DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Vol. 28, No. 19 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | September 7, 2011
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
‘. . . the Good Lord was looking after me’ Rebuilding — Page 14 Readers’ photos — Page 18
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
9/11/01 10 YEARS LATER Investigator, firefighter recall post-attack days
Photo courtesy of Matt McGrain
This was the scene at Ground Zero in New York City where Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Matt McGrain volunteered to aid in efforts days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
Jim Fields/The Local
This 100-foot, 42-inch diameter Poplar fell Saturday night into Mary Stanley’s house on Lexington Drive in Mechanicsville. She was trapped in her bed after winds from Hurricane Irene sent the tree into her home. She escaped with only minor bumps and bruises.
Those who devote themselves to public service often consider themselves to be answering to a calling. When the United States fell victim to terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, two Hanover County pub-
Tree slams in on woman in bed By JimFields jfields@mechlocal.com Mary Stanley doesn’t mind telling anyone who will listen that the “Good Lord” was looking after her Saturday night, Aug. 27. As Hurricane Irene cut a path of devastation and destruction through the Mechanicsville area, Stanley went to bed about 8:30 p.m. She wouldn’t sleep long. STANLEY
see TREE, pg. 7
McGRAIN
WARD
lic servants — an investigator with the Sheriff ’s Office and a member of a fire/ EMS squad — took their talents to New York City, coming to the aid of their country. An 18-year veteran of the Sheriff ’s Office, Investigator Matt McGrain was working with the Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force at the time, while Tom
Ward was employed by Hanover County EMS before the department merged to become Fire/EMS. “I was at work and somebody came in and said an airplane just flew into the World Trade Centers,” McGrain said, “so everybody packed into a room where see 9/11/01, pg. 25
‘Where were you?’ at time of attacks (Editor’s note: As the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, approached, we asked you, our readers, to share your memories of that fateful day. We received submis-
sions via the U.S. Postal Service, e-mail and on our Facebook page.) — Selma Kaplan, Mechanicsville: When I read your article about September
11, 2001, I could not refrain from answering your request “Where were you on that day?” Here is my story. I was in my condo is in Nassau County, condo in Long Beach that oversee ATTACKS, pg. 4 looks the Atlantic Ocean. The