SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 480

WHEREAS, The Longview News-Journal is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the newspaper business in Longview in 2021, marking a significant milestone in the rich history of the community; and

WHEREAS, In 1871, James Stephen Hogg, the future governor of Texas, started a thrice-weekly newspaper in Longview, setting the type himself by hand; a year later, E. S. and J. S. Terry launched a second newspaper, the Longview New Era; a third newspaper, the News Item, was started in 1873, the year that Gregg County was created; and

WHEREAS, In 1885, the Longview Clarion was established by F. M. Marschalk, a veteran newspaperman from Mississippi, and when he died in 1888, the publication was taken over by J. W. Johnson, who renamed it the Times-Clarion; after his death in 1916, his widow continued to run the paper until 1918, when she sold it to G. B. Whitley, and in 1925, the Times-Clarion and another newspaper, the Longview Leader, which had been established in 1923, were combined as the Longview Daily News under editor William J. Tucker; and

WHEREAS, From 1929 to 1934, the paper changed hands four times; in February 1931, the Longview Morning Journal was started, and the following month, both the Daily News and the Morning Journal were purchased by Clarence E. Faulk, who was at the time the president of Delta Airlines; in 1934, Carl Estes became the owner and publisher of both papers, and over the next 33 years, he became known as "Mr. East Texas" for his tireless promotion of the industrial and commercial development of the region; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Estes died in 1967, and in 1978, his widow, Margaret Estes, sold the News and the Journal to Cox Enterprises, which built a new facility for both papers in 1986 and then combined them in 1988 as the Longview News-Journal; the paper has changed hands several times over the past three decades, and since September 2015, it has been part of M. Roberts Media, a family-owned publishing company that operates out of Longview; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Longview News-Journal is the heir to a proud tradition of journalism and community engagement that goes back a century and a half, and its staff may indeed take great pride in the vital role the publication plays in the civic culture and prosperity of Longview and Gregg County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th Legislature, hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the newspaper business in Longview and extend to all those associated with the Longview News-Journal sincere best wishes for continued success in their important work; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for the Longview News-Journal as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.

Hughes

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 25, 2021.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate