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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Radio station KOGT-AM demonstrated exemplary |
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commitment to the city of Orange and its environs during Hurricane |
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Rita, and its outstanding service throughout this devastating |
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ordeal serves to underscore why the station has been a mainstay of |
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the community for nearly six decades; and |
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WHEREAS, The station first hit the airwaves on January 16, |
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1948, with broadcasts of local news, a Stark High School basketball |
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game, recordings by Bing Crosby, and organ music; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1961, the station has played classic country |
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music, but through several owners, it has continued to be the voice |
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of Orange, covering such significant news stories as Hurricanes |
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Audrey and Rita, the disastrous fire in downtown Orange in the early |
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1960s, and back-to-back state football championships in 1986 and |
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1987; the station still provides live broadcasts of local high |
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school sporting events, and KOGT and its website remain a primary |
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source for local news; and |
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WHEREAS, Current owner Gary Stelly bought the station in 1992 |
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and has since replaced equipment and doubled the size of the staff, |
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which includes veteran announcer Richard Corder, who has worked at |
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the station since 1955; readers of the Orange Leader are |
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representative of its loyal fan base, having lauded KOGT with best |
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radio station, best news media, and best sportscaster honors each |
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year for more than a decade; and |
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WHEREAS, During Hurricane Rita, KOGT was an essential |
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lifeline to Orange residents, providing necessary information |
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before the storm, and after, through its website; with the |
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assistance of Wayne Reeh and Matt Arnold, Mr. Stelly was able to |
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keep the website up and running on generator power, providing news |
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and photos of the storm's damage and recovery efforts; the website, |
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KOGT.com, received as many as 15,000 hits a day, as well as e-mails |
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and phone calls from over 30 states; and |
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WHEREAS, The owner and staff of KOGT underscored their |
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ongoing commitment to the community by performing above and beyond |
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the call of duty in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita; Mr. Stelly was |
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recognized for his efforts when he was named the Greater Orange Area |
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Chamber of Commerce 2005 Citizen of the Year, an honor for which he |
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has shared credit with his hardworking and dedicated staff; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Gary Stelly and the staff of KOGT in |
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Orange for their exceptional service to their community during |
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Hurricane Rita and express best wishes to all those involved for |
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their 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 Mr. Stelly and the staff of KOGT as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |