Senator Jess J. Present Memorial Highway Passes Senate
Catharine Young
June 22, 2005
State Senator Catharine "Cathy" Young (R,I,C - Olean) today announced that she has sponsored and passed a bill to name Route 430 in Chautauqua County, the "Senator Jess J. Present Memorial Highway."
"For nearly 40 years, Senator Present was a compassionate public servant dedicated to his constituency and to the belief that government can be a positive force for improving people's lives," Senator Young said.
Senator Present served as President of the Jamestown City Council in the 1960’s, was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1965, and Senate in 1968 where he served until his passing in 1998. Among his many accomplishments, Senator Present shepherded the completion of the Southern Tier Expressway, now I-86, a major economic boon to southwestern New York.
"Senator Present held a deep affection and concern for the health and welfare of Chautauqua Lake, where he and his family resided," said Senator Young. "Naming Route 430, which skirts the eastern side of Chautauqua Lake and goes through his beloved Bemus Point, is a fitting tribute in honor of Senator Present’s influence throughout the Southern Tier and Chautauqua County," she concluded.