Folsom-based, then-Chaplain Jacob Cohen took this photo at Ground Zero. He was on vacation 7 miles from the World Trade Center towers when they were brought down. After the attack, he ministered to first responders, many of whom had lost friends and colleagues.
It’s here again. That time of year when we remember where we were on a September morning 23 years ago — that is, if we’re old enough to remember.
A New York Times article published on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 asks the question, “What Does It Mean to ‘Never Forget’?” When the wound was fresh and the perpetrator still breathing, that sentiment meant retribution. Today, “never forgetting” might mean a trip to Ground Zero to read the names etched on the monument and, for a deplorable few, take a selfie there (please stop doing this). But for me and probably most Americans, it’s a brief pause in one’s day to reflect on how quickly everything can change, and just how terrifying that is.
So why, then, do we want to remember?
If you’ve lived long enough, you likely have a core memory of a traumatic event, something that undermined your sense of control and changed the way you go about living. Revisiting this kind of memory is painful, but when it’s shared as a collective, it can also feel — good? Or rather it’s a feeling of connection that feels good. Research has shown that shared suffering can yield positive social outcomes and act as a “social glue” that bonds people together, despite their differences.
Like Pearl Harbor, 9/11 has become part of the American identity. In a time of political turmoil when we can’t seem to agree on what, exactly, that identity is, we can still look back on that day — the displays of heroism and compassion — with a sense of pride. The dead have been buried and the enemy defeated, but the legacy of 9/11 is trusting that we can lean on each other in hard times. Let’s hope we never forget.
- Dakota Morlan, managing editor
This week’s feature: Are We Ready for the Electric Revolution?
These days, there is a sense of possibility in Sacramento when it comes to zero emissions technology. Sacramento may not have the population numbers of New York or Los Angeles, but when it comes to EV infrastructure the California capital plays second fiddle to no city in America.
In Search of Pretty Produce
When it comes to farm-fresh produce, consumers care just as much about visual appeal as they do flavor. But are pretty produce always the tastiest? Farmers must keep up with the trends, though they don’t always agree with them.
Startup of the Month: NuCicer
When you think of staple crops, corn, wheat or rice probably come to mind. But one legume has been overlooked and underutilized for far too long, according to the startup NuCicer: the humble chickpea. The Davis-based company aims to elevate the crop to address growing food demands while also improving resilience, yield and nutritional value.
A Splendid Small-Town Getaway
The 10-acre Placer County business off Horseshoe Bar and Auburn-Folsom Road in Loomis may officially be called The Flower Farm, but it’s much more than that — historic inn, gourmet cafe, wine tasting room, gift shop, wedding and events center, nursery and citrus orchard.
Recommendations from our staff
Judy: What a weekend! I was lucky to be invited to the Tower Bridge Dinner, which I think is Sacramento’s most exciting and unique signature event. I sat with food writers from around the U.S. and asked them if they had anything similar or another unique food event in their city, and they said no. After more than 800 very happy people talked, laughed and toasted each other on the bridge, we sat down to a 5-course gourmet dinner that was somehow flawlessly served by the amazing chefs and wait staff. The night before, I was Winnie’s guest as the Harris Center celebrated their 20th anniversary. There was a VIP reception, a Sip and Stroll where we tasted foothill wines and ate treats from local restaurants, then were entertained by a very funny 90-minute standup comedy routine from a silver-haired, 74-year-old Jay Leno who had us all laughing.
Jennifer: Growing up outside the city with my dad working a few buildings down from WTC (he was one of hundreds of thousands shuttled out of Manhattan on ferries), 9/11 was definitely a core memory for me, enough so that I kind of avoid content that deals directly with the attacks. But one story set on that day gives me hope for humanity instead of dread: “Come From Away,” a musical set in the small Canadian town that welcomed thousands of travelers stranded by the closure of American airspace. Luckily for local readers, the musical is coming to the Harris Center next month. I highly recommend getting tickets!
Odds and Ends
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