Owego Memorial Day Changes, Governor Supports Small Parades

Memorial Day, like many other notable dates, is looking much different this year. 

Johnson City and the Town of Binghamton are among locations where observances will be combined with Veterans Day later this year.  Owego and Tioga County will honor fallen heroes privately at home with no Memorial Day downtown parade, Service of Remembrance at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial and no Flags-In on veterans’ graves in Eastern and Northern Tioga Cemeteries.

Officials way there will be a memorial wreath cast from the Court Street Bridge into the Susquehanna River to remember Navy personnel lost at sea and there will be wreaths at the memorials to Remember the Fallen Heroes. 

From 8:15 a.m. Monday there will be a live Facebook and YouTube feed of the reading of the names of almost five-thousand deceased Tioga Count veterans.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state will allow local Memorial Day ceremonies of ten people or less and its up to local governments if they will even allow those small gatherings.  The Governor says he believes vehicle parades are appropriate and should be encouraged to honor the people who have lost their lives serving their country.