Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
James Polk Stone Community Bank President David Stone speaks during the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in downtown Portales.
Speaking to a crowd of first-responders and area residents, David Stone asked those gathered to reflect on the 18 years that have passed since the deadly terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"Can you believe it's passed that quickly?" said the long-time president of James Polk Stone Community Bank, where the group assembled for the annual remembrance ceremony. "This was not the first attack on America, but it certainly was a terrible one."
In nearly two decades following, the U.S. responded with campaigns against the foreign terrorists responsible and killed Osama bin Laden, founder of the militant organization al-Qaida. An attempt to place a new government in Afghanistan was unsuccessful, "but as for avenging an attack we certainly were," Stone said.
It is a different world since then, and with the "most recent terror attacks performed by mentally ill and disgruntled Americans," he added. The appearance of deepening divisions in the country has invited some comparison to the American Civil War, Stone said, but he believed an important difference was in the modern military's capacity to quell any potential domestic insurrection. Stone said he would cast his support with the U.S. military in that kind of hypothetical.
The flag ceremony, which included a performance of Taps from the Cannon Air Force Base Honor Guard and the National Anthem from Eastern New Mexico University students, closed with recognition of military, law enforcement and other local public service employees.
The flag itself was presented to the bank by 1st Lt. James Justin Nance, son of Brad and Julie Nance of Portales. It was flown at Camp Blackhorse in Kabul, Afghanistan "by the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Enduring Freedom," according to the event handout.
That afternoon in Clovis' Hillcrest Park, Steed-Todd Funeral Home hosted its fifth-annual free meal for local first-responders, with local medical investigator Randi Wright catering sandwiches from his "Chuckwagon" food truck.
Previous years saw an average of 40 to 60 local fire, police and sheriff personnel turning out for the lunch, and organizers estimated a similar number for Wednesday's event.
