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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Radio station KSST is celebrating 60 years of |
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service to the communities of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County in |
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2007; and |
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WHEREAS, KSST was started by Howard Smith, Sally Pratt, and |
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Howard Hicks at the urging of future Texas Governor John Connally, |
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who had served with Mr. Smith in the war; and |
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WHEREAS, The station's first broadcast occurred on March 1, |
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1947, at 6 a.m. and featured the national anthem; shortly |
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thereafter, the "hillbilly" group the Highway Melody Boys took to |
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the airwaves with a live performance; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally situated over a J. C. Penney's store in |
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downtown Sulphur Springs, KSST's turntables would vibrate whenever |
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the department store's ceiling fans were turned on; and |
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WHEREAS, The first radio station in Texas to use weather |
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radar, KSST was also one of the first to use mobile radio units and |
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to use the teletype news service to carry election returns; and |
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WHEREAS, From its next home on Radio Road to its current |
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location on Interstate 30, the station has provided news, weather, |
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coverage of local sports teams, religious broadcasting, farm |
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reports, and emergency alerts to the community; other offerings |
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have included such entertainment programs as the Reilly Springs |
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Jamboree, which evolved into "The Sunshine Show," with popular |
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radio personalities Lou Erck and Clovis "Peavine" Pinion; and |
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WHEREAS, KSST has won numerous awards for its reporting and |
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community service over the years, including the Elliot Roosevelt |
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Award from the Texas State Network, a Community Pride Award, |
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several School Bell Awards from the Texas State Teachers |
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Association, a joint commendation from the Federal Communications |
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Commission, the National Weather Service, and National Disaster |
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Services, and honors from the Texas Association of Broadcasters; in |
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1999 the station was named the Hopkins County Small Business of the |
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Year; and |
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WHEREAS, The station hired William E. "Bill" Bradford, Jr., |
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as an engineer in 1948, and a few months later he was asked to manage |
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the station; now the owner and general manager, he has overseen the |
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running of the station for nearly 60 years; in his distinctive |
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gravelly voice he provides analysis of the news in his "Daily |
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Comment" feature as well as recollections of local history in the |
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"History Files" segment every weekday; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Bradford has been recognized many times for his |
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contributions; honored in the past as the Hopkins County Citizen of |
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the Year and the Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year, Mr. Bradford |
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received the Vision Award for his 50 years of corporate citizenship |
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in 2002, and he was elected to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame Hall of |
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Honor in 2005; and |
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WHEREAS, For 60 years, KSST has been the voice of Sulphur |
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Springs and Hopkins County, providing entertainment, information, |
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encouragement, and support to its many faithful listeners; as a |
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chronicler of its community, the station has been a leader in Texas |
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broadcasting; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate radio station KSST of Sulphur Springs on the |
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60th anniversary of its founding and extend sincere best wishes to |
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the staff of the station for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for KSST and its staff as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |