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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a groundbreaking journalist |
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and tireless champion of open government with the death of Beverly |
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Ann Arnold of Austin on September 1, 2012, at the age of 67; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on April 6, 1945, in Jackson, Mississippi, the |
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former Ann Watson was the daughter of Bill and Mildred Watson; her |
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interest in journalism was sparked as a young student in Little |
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Rock, Arkansas, where the integration of Central High School in |
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1957 made the national news; following her family's move to Fort |
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Worth, she began a newspaper in her junior high school and continued |
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to write for the L. D. Bell High School newspaper and community |
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publications until her graduation; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Arnold attended Texas A&M University in |
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Arlington and transferred to The University of Texas at Austin; |
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throughout her years in college, she contributed to various papers, |
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including the Daily Texan and the Dallas Times Herald, winning a |
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Headliners award for her work in 1966; she graduated with a |
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bachelor's degree in journalism in 1968 and that same year married |
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her high school sweetheart, Reg Arnold; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1970s, when few women worked in the Capitol |
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Press Corps, Mrs. Arnold joined the Capitol bureau of UPI and |
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covered the actions of the state legislature as well as a number of |
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controversial stories, including the Sharpstown scandal; she |
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embarked on a career with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 1980 and, |
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while interviewing governor-elect Mark White, was offered a job; |
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she soon became the first female press secretary to a Texas |
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governor; and |
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WHEREAS, Later, Mrs. Arnold served as president of the Texas |
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Association of Broadcasters, and over the course of her more than |
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two decades in that role, membership doubled and programs |
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significantly expanded; under her able leadership, TAB became a |
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strong backer of the state's open government laws and lobbied for an |
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improved emergency alert system; Mrs. Arnold oversaw the creation |
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of a new permanent office for TAB and expanded the Texas Broadcast |
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Education Foundation's endowment; in 2008, TAB honored her with its |
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first Lifetime Achievement award; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Arnold also worked closely with legislators to |
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pass the Texas Free Flow of Information Act and the Texas Citizens |
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Participation Act; in recognition of her diligent efforts, the |
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Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas presented her with its |
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James Madison Award in 2001; moreover, she served as the president |
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of the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations in |
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2005; and |
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WHEREAS, In all her endeavors, Mrs. Arnold enjoyed the love |
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and support of her husband and their sons, Merle and Jonathan; and |
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WHEREAS, A stalwart advocate of the people's right to |
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information, Ann Arnold will be deeply missed, but her courage, |
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tenacity, and vision will forever inspire all who had the good |
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fortune to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Beverly Ann Arnold and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her sons, |
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Merle Arnold and his wife, Julie, and Jonathan Arnold; to her |
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sister, Sue March; and to her other relatives and many friends; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas House |
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of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ann |
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Arnold. |