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Veterans cemetery renovation causes concerns as gravesites are left exposed

The Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery is getting upgrades to meet demands, but one veteran is concerned about graves getting exposed in the process.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery is getting upgrades to meet demands, but a veteran is concerned about graves being exposed in the process.

Anthony Leone served in the army, army reserves and army national guard. his late fiancé also served.

“My late fiancé, Paula, is buried here behind me,” Leone said.

Her rest site is at the Arkansas Veterans Cemetery.

“I was coming here to give her flowers back in this past August for her birthday and that’s when I noticed this place looked like a construction zone,” Leone said.

The orange cones and bulldozers aren’t his main concern.

“Several of the cement vaults that coffins are placed in were exposed at the time,” Leone said.

He said graves have been exposed for long periods of time since because of renovations.

“There were several exposed, crypt, vaults right in this area... It’s just not the way you treat someone, a veteran or a loved one,” Leone said.

Cemetery Assistant Director and veteran William Wussick said they don’t want to limit access to gravesites.

“We’re going to make sure that we can get our guests to those burial areas that they want to visit while we’re here, even though there may be some work going on,” Wussick said.

He said they’re working against the weather, which has led to slower turnaround time.

“The challenges with weather are ones that we work through day-to-day, and we really feel bad for our guests and our customers that we have those situations,” Wussick said.

They are working to improve roadways and the irrigation system so families can have the rest site the veterans deserve.

“In the future, it’s going to get better. It’s not good now, it’s not what we want, but we can’t make the cemetery better without having a period of time where we grow and enhance what we have,” Wussick said.

The director said anyone with questions about upgrades can call them directly. 

He hopes after the last phase of upgrades are complete, they'll be able to expand without disrupting the current gravesites.

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