9/11 remembrance event this morning in Austintown

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Mahoning Valley residents will join this morning to remember the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Mahoning Valley 9/11 Committee is hosting the annual event in the morning because Austintown Fitch has a home football game tonight.

Fitch High School Principal Chris Berni said the Fitch Alumni Band will perform before the game and at halftime with the school marching band. Before the game starts, he said there will be a moment of silence and a playing of taps.

The 9/11 memorial event is set to begin at 10 a.m. today at the Mahoning Valley 9/11 Park, 1055 S. Raccoon Road, across the street from Austintown Middle School.

Sam Swoger III is coordinator for this year’s remembrance and said Raccoon Road will close at 9:30 a.m., from Burkey Road to Falcon Drive, for police and fire vehicles to park on the road for the ceremony.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeffrey Greene will be keynote speaker. Swoger said Greene was in the military when 9/11 happened and was activated for duty afterward.

Youngstown police will perform a 21-gun salute, and a flyover from the Ohio State Highway Patrol will take place. A member of the Austintown American Legion Post 301 will perform taps. Officials from the Cardinal Joint Fire District, YPD, Youngstown Fire Department and Austintown authorities will attend.

Swoger said those attending can park in the middle school parking lot or in the Austintown Board of Education parking lot. Rain or shine, the event will happen outside.

In the evening participants have a place to go, but with school in session, the event is outside, Swoger said. “It’s supposed to be nice [today], and it’s early in the morning so hopefully we get it done.”