America responds notebook

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 30, 2001

Crowds line up for reopened Empire State deck

NEW YORK -- Once again the tallest structure in New York, the Empire State Building reopened its 86th floor observation deck Saturday to tourists who looked south with disbelief at a ravaged skyline.

"I just don't know how it could happen here," said Joan Carroll of Cheyenne, Wyo., as she looked downtown at the gap where the World Trade Center stood. "It is sad. It's very sad."

Less than three weeks after terrorists slammed two hijacked planes into the 110-story twin towers, visitors at the Empire State said they were not worried about an attack at the midtown Manhattan landmark.

"We have to claim back what's ours," said Albert Fabrizio, 35, of Philadelphia. More than 500 tourists queued up by 10 a.m. to pass through an airport-style X-ray machine for the elevator ride upstairs, with building officials saying they expected 10,000 tourists Saturday.

Giuliani to deliver 'SNL' monologue

NEW YORK -- Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who attended two memorial services Saturday, announced plans to deliver a somber opening monologue on the season debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live last night.

"I'm going to introduce it, and tell people to laugh," Giuliani said. "On any given day, people should be prepared to cry and to laugh."

Giuliani was to appear with fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen, police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and a group of city firefighters, police officers and Port Authority police officers.

NYFD considers letting some fires burn

NEW YORK -- The New York Fire Department, reeling from its losses in the World Trade Center attack, is pushing 300 more recruits than normal through its training program. It has turned to retirees to augment its depleted ranks. It has snapped up fire equipment destined for other cities.

And, looking for more ways to protect the lives of firefighters, the department has just begun to question aloud its longtime mission to fight every fire.

"There may possibly be a fire in the future where we will have to say we cannot fight this fire at this time," said Salvatore Cassano, the chief of operations. "We are doing risk assessments now for each type of operation. This event has never occurred. No one thought it would ever occur."

This concept of not fighting a fire is so new that the department could not begin to speculate on what type of fire it might avoid fighting.

Jackson decides against Afghanistan trip

CHICAGO -- Jesse Jackson said Saturday he will not travel to Afghanistan to mediate its dispute with America, but will appeal for the handover of suspected terrorists and the release of aid workers held there.

The civil rights leader and former presidential candidate said he had received one phone call and two letters from Afghan officials who invited him to meet with high-ranking Taliban officials.

But Jackson said he decided not to make the trip after a delegation from Pakistan could not persuade Afghan officials to release eight Christian aid workers from prison and turn over Osama Bin Laden.

"The Pakistani delegation should have realized some success in their appeal. After all, they share borders," Jackson said. "If they will not respect the Pakistani government and that alliance, it's a mistake on their part and strangely suspicious."

Clinton, Dole join in scholarship drive

WASHINGTON -- Former President Bill Clinton joined his former rival Bob Dole Saturday in launching a nationwide effort to raise $100-million to make sure scholarships are available for children of people killed or disabled in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"It seems to me this can be a living memorial, and they'll understand as they grow older . . . that Americans continue to care," said Dole, a former senator and the 1996 GOP presidential candidate.

Clinton, a Democrat who defeated Dole in the presidential election, said the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund will be available to meet the educational needs of the children of the victims long after the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon pass from the headlines.

"This is a gift that will be giving for a long time," Clinton said at a news conference with Dole at Georgetown University.

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