Twenty-Five Years Later: How Austin Carries the Memory of 9/11
Austin sits more than 1,600 miles from Ground Zero, but the events of September 11, 2001, never stayed confined to New York, the Pentagon, or a field in Shanksville.
They reached into Texas homes, Texas classrooms, and Texas hearts — and a quarter century later, this city still carries that weight.
Four Texans were among the nearly 3,000 people killed that day.
Rosa “Rosemary” Chapa, a San Antonio native and longtime Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, died when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.
On the morning of September 11, she was at her post on the first floor of a newly renovated section of the massive complex—where her team had moved just weeks prior—when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building.
Daniel Martin Caballero, a 21-year-old Navy technician from Houston who graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School, was killed at his post in the same building.
On September 11, Daniel was at his station when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and two Achievement Medals.
Jimmy Nevill Storey, a 1965 Texas A&M graduate, was a 58-year-old Senior Vice President for Marsh Inc. (a risk and insurance firm operating under Marsh & McLennan Cos.)
On September 11, Jimmy was attending a morning meeting on the 99th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the building. The impact zone directly compromised his floor, and no one present in the Marsh & McLennan offices that morning survived.
And Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas — a University of Texas at Austin graduate who once walked the Forty Acres — was aboard United Flight 93 when it went down in a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought back. She was pregnant at the time.
Their names, along with other Texans lost in the years since, are etched into the Texas Cemetery 9/11 Memorial, a monument in the Texas State Cemetery built from recovered steel and designed by an Austin architecture firm.
That local thread is visible again this week.
Today, Austin firefighters will climb the 419 stairs of the Circuit of the Americas tower — a physical echo of the 110 floors their counterparts climbed in the burning towers. Others will scale the Pleasant Valley Training Tower and Buford Tower at dawn, paddle eleven miles on Lake Austin, and gather for interfaith services and bell-ringing ceremonies across Central Texas, all raising funds for first-responder mental health programs.
Weeks earlier, a 16,000-pound steel beam salvaged from the World Trade Center rested at the Long Center as part of the national “Steel Across America” tour, drawing Austinites who stood quietly beside a piece of that day made physical.
Twenty-five years is long enough that many Austin high schoolers weren’t yet born when the towers fell — 9/11 is history to them the way Pearl Harbor was to their parents.
That is precisely why the stair climbs, the memorials, and the moments of silence matter now more than ever: they are how a city that was never attacked chooses, deliberately, not to forget.
The lasting impact of that Tuesday morning isn’t just in airport security lines or the wars that followed — it’s in the quiet resolve of neighbors climbing stairs together, year after year, to remember people they never met.
(Above photos by Frank Strovel III)
In New York City this morning, the families of those killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, will gather for the 25th time to honor the dead one by one.
Among those at ground zero will be an array of city officials who assured the public that it was safe to return to Lower Manhattan just weeks after the attacks.
Today, Sally Goldenberg, a reporter who covers politics and government for The New York Times, and Dana Nelson, who attended school next to ground zero, reveal the 9/11 health crisis that has now claimed more lives than the terrorist attacks themselves.
Sources:
- FOX 7 Austin, “Austin-area communities gather for 25th anniversary 9/11 tributes” (Sept. 2026)
- KVUE, “Austinites are remembering 9/11 with these events”
- KXAN Austin, “Beam from World Trade Center stops in Austin, honoring 25th anniversary of 9/11”
- KXAN, “20 years later: Remembering 9/11 victims with Texas ties”
- Houston Chronicle, “Texas victims of 9/11”
- Voices Center for Resilience, “Texas Cemetery 9/11 Memorial”
- KWTX, “Central Texas community events to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11”
Austin City Council Recap: September 10, 2026
Austin City Council worked through a packed agenda on Thursday, moving nearly all items on consent while sending several high-profile zoning cases back to the calendar for later dates.
Here’s a rundown of what passed, what got pulled, and what to watch for in the coming weeks.
Workforce Development and Economic Development
Council extended the city’s partnership with Workforce Solutions Capital Area for the Austin Infrastructure Academy, adding 12 months to the contract term, up to three additional one-year extension options, and $2,550,000 in new funding — bringing the total contract value to $7,550,000. The program trains and places workers in mobility- and infrastructure-related jobs.
Council also renewed a five-year, no-cost interlocal agreement with Austin ISD to continue the Austin Corps Program and Public Health Internship Program for high school students, and approved up to $50,000 for the Quality of Life Foundation‘s Emerging Leader Summer Internship Program.
Emergency Preparedness and EMS
Council adopted an update to the City of Austin Hazard Mitigation Action Plan, incorporating new and revised mitigation strategies for cybersecurity threats, severe weather, and flooding — a step required to keep the city eligible for federal disaster-relief funding.
Separately, the city renewed its arrangement with Travis County for EMS coverage outside city limits and dispatch support for the county’s STAR Flight helicopter program. The county will pay the city up to $19,546,639 in Fiscal Year 2026-2027, a 3.5% increase over the prior year.
Big-Ticket Contracts
Several sizable contracts and amendments cleared the consent agenda:
- Austin Energy approved a five-year, $17.5 million contract with Schneider Electric for software upgrades supporting the distribution grid and outage-tracking tools, plus a $1.2 million increase to its Meter Data Management System contract with Landis+Gyr.
- The city significantly expanded its Salesforce licensing agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp, adding $19,506,800 for a revised ceiling of $26 million across city departments.
- Austin Human Resources signed a new LinkedIn Learning Hub for Government contract worth up to $480,000 over three years.
- Austin Technology Services approved a three-year, $3 million contract with The IQ Business Group for OpenText enterprise content management software.
- Smaller fleet and infrastructure contracts included vehicle painting and refinishing services, BMW motorcycle parts, lawn and fuels-mitigation equipment, and additional contingency funding for the 7th Street and Springdale Road intersection improvements project.
One notable item did not pass: a slate of 17 consulting contracts (with firms including McKinsey, Ernst & Young, and Boston Consulting Group) worth up to $5 million for shared-services optimization was withdrawn following changes and corrections to the agenda.
Real Estate and Public Health
Council approved a license agreement with Boldyn Networks to install a Distributed Antenna System across the Austin Convention Center, Palmer Events Center, and an adjacent warehouse facility — a move expected to generate roughly $200,000 in new revenue once the rebuilt convention center opens.
On the public health side, Council authorized up to $500,000 over five years for juvenile delinquency prevention services through the African American Youth Harvest Foundation, added $200,000 to the agreement with SAFE to manage the city’s domestic violence shelter, and extended funding for the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative‘s health navigator program serving linguistically isolated residents.
Planning and Housing Policy
Council adopted a resolution setting priorities for how fee-in-lieu funds generated through the Citywide Density Bonus Program should be directed toward affordable housing, establishing target income levels for future investments without changing the total amount of fee-in-lieu revenue collected.
A related — and more consequential — item drew a public hearing: an ordinance amendment that would require certain density-bonus projects to build affordable units on-site rather than paying a fee in lieu. Council approved the change, which could reduce fee-in-lieu collections over time but is intended to be offset by direct production of on-site affordable housing.
Council also made board appointments to several Municipal Utility Districts in the Southeast Travis County and Pilot Knob areas, and adopted bylaws for the new Austin-Travis County Public Health Commission.
Zoning Cases: A Mixed Bag
Zoning and neighborhood plan items dominated the afternoon docket, with a mix of approvals and postponements:
Approved on all three readings:
- A rezoning at 4201 Westbank Drive from single-family to neighborhood commercial for a retail project.
- The NBR 620 Commercial Project at 15212 North FM 620, rezoned from development reserve to community commercial with a conditional overlay.
- A rezoning at 7217 McNeil Drive from single-family to general commercial services.
- The CV Oakland Bungalows project on West 6th Street, rezoned to general commercial services with conditions.
Approved as amended (third reading): Two long-running companion cases at 7003–7007 Guadalupe Street — a neighborhood plan amendment and rezoning — cleared their final reading after unanimous or near-unanimous votes in July and August.
Postponed:
- The Wonsley Grocery & Kitchen rezoning on East Wonsley Drive, pushed to September 24 at Mayor Pro Tem Vela’s request.
- Circle C Tract 110 on South Mopac, postponed to September 24 at Council Member Ellis’s request.
- A contested multifamily rezoning at 2117 W 49th Street and 4709 Rosedale Avenue — which drew a valid opposition petition — postponed to September 24 at Council Member Siegel’s request.
- A vertical mixed-use rezoning near South Capital of Texas Highway, pushed to October 8.
Withdrawn indefinitely at the applicant’s request: Four related cases tied to the Vargas Mixed Use project on Vargas Road/Lynch Lane and the Christ Church Planning project near East 2nd Street — both the neighborhood plan amendments and the underlying rezonings.
An appeal of a conditional use permit for the Girls’ School of Austin on McCall Road was postponed to November 19.
Special Events
Council waived or reimbursed fees tied to two community events: the Austin Bat Fest at the Congress Avenue Bridge on September 5, and Driveway Series’ Wrong Turn Bicycle Race at Onion Creek Park back in May. Council also approved code waivers ahead of the 2027 South by Southwest festival, easing notice and signage requirements for the March 13-21 event.
This recap is based on the September 10, 2026 Austin City Council agenda and voting record. For full item details, funding sources, and staff contacts, consult the official city agenda.
Austin ISD shared a look at the first phase of its boundary realignment plan, which focuses on changes to Marshall Middle School and Linder Elementary School.
Liberty Hill is joining a growing list of Central Texas communities ending or limiting the use of Flock Safety cameras after the City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to terminate its agreement with the company. (CBS Austin)
Several local law enforcement agencies are also still using the license plate readers. Here’s a list of Central Texas departments still using Flock:
- Hutto Police Department
- Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office
- Taylor Police Department
- Kyle Police Department
- Buda Police Department
- Lakeway Police Department
- Cedar Park Police Department
- Round Rock Police Department
Georgetown has plans to set up Flock cameras but has not yet done so.
Austin Public Health confirmed a second measles case in Travis County, this time the case involves an unvaccinated infant who most likely was exposed to the virus while traveling internationally. (Austin Public Health)
Learn more about the highly contagious virus and what resources are available at Austin Public Health’s Measles page.
A grass fire that ignited at a recycling facility in Jarrell spread across an estimated 85 acres, forcing evacuations before firefighters brought it under control, Williamson County officials said.
From the Jarrell Police Department:
Fire Update – Contained
The recent fire in Jarrell has been contained, and we want to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who assisted during the response.
A huge THANK YOU to the first responders and assisting agencies who stepped in to support our community. From those working the structure fire and grass fire to the air crews assisting from above, your teamwork, quick response, and dedication made a tremendous difference.
We are especially grateful to STAR Flight, the Austin Police Department Air Unit, and all of the fire, law enforcement, EMS, and supporting agencies who responded and worked together to bring this incident under control.
We also want to thank our Jarrell community for your patience, cooperation, and for staying clear of the area while crews worked.
We are incredibly thankful for the men and women who answered the call today. Thank you for helping keep Jarrell safe!
No one was injured and two pets were rescued after Austin firefighters responded to a structure fire on Water Mill Cove in North Austin yesterday.
A 44-year-old Travis County man is facing murder charges after police say he provided drugs to another man who later died from ingesting them. (Austin Police Department)
A 21-year-old man found to have gang affiliations and is currently a suspect in other shootings that occurred within the past month, is being charged in the shooting death of 17-year-old Edwin Pulgar on August 30. (Austin Police Department)
Wednesday, Texas Department of Public Safety – Capitol Region troopers assisted the Austin Police Department with a pursuit involving a suspect who had already been tased twice and subsequently crashed into an APD patrol unit.
