<TAPS... No matter how many times we come together, you will never be alone and your loved ones will never be forgotten. Their sacrifice has helped make America stronger>
Today...the president joined the nation in remembering the nearly 3 thousand people who died eleven years ago.
More on how Central Georgia joined in honoring those lost...and those who served on 9/11...later in this edition of Eyewitness News at 6.
Good evening everyone. I'm Frank Malloy.
And I'm Leah Johnson.
Before we get to those 9/11 remembrances...another top story today...
A student in Bibb County's alternative high school spent the night in jail after police say she cut another girl with a box cutter during a fight.
The school district says the victim sustained a minor injury, but 17-year-old Jacinta Deshazier faces 10-thousand-700- dollars bond.
She's charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon on school property, and disrupting public schools.
It's the latest in safety and discipline problems in the school district, and Candace Adorka met with a district official to ask what they're doing about it.
The 17-year-old alternative school student got the box cutter past metal detectors and personal searches at the school door.
According to the incident report, she hid it in her wallet.... then in her bra.
School officials wouldn't say she got past the metal detectors...only that they're still investigating.
Deputy superintendent of Student affairs Ed judie says there will be serious consequences.
Judie also talked about the Safe Haven report....a consultant's study that assessed safety in Bibb County schools.
The company found major gaps in student supervision...., emergency response plans.... and several other areas.
The district received the full report in early July.... but Judy says it will take months to go through all the recommendations and implement the ones that are needed.
<we know that we have problems, and this community knows we had problems for many years, but we accept the responsibility of these problems now, and our responsibility is to do something about them so we needed and outside assessment to show us some of those things that were happening within our district and we plan to analyse them and to come up with effective strategies that we can approach.>
One recommendation from the report--- Safe Haven thinks the district should pull out of an agreement with law enforcement, juvenile courts, and social service agencies. The goal is to keep kids in school...and out of court.
But Safe Haven says it adds to a culture where teachers and administrators feel like they can't suspend or expel misbehaving students.
They say that means disciplinary incidents and even crimes go unreported.
Judie indicated they're not pulling out of the agreement..but they want to address that alleged culture of under reporting.
<i'm serious about finding out whether threr is a climate being sent and informed by leaders to shorten the process of letting people report , and how will I do this? Im gonna make some recommendations that you'll see in the future that we want people to be able to feel safe and free to anonymously inform us that things are not working report... >
School board members have asked the superintendent to put this safety report on the agenda at next weeks school board meeting.
Candace Adorka, 13wmaz eyewitness news,
Judie says they're implementing one recommendation of the report--- there will be on-going safety assessments of each of the school buildings.
The director of Mobile Alabama's animal shelter is coming back to run Bibb County's shelter.
Bibb County Commissioners voted four to one in favor of Sarah Tenon to run the shelter.
Tenon worked as an animal control officer in Bibb in 2008 and says she's ready to take over the troubled shelter.
<the best way to approach it is to come in and organize and find your resources and try to get some things structured. This will not be the first shelter that i've come to that was going through a big wave so we just get in and begin to work and chip and get things taken care of.">
Tenon worked at Bibb County as an animal control officer in 2008.
This morning...at 9:58...Macon's mayor, city and county officials joined police and firefighters To remember the exact moment the first tower fell in New York.
Tom George and Videojournalist Claudia Taylor spent the morning downtown as Macon remembered.
"and the home of the brave.... (singing)
sound of bagpipes, Reichert and Hart putting down wreath
<I pledge allegiance, to the flag of the United States of America>
<you know we have a brotherhood that obviously transcends itself across this great country of ours and I can just know that the impetus was what can we do to help them because our brothers are in harms way.>
<and to the Republic for which it stands>
<being on the fire department, it's like a rush you get like Oh my God I'm finna go ahead and save somebody so I just .. It makes me really proud>
<one nation, under God>
<liberty has not collapsed ... Goodwill has not collapse ... Hope has not collapsed ... Faith has not collapsed.>
<that message, that impetus, that heartfelt feeling would be the same whether it be Macon, Georgia or New York City>
The event also recognized the memory of Cole Hogan, a Macon man who was killed during the attacks on the Pentagon.
<indivisible, with liberty and justice for all>
The events of September 11th, 2001 seemed to bring the country closer together..especially in the political arena...
At least for a while...both major parties worked together combat a common enemy..terrorism..
Now 11 years later...many people say...it's back to business as usual..
Mercer law professor David Oedel is here to take a closer look at how America has changed in the years since the attacks.
Thanks for joining us David..
What was the political climate prior to 9/11...and how did it change?
Why do you think the country appears to be just as divided now as before?
Is there a solution to that kind of partisanship?
Do you think the Patriot Act has been effective tool in the war on terror?
A local foundation...dedicated to helping children with cancer...is looking for some heroes.