” said St. Joseph School principal Maria Giazzoni of the younger students.

That sentiment has resounded among children and adults throughout Warren County, even though the disasters have occurred elsewhere.

“Well, you’re scared to death because you have family living all over,” said Ellen Krumm.

Krumm, Alice Tomasone and Angie Wetmore said a prayer for the victims of the disasters and their families while they were praying at St. Joseph Church.

Many churches in the area will be open for prayer this afternoon and some are planning services for this evening.

“They said there probably would be thousands (of victims),” Tomasone said. “Unbelievable.”

Tomasone said a disaster, including a terrorist attack, could happen anywhere, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Anywhere is too close,” Wetmore said.