1-1                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 389

        1-2           WHEREAS, The Senate of Texas takes pleasure in recognizing

        1-3     David E. Toney and The Brazoria County News on the momentous

        1-4     occasion of his 70th birthday and the 35th anniversary of the

        1-5     superb newspaper on March 29, 1997; and

        1-6           WHEREAS, David was born on March 29, 1927, in Beaumont, Texas,

        1-7     and his family moved to Port Lavaca, where his father worked as a

        1-8     driller on an oil well; and

        1-9           WHEREAS, David graduated from Port Lavaca High School and

       1-10     began his career as a journalist after college with Port Lavaca's

       1-11     The Wave; and

       1-12           WHEREAS, David Toney married Carlene Johnson of Port Lavaca

       1-13     in March, 1950, and together they made a home and raised a family; and

       1-14           WHEREAS, Mr. Toney went to work for the Temple Daily Telegram

       1-15     in the summer of 1952; he was first on the scene of a tragic crash

       1-16     of two buses that killed 20 people near Temple, and his news stories

       1-17     were carried by both the Associated Press and the United Press; and

       1-18           WHEREAS, Dedicated to journalism, David E. Toney worked

       1-19     as an editor for The Wave until he and his brother founded

       1-20     The Calhoun County Times in March, 1955; and

       1-21           WHEREAS, In 1962, David and Carlene moved to West Columbia,

       1-22     where they founded The Brazoria County News, an excellent

       1-23     weekly newspaper in its 35th year; and

        2-1           WHEREAS, Originally the paper printed 3,000 copies a week;

        2-2     now, circulation has increased to 11,000; the successful paper in

        2-3     West Columbia has enabled the Toney family to own three other

        2-4     newspapers in Palacios, Needville, and Sour Lake; these newspapers

        2-5     have won many press awards for excellence; and

        2-6           WHEREAS, Named Outstanding Citizen of West Columbia for

        2-7     1996, David Toney has always sought to help his community and his

        2-8     fellowman, and he has actively served on numerous boards and

        2-9     committees; now, therefore, be it

       2-10           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

       2-11     75th Legislature, hereby extend birthday greetings to David Toney

       2-12     and The Brazoria County News and wish them well in the

       2-13     future; and, be it further

       2-14           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for

       2-15     Mr. Toney as an expression of the high regard of the Texas Senate.

       2-16                                                                   Brown

       2-17                                  ______________________________________

       2-18                                          President of the Senate

       2-19                                       I hereby certify that the above

       2-20                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

       2-21                                  on March 26, 1997.

       2-22                                  ______________________________________

       2-23                                          Secretary of the Senate

       2-24                                  ______________________________________

       2-25                                           Member, Texas Senate