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Replacement for burned ‘rainbow’ bench in Ogdensburg to be dedicated Sunday

Posted 9/25/15

OGDENSBURG -- First Presbyterian Church will dedicate its new rainbow bench Sunday at 11 a.m. Rev. Laurena Wickham Will will lead the ceremony. The bench is a replacement for one that was burned as …

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Replacement for burned ‘rainbow’ bench in Ogdensburg to be dedicated Sunday

Posted

OGDENSBURG -- First Presbyterian Church will dedicate its new rainbow bench Sunday at 11 a.m.

Rev. Laurena Wickham Will will lead the ceremony.

The bench is a replacement for one that was burned as what police initially described as a hate crime.

On Sept. 7, Francis Solis, 47, set fire to the bench, a symbol of acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

He was charged with fifth-degree arson, misdemeanor, and third-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, felony.

Solis turned himself in after seeing surveillance footage released to the media that showed him near the scene around the time of the fire.

The hate crime charge was later dropped after a prosecutor didn’t show for a preliminary hearing.

Donald Kerr constructed the new bench and donated it to the church.

For more information on the Sunday dedication, Rev. Will can be reached at 393-2510.