Legislature approves AMVET designation of State Road 94

Legislation designating a portion of State Road 94 as AMVETS Memorial Highway was approved by the just completed session of the Missouri General Assembly.

The bill was offered by Rep. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane. It passed the Missouri House by a vote of 146-0. Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, handled the legislation in the Senate.

Riddle said the idea for the designation honoring veterans came from Bob Spencer of Mokane, who is vice commander of AMVETS Post 153 in Mokane.

"I fully support the veterans that serve our country and I believe this is a terrific way to honor all American veterans," Riddle said.

Spencer said he got the idea for designating the highway to honor veterans a few years ago while seeing a similar road designation in the state of New York on his way to Niagara Falls, N.Y. Spencer said he started working on the idea two years ago. Former Sen. Carl Vogel, R-Jefferson City, helped Spencer organize support for the proposal.

Spencer said he contacted Rep. Riddle this year about the proposal and she was eager to help. He rounded up the necessary 100 signatures in support of his proposal by circulating his petition throughout Callaway County and part of Cole County.

"People were eager to sign. We decided to name the designation as the AMVETS Memorial Highway to honor veterans from Missouri who lost their lives fighting for their country. I wanted to do something for veterans who didn't come back home," Spencer said.

Spencer said the designation won't cost the taxpayers anything because he intends to raise the $600 needed to pay for the two signs at each end of the highway.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.