ENROLLED
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 84
BY REPRESENTATIVES DANAHAY, ABRAHAM, ABRAMSON, AMEDEE, ANDERS,
ARMES, BACALA, BAGLEY, BAGNERIS, BARRAS, BERTHELOT, BILLIOT,
BISHOP, BOUIE, BRASS, CHAD BROWN, TERRY BROWN, CARMODY,
CARPENTER, GARY CARTER, ROBBY CARTER, STEVE CARTER, CHANEY,
CONNICK, COUSSAN, COX, CREWS, CROMER, DAVIS, DEVILLIER,
DUPLESSIS, DWIGHT, EDMONDS, EMERSON, FALCONER, FOIL,
FRANKLIN, GAINES, GAROFALO, GISCLAIR, GLOVER, GUINN, HALL,
JIMMY HARRIS, LANCE HARRIS, HAVARD, HAZEL, HENRY, HENSGENS,
HILFERTY, HILL, HODGES, HOFFMANN, HOLLIS, HORTON, HOWARD,
HUNTER, HUVAL, IVEY, JACKSON, JAMES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS,
JOHNSON, JONES, JORDAN, NANCY LANDRY, TERRY LANDRY, LEBAS,
LEGER, LEOPOLD, LYONS, MACK, MAGEE, MARCELLE, MARINO,
MCFARLAND, MIGUEZ, DUSTIN MILLER, GREGORY MILLER, MORENO,
JAY MORRIS, JIM MORRIS, MUSCARELLO, NORTON, PEARSON, PIERRE,
POPE, PUGH, PYLANT, REYNOLDS, RICHARD, SCHEXNAYDER,
SEABAUGH, SHADOIN, SIMON, SMITH, STAGNI, STEFANSKI, STOKES,
TALBOT, THIBAUT, THOMAS, WHITE, WRIGHT, AND ZERINGUE AND
SENATORS JOHNS, MORRISH, AND JOHN SMITH
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend James C. "Jim" Beam for fifty years of journalistic coverage of the Legislature
of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, James C. "Jim" Beam was born in Cameron, Louisiana, on October 7,
1933, and is a lifelong resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Jim graduated from LaGrange High School in 1951; he earned a
bachelor of arts in social studies from McNeese State University in 1955 and a master of arts
in American history from Louisiana State University in 1962; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from McNeese State University, Jim served his country
in the United States Army from 1955 to 1957 before returning home to teach in the
Calcasieu Parish school system from 1958 to 1961; and
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WHEREAS, in 1960, Mr. Beam began his long and distinguished career at the Lake
Charles American Press as a part-time sports reporter, and he became a full-time reporter
in 1961; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Beam became the city editor of the newspaper in 1965, and in 1968,
he covered for the first time the state's legislative session, which he has been covering ever
since; and
WHEREAS, from 1982 through 1992, Mr. Beam served as coexecutive editor of the
newspaper, and from 1992 until 1999, he served as executive editor; and
WHEREAS, although officially retired from his position of editor since 1999,
Mr. Beam continues to cover the Louisiana Legislature and write editorials for the American
Press; and
WHEREAS, Jim has won numerous awards for his writing from the Louisiana Press
Association, the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press, the Louisiana Medical Society, and
others throughout the decades; and
WHEREAS, in 2000, Jim Beam was selected by the Advertising and Press Club to
be the first "Lake Area Legend", was awarded the Hector San Miguel Memorial Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Journalism in 2010, and was inducted into the Louisiana
Political Hall of Fame in 2017; and
WHEREAS, in addition to political columns, Jim has also published several
collections of work, including Positively Beaming and A Matter of Trust; and
WHEREAS, James "Jim" Beam brings pride to the Southwest Louisiana region as
the first journalist from Southwest Louisiana to be inducted into the Louisiana Political
Museum and Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Jim Beam is an institution in Louisiana politics known for his steadfast
commitment to the highest journalistic ideals, and he has earned the unceasing admiration
of the citizens of the state of Louisiana, whose knowledge and understanding of Louisiana
politics and culture have been enriched immeasurably by his singular talents and dedication.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
commend James C. "Jim" Beam, a native Louisianian and a preeminent and respected
journalist, for providing journalistic coverage of the Louisiana Legislature for fifty years.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
James C. Beam.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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