A police pursuit last night led to a crash in South Austin.
A motorcyclist died after a crash on I-35 in New Braunfels Wednesday.
A car crashed into a residence in Lago Vista Thursday.
THIS WEEKEND IN THE ATX
WEATHER
THURSDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
Thursday marked the 42nd day of 100-degree temperatures in Austin this summer.
Both high temps at ABIA and Camp Mabry tied records.
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
In addition to the Reagan Fire mentioned earlier, there are seven other wildfires being reported as of this morning.
Some better news out of Palo Pinto County: the massive Ross Fire is now 76% contained, likely thanks to some heavy rain Thursday.
Lineup: VP JD Vance headlined the closing night, followed by Trump’s closing remarks. Other speakers included HHS Secretary RFK Jr., Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, and Donald Trump Jr. Vance headlined the second night of the convention, and was followed by Trump, who gave the closing remarks.
Key moments:
- Vance paid tribute to Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated exactly one year prior, and reportedly spent the day wooing delegates with private appearances, raising at least $2 million for the RNC.
- Trump made the Iran conflict a central theme, asking the crowd “Does anybody here think that Iran should have a nuclear weapon?” and predicting “the war will be over very shortly after the election.”
- Trump led attendees in a joking “pledge” to vote Republican in the Nov. 3 midterms, framed around loyalty to him — a bit that drew some criticism for its tone.
President Trump managed to take a swipe at Texas:
The president continued to make fun of Ken Paxton:
- Cruz accused Democrats of embracing the party’s far left, citing comments from Hasan Piker, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Texas candidate James Talarico.
- Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road founder) and a 9/11 25th-anniversary tribute were also part of the program.
- The night closed with tenor Christopher Macchio performing as balloons dropped.
Fallout: Sen. Susan Collins pushed back on Trump’s Night 1 promise of $5,000 checks to Americans if the GOP keeps Congress, saying such decisions “should not appear to be tied to election results.”
Over a year after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new congressional district map into law, uncertainty is growing about how much of an advantage it will actually provide the Republican Party.
Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has racked up more than a million views on YouTube — outpacing a livestream of the second night of the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, which closed with remarks from President Donald Trump.
Kimmel told viewers Wednesday night that his interview with Talarico would not air on television Thursday because the FCC had threatened him, his show, ABC and its affiliates, directing viewers to watch it on YouTube instead. Kimmel said the decision was made out of concern that the FCC would threaten ABC station licenses.
Tesla recently filed a site plan application for a project called “Tesla Colorado River Tunnel” which could be built in this area. It would be a tunnel underneath the Colorado River that would enable easier access to the Gigafactory site in East Austin. (Austin Business Journal)
San Antonio City Council approved a new three-year contract with the city’s police union Thursday, committing more than $102 million to higher wages and other benefits for officers while shifting some of the growing cost of healthcare onto employees. (Texas Public Radio)
Two of Texas’ Ten Most Wanted Sex Offenders are in custody following their arrests last week. (Texas Department of Safety)
A man wanted on an active felony warrant out of Hays County for felony theft, was taken into custody just east of Lockhart.
San Antonio City Council voted Thursday to use $166.3 million from a special tax zone to buy land for a new San Antonio Spurs arena downtown and pay for upgrades at the San Antonio Zoo, Botanical Garden and Brackenridge Park. (San Antonio News-Express via MSN)
SPORTS
MLB: There are 15 games remaining in the 162-game regular season for both Houston (75–72) and Texas (72–75).
Are the Astros finally starting to pull away from the Rangers in the AL West?
