Arizona town renames road to honor slain rancher, LaVoy Finicum

“We should never forget what happened to LaVoy. I would erect a monument in his honor if I could afford to do it personally, but changing the name of this one road is absolutely the very, very least we can do to honor his memory.”

Dave Hawkins

The Standard

CANE BEDS – A request to rename a road in northern Mohave County in honor of a controversial figure who was killed by Oregon state troopers was approved during Monday’s Mohave County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Lake Havasu City Supervisor Buster Johnson dissented in the 4-1 vote approving renaming a portion of Yellowstone Road near the northwest Arizona community of Cane Beds after LaVoy Finicum.

Finicum was an Arizona Strip cattle rancher who served as spokesman for the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, which was formed specifically to overtake the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southern Oregon.

Finicum was shot and killed by authorities Jan. 26, 2016, the day before his 56th birthday during the extended protest occupation of the refuge.

Friends and family members addressing supervisors at the board meeting did not reference LaVoy’s political involvement and criticism of federal authorities. Instead, they indicated that renaming the road after LaVoy would help recognize the long history of the Finicum family in northern Arizona.

Jennifer Jones-Esposito, however, called Finicum an American patriot who was “murdered” by authorities.

“He was willing to take a stand for things that most people will never have the courage to do,” said Jones-Esposito. “We should never forget what happened to LaVoy. I would erect a monument in his honor if I could afford to do it personally, but changing the name of this one road is absolutely the very, very least we can do to honor his memory.”

 

Read the full report here


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