On April 16 I presented SJR-26, creating the "Staff Sergeant Justin Bauer Memorial Highway." Justin Bauer was killed in Iraq in January of 2009. The highway being designated is state highway 56, running through Berthoud, from I-25 to U.S. 287. His widow, father, father-in-law and several other friends and family were able to join me on the senate floor for this very moving event. It was a true honor and privilege to help establish this permanent memorial for Justin Bauer.

Donations to erect signs designating the Highway can be made at Home state Bank in Berthoud. (970-203-6100)

You can make a donation by visiting the bank on Main Street or by mailing a check made out to the Justin Bauer Memorial Highway Fund to:

Home State Bank
PO Box 719
Berthoud, CO 80513

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 10-026

BY SENATOR(S) Lundberg, Bacon, Cadman, King K., Gibbs, Keller,
Heath, Romer, Johnston, Schultheis, Williams, Boyd, Brophy, Carroll
M., Foster, Harvey, Hodge, Hudak, Kester, Kopp, Morse, Newell, Penry,
Renfroe, Sandoval, Scheffel, Schwartz, Shaffer B., Spence, Steadman,
Tapia, Tochtrop, White, Whitehead, Mitchell;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Nikkel and Kefalas, Acree, Apuan, Balmer,
Baumgardner, Bradford, Carroll T., Casso, Court, Curry, DelGrosso,
Ferrandino, Fischer, Frangas, Gagliardi, Gardner C., Hullinghorst,
Kagan, Kerr A., Kerr J., Labuda, Liston, Looper, May, McFadyen,
McKinley, Miklosi, Murray, Pace, Pommer, Rice, Ryden, Scanlan,
Schafer S., Solano, Soper, Stephens, Summers, Tipton, Todd, Tyler,
Vigil, Waller, Benefield, Gardner B., Gerou, Judd, King S., Lambert,
Levy, Massey, McCann, McNulty, Merrifield, Middleton, Peniston,
Primavera, Priola, Riesberg, Sonnenberg, Swalm, Vaad, Weissmann.

CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF STATE
HIGHWAY 56 AS THE "STAFF SERGEANT JUSTIN BAUER
MEMORIAL HIGHWAY".

WHEREAS, Born on August 22, 1984, Justin Lynn Bauer was raised
in the Berthoud, Colorado, area and graduated from Berthoud High
School in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer was a standout athlete and leader
at Berthoud High School, where he lettered in football and wrestling and
demonstrated exceptional drive and character; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer was dedicated to serving his
community and his country, and he took his first step toward that goal at
age 14, when he earned his first firefighter certification; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer later completed his wildfire certification, emergency medical technician certification, and hazardous
material certification and was working toward a degree in fire science at
Aims Community College; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, Staff Sergeant Bauer
followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Berthoud Fire
Department, and soon after that he traveled to Antarctica to work as a
firefighter at a scientific research station there; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, Staff Sergeant Bauer enlisted in the United
States Army and served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division
based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the same division in which his
grandfather served during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, After serving for 16 months in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Bauer
briefly returned to Colorado in September 2008 to marry Kari Campbell,
whom he had met while attending Berthoud High School; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer was on his second tour of duty in
Iraq when, while leading a patrol from Forward Operating Base Loyalty
in Baghdad on January 10, 2009, an improvised explosive device took his
life when it struck the vehicle in which he was riding; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer excelled as a soldier, and his
service to his country was recognized with numerous awards, including
the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and
the Army Commendation Medal; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Bauer was well-liked and respected by the
men he led, and he is remembered as an exceptional leader who was
dedicated to his family and friends, his community, and his country; now,
therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly of
the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

(1) That the portion of State Highway 56, from its intersection with
United States Highway 287 to its intersection with Interstate 25, be
renamed the "Staff Sergeant Justin Bauer Memorial Highway".

(2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and
expend gifts, grants, donations, and federal funds for the purposes of the
initial placement of signs to mark the designated portion of State
Highway 56 as the "Staff Sergeant Justin Bauer Memorial Highway" and
to erect a memorial plaque, which shall include reference to his highest
military award, to be placed in an appropriate location.

(3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a
cooperative agreement with the Boards of County Commissioners for
Larimer County and Weld County for the maintenance of the markings
and the plaque for the "Staff Sergeant Justin Bauer Memorial Highway".

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
Staff Sergeant Bauer's wife Kari Bauer, his mother Connie Haddock, his
father and stepmother Greg and Charlene Bauer, his brothers Jacob and
Jeremy Bauer, the Colorado Transportation Commission, the Office of
Transportation Safety in the Colorado Department of Transportation,
Berthoud Mayor Tom Patterson and Mayor Pro Tempore David Gregg,
the Berthoud Board of Trustees, the Boards of County Commissioners for
Larimer County and Weld County, and the Secretary of the United States
Army, John McHugh.