FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

Contact: Senator Bob Odell

(603) 271-6733

SENATE APPROVES NAMING OF BRIDGE FOR JUSTIN A. ROLLINS

CONCORD – The Senate voted 24-0 today in favor of naming the Elm Street Bridge in Newport in honor of Army Specialist Justin A. Rollins, who was killed in Iraq.

Rollins’ parents were on the Senate floor when the vote was taken and were presented with a record of the roll call vote, signed by all 24 members of the Senate.

“It was a sincere honor today, and I thank my colleagues for supporting the naming of the Elm Street Bridge in Newport after this very special young man,” said Senator Bob Odell (R-Lempster) and the leading sponsor of the Senate Bill 506.

“Justin gave the ultimate sacrifice and naming the bridge after him is an appropriate recognition of his service to this country,” Odell continued.

The Specialist Justin A. Rollins Memorial Bridge crosses the Sugar River in Newport, where Rollins, 22, grew up and graduated from high school.

Rollins was killed on March 5, 2007 while engaged in combat operations with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The bill now heads to the House for further action.