Recognizing the Life of Randy Potter

Floor Speech

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Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, in life there are names that once spoken give rise to great emotion. The name ``Randy Potter'' is one of those names in our community.

Today, I recognize the life of one of Upstate New York's most colorful and original characters, Randy Potter. Simply mentioning Randy's name puts smiles on the faces of all who knew him. Seeing his crazy hair and fun attire always covered in campaign slogans and buttons put a smile on the faces of people who didn't know him.

Randy was a music aficionado and a diehard Grateful Dead fan who attended hundreds of concerts, and he will always be fondly remembered for his love of music. He also enjoyed sports, and it didn't matter which team was playing; as long as it was a New York team, Randy was always their biggest fan.

Perhaps most importantly to Randy, he was someone who cared a lot about our community and about politics and the importance of government, and our community depended on him to get the message out.

Sadly, Mr. Potter passed away quietly on the evening of December 23. A treasure trove of stories, jokes, and the smiles of many, many residents across Upstate and Central New York will be remembered by our loss of Randy Potter. Today, we remember his life and the many moments of joy he shared throughout our community. May we all learn a lesson from his life and zest for sparking joy and laughter in those around him. Recognizing the Life of Joe Fusco, Jr.

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Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tragic passing of one of my district's great public servants, the Honorable Joseph Fusco, Jr., the former mayor of Rome, New York.

Mayor Fusco was a dedicated public servant, who led an incredible life. He first served as Rome City councilman and then as the 42nd mayor of Rome from 2011 to 2015, a job he performed with integrity, passion, and determination.

Joe led by example. He was always a smiling face and a helping hand. He oversaw the completion of the Mohawk River Trail, and in what little spare time he had, would participate in volunteer work across the community. He also hosted a terrific charity motorcycle ride across our beautiful region, an event I always looked forward to participating in each year. His dedication to public service carries on through his son, Joseph, III, who became a Rome firefighter in 2007.

I have no doubt that Rome, New York, is a better place because of the legacy of Mayor Fusco and the legacy that he leaves behind. I also extend my deepest condolences to Mayor Fusco's family, as they are grieving deeply at this time. This includes his beloved wife and dear friend, Laurie, his son, Joe, and many grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by many. Again, his legacy will not be forgotten. Recognizing Priscilla ``Peep'' Williams for her Athletic and Academic Achievements

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Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Priscilla, also known as Peep, Williams, a standout athlete and student from New York's 22nd District.

As an 8th grader in 2017, Peep was named to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Lacrosse Girls National Middle School Team. From there, the honors just keep pouring in.

As a freshman in the spring of 2019, Peep stormed into the Seton Academy lacrosse scene, breaking the school's individual scoring record that was previously held by Seton's first Naval Academy appointee, who also happened to be her big sister, Maddie, who I had the distinguished honor of recommending an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

Peep is a 2021 USA Lacrosse Academic All-American and a member of the U-18 National Team. In this year's off season, Peep also won the New York State Sectional Tennis Championship. Ms. Williams recently signed her letter of intent to travel nearly 3,000 miles from home where she will play for an institution with a standard of excellence in both athletics and academics, the Stanford Cardinals.

Please join me in congratulating Peep and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors and know she will continue to represent our community with grace and determination. I wish the best to her parents, wonderful members of our community as well.

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