SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 15

(By Senators Smith, Sypolt, Beach, Lindsay, Stollings, Unger, Jeffries, and Romano)

[Introduced January 30, 2020]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 16-259/00-010.43 (16A088), locally known as Lost City Bridge, carrying West Virginia Route 259 over the Lost River in Hardy County, the “Kaylee Grace Whetzel Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Kaylee Grace was born March 20, 2004, and was the daughter of Michael Whetzel in Lost City, West Virginia; and

Whereas, Kaylee Grace had just started kindergarten in August 2009 and shared her days with her father and paternal grandparents as the joy of their lives; and

Whereas, Kaylee Grace was described as a happy and bubbly girl who enjoyed the time spent with her father and grandparents; and

Whereas, Kaylee Grace was a victim of a horrific crime committed against her; and

Whereas, Kaylee Grace died October 23, 2009, due to the crime committed against her; and

Whereas, Beginning in 2010, Kaylee Grace’s surviving family worked with the Hardy County Community Foundation to give scholarships in memory of Kaylee Grace to graduates of Hardy County schools; and

Whereas, A scholarship has been granted to a student every year since 2011; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Kaylee Grace Whetzel and the love a community of this state bears for one of its citizens; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 16-259/00-010.43 (16A088), locally known as Lost City Bridge, carrying West Virginia Route 259 over the Lost River in Hardy County, the “Kaylee Grace Whetzel Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “Kaylee Grace Whetzel Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.