March 3, 2006
Section: Business
Page: B06
Keep name of airport, official says
Poughkeepsie Journal
Craig Wolf
NEWBURGH -- State Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Madison Jr. Thursday backed the movement to keep ''Stewart'' in the name of Stewart International Airport.
Madison wrote National Express Group CEO Philip White in London.
''On behalf of Gov. Pataki, I urge you to conclude, as we have, that appropriate regard for community concerns -- including respect for the community's sense of history -- should result in keeping 'Stewart' in the formal name of the airport however it is designated in the future,'' Madison wrote.
National Express has a 99-year lease on Stewart and claims the right to change the name.
Also Thursday, local residents gathered in a snowstorm near the billboard they recently put up on Little Britain Road to urge National Express to think again and keep Stewart in the name.
Despite protests, the name remains slated to be replaced in May to New York Hudson Valley International Airport, airport officials said.
Undeterred, local residents, and members of the Stewart family continued their campaign to build support. Carmen Dubaldi Jr., chairman of the New Windsor Republican Committee, said that group had chimed in.
Red Hook resident Linda Keeling attended the event at the billboard. ''I'm looking at it from the whole perspective of the Hudson Valley. Stewart has recognition,'' she said. ''It's just eliminating the whole identity.''
'Bad business'
Present were Mary Stewart Hafer, daughter of Archie Stewart, whose idea it was to donate a family farm, Stony Lonesome, to establish the airport, and her daughter, Abby Hafer.
''It's a very bad business idea to ignore the public,'' Abby Hafer said.
Tanya Vanasse, airport spokeswoman, said, ''We're still changing the name and we're concerned that people are feeling offended by it. We in no way intended to offend.''
National Express will name the passenger terminal for the Stewart family, she said. ''The naming of the terminal and putting the Stewart name out there for people in the local community will preserve that and the name we've chosen will help us in marketing outside the area.''
(Craig Wolf can be reached at
[email protected])
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