Breaking: 5 Surprising Developments Putting New Jersey in the Spotlight Today

New Jersey is preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with a packed schedule of vigils, concerts and remembrance services that will stretch from the Hudson River waterfront to the Pine Barrens. The largest gathering is expected in Jersey City, where the skyline view of Lower Manhattan has made the Grand Street 9/11 Memorial a focal point every year. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, and will feature the New Jersey Symphony and a reading of the names of the 749 state residents lost in the attacks. North Jersey residents can attend a sunset vigil at Overpeck County Park in Ridgefield Park on Sunday, Sept. 10. The amphitheater–side program starts at 6:30 p.m. with candle-lighting and a moment of silence timed to twilight, symbolizing the transition from grief to renewed resolve. Along the shore, Ocean County will stage its own remembrance at 9 a.m. outside the Justice Complex on Hooper Avenue in Toms River. Local first responders will raise steel recovered from the World Trade Center before a tolling of bells honors each of the county’s 42 victims. State offices will lower U.S. and New Jersey flags to half-staff from sunrise on Sept. 11 through sunset on Sept. 12 under an executive order signed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who called on residents to “stand united in service and reflection” during the milestone year. Transportation agencies are bracing for heavier-than-normal morning crowds. NJ Transit will add early-morning rail service on the Northeast Corridor and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to accommodate commuters heading to waterfront ceremonies, while PATH will waive fares for first responders traveling in uniform. Drivers should expect rolling closures on the Turnpike Extension near Exit 14C and on Route 3 by MetLife Stadium between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. as honor convoys move toward New York City. For those unable to attend in person, the Jersey City ceremony will stream live on the city’s official YouTube channel, and the state will host a virtual Wall of Remembrance that accepts digital tributes through midnight Sept. 12. Whether you observe in Hudson, Bergen, Ocean or your own backyard, organizers say the goal is the same: to ensure a new generation understands why “Never Forget” is more than a slogan in the Garden State.