Several area leaders are marking the eleventh anniversary of the terror attacks of September 11, but overall the commemorations are taking a less political tone than in year's past.

In Washington, D.C., congressional Democrats and Republicans plan to stand outside the Capitol for a moment of silence in an act of bipartisanship. At ground zero in New York City, the family members of the victims are reading their loved ones names, but no elected officials were included in the ceremony.

In a statement, Congressman John Yarmuth says Americans should seek to learn that facing the country's problems requires a transcendence of politics.

From Yarmuth's office:

"Eleven years ago, terrorists attacked our nation and killed thousands of our fellow Americans. Today, we remember their lives. We grieve with their families and loved ones. And we reflect on the national unity that arose from the ruin of that calamitous day, reminded of our shared purpose: to keep our country safe and to preserve the values that shape our national character.

Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that Metro Hall will host a rotating series of art exhibits curated by local artists. The Rotunda Art Project is part of the mayor's on-going efforts to make Metro Hall (601. W. Jefferson St.) a community gathering place. 

A conference for information security professionals and enthusiasts returns to Louisville at the end of the month.  DerbyCon is a four day event that will feature lectures by information and security experts as well as training courses for those who wish to hone their skills.

Organizer Adrian Crenshaw says the conference grew out of a series of classes he helped put together with co-founders Martin Bos and David Kennedy.  The classes were very popular and the group decided to try to put together a conference.

The two-party system may dominate politics, but Kentuckians will still have a host of options when it comes to voting for a presidential candidate this fall.

In addition to the two major party candidates, two other political parties have qualified their candidates in Kentucky.

The Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson and the Green Party’s Jill Stein will join well-known candidates Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama on the ballot.

Also listed will be at least three other write-in slates and Independent candidate Randall Terry of West Virginia.

The Jefferson County Board of Education has approved the performance objectives for Superintendent Donna Hargens’s evaluation, but measuring student performance may still be a challenge.

The board approved the criteria at Monday night's board meeting. It measures three major performance objectives, including implementation of the new strategic plan, continuation assessing and organizing management and improving student achievement.

The Indiana Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal by ousted Secretary of State Charlie White so he can seek a remedy at the trial court.

An order signed by Chief Appeals Court Judge Margret Robb and posted online dismisses White's appeal so he can pursue post-conviction relief before Hamilton Superior Court Judge Steven Nation.

Louisville's Air Pollution Control District has sent a Notice of Violation to liquor giant Diageo, alleging the company violated the conditions of its permit.

The violations laid out include several odor complaints near Diageo's whiskey aging warehouse at 2359 Millers Lane. But perhaps more interesting is another violation for the sooty-mold that has been seen on properties near the warehouse.

The strike that shut schools in Chicago on Monday illustrates a larger, national trend: Teachers unions are having a harder time getting what they want.

For decades, teachers unions have been among the most powerful lobbying groups in nearly every state — and have been arguably even more powerful at the local level, where they've often been able to unseat school board members and even mayors who crossed them.

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Ok., campaigned on behalf of fellow Republican and Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock at an Indianapolis hospital on Monday to outline alternatives to the Affordable Care Act.

The Mourdock campaign outline its health care plan that would include making all health care expenses tax deductible, allow insurance companies to compete across state lines and enact additional medical malpractice insurance and liability reforms.

Mourdock has been running against President Obama's health care overhaul since the GOP primary, and has called the legislation a disaster.

From the Mourdock campaign:

The Senator and Mr. Mourdock huddled with physicians and administrators at the Indiana Orthopedic Hospital (IOH) to discuss the legislation’s impact on their practices and patients.

"This disastrous legislation is killing jobs, pushing folks off their insurance plans and actually raising the cost of health care. It’s also killing providers and damaging our hospitals,” said Mourdock. “We need to repeal it. But, just as important, we need to replace it with market-oriented, patient-and-doctor driven reforms that actually reduce health care costs,” he continued.