Cam Smith hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning off Jhoan Duran and Cristian Javier combined on a three-hitter to lead the Houston Astros over the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday. (Associated Press)
Jacob deGrom retired his first 15 batters and struck out 12 for his highest total since 2022 but Julio Rodríguez hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Jakob Junis in a four-run seventh that lifted the Seattle Mariners over the Texas Rangers 4-3 Thursday. (Associated Press)
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road |
| Houston Astros | 75 | 72 | .510 | — | 37–38 | 38–34 |
| Texas Rangers | 72 | 75 | .490 | 3.0 | 40–32 | 32–43 |
| Seattle Mariners | 69 | 78 | .469 | 6.0 | 40–35 | 29–43 |
| Athletics | 59 | 88 | .401 | 16.0 | 27–45 | 32–43 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 56 | 90 | .384 | 18.5 | 30–44 | 26–46 |
(Standings current as of Friday, September 11, 2026)
American League Wild Card Breakdown
Because the Astros currently lead the AL West, they sit in a Division Winner position (the No. 3 seed). That leaves the Wild Card race structured as follows:
- WC Spot 1:New York Yankees (84–62) — Firmly in control of the top spot.
- WC Spot 2:Boston Red Sox (80–67) — Sitting comfortably in the second spot.
- WC Spot 3:Cleveland Guardians (74–73) — Currently holding the final playoff berth.
Chasing the Final Wild Card Spot
If the Rangers cannot erase Houston’s 3-game division lead, their path to the postseason goes through the Wild Card, where the race is tight:
| Team | Record | Wild Card GB |
| Cleveland Guardians | 74–73 | — (Holds WC3) |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 73–74 | 1.0 GB |
| Texas Rangers | 72–75 | 2.0 GB |
| Baltimore Orioles | 71–76 | 3.0 GB |
With two weeks left, Texas remains very much alive in both the AL West race and the fight for the third AL Wild Card spot.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Week 2 action from Thursday night:
| Home Team | Visitor Team | Final Score |
| Leander | Austin Akins | 56 – 0 |
| Pflugerville Hendrickson | Georgetown | 28 – 17 |
| Cedar Ridge | Vista Ridge | 70 – 23 |
| Bulverde Bracken Christian | Valor North Austin | 52 – 6 |
ON THE SCHEDULE
| Matchup | Location / Venue | Scheduled Kickoff |
| Jarrell @ Austin High | House Park (Austin) | 7:30 PM |
| Austin Westlake vs. Prosper | Children’s Health Stadium | 7:00 PM |
| Waco University @ Round Rock Stony Point | Stony Point High School | 7:00 PM |
| Cedar Park @ Waco Midway | Panther Stadium (Waco) | 7:00 PM |
| Buda Hays @ Harker Heights | Harker Heights | 7:00 PM |
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: AUSTIN, Texas — All eyes in the college football world descend on Forty Acres this Saturday as No. 4 Texas host top-ranked Ohio State at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in a marquee early-season heavyweight clash.
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have focused weeklong preparations on neutralizing the Buckeyes’ aggressive, penetrating defensive line while scheming to contain Ohio State’s high-powered offense.
For quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns, the Saturday night lights offer an immediate shot at redemption following last year’s 14–7 setback in Columbus. With ESPN’s College GameDay set up on campus and a sellout crowd expected in Austin, Texas aims to leverage home-field momentum and prove its national championship credentials against the nation’s No. 1 team.
Texas Longhorns look to break their losing streak against Ohio State—can Steve Sarkisian’s revamped offense deliver under the lights in Austin? BK, Brad Kellner reveals the blueprint for a potential Texas triumph, spotlighting Arch Manning’s growth, strategic use of tempo, key red zone improvements, and the crucial battle in the trenches.
The matchup isn’t just about two blue blood programs; it pits Heisman hopefuls Arch Manning and Julian Sayin in a quarterback duel with national implications. Detailed practice intel, explosive playmakers like Ryan Wingo and Jermaine Bishop, and the relentless urgency from Colin Simmons all factor into Texas’s pursuit of a statement win. Will Sarkisian finally get the offensive execution needed to topple the nation’s top-ranked Buckeyes?
Staff and faculty at Austin Preparatory School pause and reflect on the lives lost in the attacks on our country on September 11, 2001. Twenty-five years later, they continue to honor their memory, recognize the courage and sacrifice of so many, and pray for all those who were affected by this tragedy.
