The United States has apparently came under attack on its own soil.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001

The United States has apparently came under attack on its own soil. Starting around 8:30 a.m. an airplane crashed into a tower of the World Trade Center in New York. While television cameras were trained on the smoke billowing from the tower, another plane crashed into the second tower of the building. Within an hour, both building lay demolished on the New York streets.

The attack on the World Trade Center was the beginning of a domino effect that rippled through the nation.

In the nation’s capital, an airplane ripped into the Pentagon building, the headquarters for the U.S. military, destroying a section of the facility. A car bomb, according to law enforcement officials was also detonated at the State Department.

The White House and the Capitol building were evacuated and in the matter of a few hours, the U.S. government went on alert as the U.S. fell under siege to what appears to be a terrorist attack on the United States.

Employees throughout the Lawrence County Courthouse reacted with fear and unbelievability today as they stayed tuned television sets and radios.

County schools officials pledged that classes would not be dismissed, however, Chesapeake Exempted Village Schools sent students home early.

Ironton City Schools officials said classes would let out at normal times, saying students were safer in classrooms than being sent home when some of their parents are at work.

"I sat on the parking lot, listening to it, thinking some small plane has just gone off course," said county clerk Dale Burcham shortly after television news agencies issued reports that the attacks were terrorist in nature.

In the county treasurer’s office, employees and county auditor Ray T. Dutey watched MSNBC update its Web site with a new picture and story about 11:15 a.m.

"It’s a different story when they can take over your planes It’s scary," said Dutey, a Korean War veteran.

This day’s different: No one came face to face with their enemey, he said.

Congressman Ted Strickland, calling from a cellular phone, is currently in Washington and said federal employees poured out of federal buildings in an orderly manner with police officers quickly moving people away from the federal buildings.

Strickland said, "a national tragedy occurred today" and his "thoughts and prayers" are with the families and victims of this morning’s "senseless attack."

Strickland called today’s attacks a "terrorists declaration of war." He said the United States has the responsibility to "track down," and severely "punish" whomever is responsible for the attacks.