WAPPINGER TOWN BOARD, SENATOR SERINO AND ASSEMBLYMAN LALOR PAVE THE WAY TO CREATE ‘WAPPINGER VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY’

ALBANY, NY – Senator Sue Serino and Assemblyman Kieran Lalor today announced that their bill to designate US Route 9 in the Town of Wappinger as ‘Wappinger Veterans Memorial Highway’ has passed both houses of the Legislature.

“There will never be enough words to express the full depth of our gratitude to our veterans who have made tremendous sacrifices for all of us,” said Senator Sue Serino. “Thousands of residents and visitors alike travel this stretch of road regularly, and naming it in honor of our veterans is one of the many ways our community is working to continually honor their service and dedication. The Wappinger Veterans Memorial Highway will help send an important message to our vets that they will forever have a grateful community behind them. I thank our servicemen and women and all of those who played a role in this important initiative.”

“I am proud to have sponsored this bill along with Senator Sue Serino with local assistance from the Town of Wappinger.  We are now able to recognize our veterans by renaming a portion of Route 9 in their honor.  Courageous Wappinger residents like Sergeant Mark Palmateer and Major Daniel Martz are appropriately recognized by name in local memorials and we are fortunate to have other veterans’ monuments in the area.  Route 9 in Wappinger is also home to the first in the country POW / MIA Memorial Park placed in honor of Wappinger Falls resident Major Joseph McDonald who was shot down over Vietnam.  As noted by the Wappinger Town Board in a resolution, it is very fitting for the most heavily traveled highway in Wappinger to be named for all the men and women of Wappinger who have served our nation.  This name change will help bring recognition and remembrance to our local veterans and their service while people travel, shop and work on the Wappinger Veterans Memorial Highway in the Town of Wappinger,” said Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor, 105th Assembly District

Wappinger Town Supervisor Dick Thurston, said, “The Town of Wappinger is elated that both the NY State Senate and Assembly have approved bills that would allow us to designate the section of Route 9 that runs through the Town as our Veterans Memorial Highway. The ongoing recognition and support given to our veterans is a very important initiative on which I and the Town Board have focused our attention. Thanks to Deputy Supervisor Kevin Hathorn and Randy Ross for their efforts to bring this dream to reality. We deeply appreciate the support and efforts of Senator Serino and Assemblyman Lalor.”

Kevin Hathorn, Navy Veteran and Town of Wappinger Deputy Supervisor, welcomes this legislation saying, “Its long term goal is to memorialize Route 9 through the Town of Wappinger, New York, as Wappinger Veterans Memorial Highway. We look forward to the erection of signs at the North and South boundaries of Wappinger township on Route 9.  Once the signs are installed, a ceremony commemorating this event is planned.  All are welcome to join in this celebration. Thanks are due to Randy Ross for his energy and devotion to making this happen.”

“Town of Wappinger Supervisor Richard Thurston has proclaimed 2020 as the Year of the Veteran. To honor our vets, Dr. Thurston asked Deputy Supervisor Kevin Hathorn and myself, as members of the Town Veterans Advisory Committee, to create programs and lasting memorials to show appreciation and honor for our vets. Re-naming our portion of Route 9 in the Town ‘Wappingers Veterans Memorial Highway’ will be a daily reminder to our citizens and any travelers through our town that our veterans will always be in our hearts and in our thoughts,” said Randy Ross, TOW Veterans Advisory Committee. 

The legislation was introduced at the request of the Town Board of the Town of Wappinger. The Town chose this particular stretch of roadway to be named in honor of our veterans, as it is the most heavily trafficked highway within the town.

The bill will now be sent to the Governor to be signed into law.

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