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Changes are being implemented for Albany's Memorial Day Parade to enhance safety. The parade, which will start at Lexington Avenue, will have a shorter route than previous years. Parking restrictions will be in place on Central Avenue, with only parade vehicles allowed in the staging area.
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox explained that these adjustments aim to prevent unauthorized vehicles or individuals from entering the parade route. This decision follows several tragic incidents, including a New Year's Day attack in New Orleans where a truck drove into a crowd, resulting in 14 deaths.
Security measures are not new to Albany, as similar precautions were taken after events like 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing. During the recent Tulip Festival, heavy vehicles were strategically placed at entrances to Washington Park as a safety measure.
This year's parade will honor Gold Star parents Jim and Jill Frankoski and John and Judy Gracia as Grand Marshals. Their sons, Casey Frankoski and John Grassia II, died in a helicopter crash near the U.S.-Mexico border in March 2024.