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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Legendary Houston newscaster Dave Ward retired from |
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| 6 | 7 | | ABC affiliate KTRK-TV on May 2, 2017, drawing to a close a |
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| 7 | 8 | | distinguished tenure with the station that spanned more than half a |
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| 8 | 9 | | century; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A native of Dallas, Dave Ward grew up in Huntsville |
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| 10 | 11 | | and began his career in broadcast journalism at KGKB radio in Tyler, |
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| 11 | 12 | | while attending college; he subsequently worked at WACO radio in |
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| 12 | 13 | | Waco and at KNUZ/KQUE radio in Houston before joining the staff at |
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| 13 | 14 | | KTRK-TV as a street reporter and photographer in 1966; quickly |
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| 14 | 15 | | establishing himself as a mainstay at the station, he landed roles |
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| 15 | 16 | | as anchor of the weekday morning newscast and as the first host of |
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| 16 | 17 | | the program Dialing for Dollars, which later evolved into Good |
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| 17 | 18 | | Morning Houston; from 1968 until his retirement, he anchored the |
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| 18 | 19 | | weekday evening news at 6 and 10, earning recognition from the |
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| 19 | 20 | | Guinness Book of World Records in June 2016 as the longest-serving |
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| 20 | 21 | | local television news anchor at the same station in the same market; |
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| 21 | 22 | | and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, During his remarkable career at Channel 13 |
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| 23 | 24 | | Eyewitness News, Mr. Ward reported on events ranging from the |
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| 24 | 25 | | Vietnam peace talks and NASA space missions to extreme weather and |
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| 25 | 26 | | natural disasters; he covered decades of political conventions and |
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| 26 | 27 | | elections, reported from Central and South America, and interviewed |
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| 27 | 28 | | a number of heads of state, including President Barack Obama; known |
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| 28 | 29 | | for his warm and engaging persona, he became a familiar and beloved |
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| 29 | 30 | | face to Houston residents, who tuned in each night to hear his |
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| 30 | 31 | | famous tagline, "Good evening, friends," and he garnered a sterling |
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| 31 | 32 | | reputation among his colleagues for accuracy and attention to |
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| 32 | 33 | | detail; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has also played a prominent role |
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| 34 | 35 | | in Houston civic life; he was instrumental in establishing the |
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| 35 | 36 | | Houston Crime Stoppers program, which has been a model for similar |
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| 36 | 37 | | efforts worldwide, and he has served as president of Easter Seals |
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| 37 | 38 | | Greater Houston, as chair of the Public Affairs Advisory Board of |
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| 38 | 39 | | the Greater Houston Business Council, and as a member of the boards |
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| 39 | 40 | | for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Houston Press Club, and the |
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| 40 | 41 | | Houston Police Foundation; and |
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| 41 | 42 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, Mr. Ward's contributions both to |
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| 42 | 43 | | journalism and to his community have earned him numerous accolades, |
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| 43 | 44 | | including a regional Emmy for his work on the special Steve Tyrell: |
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| 44 | 45 | | A Houston Standard, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lone Star |
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| 45 | 46 | | Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, |
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| 46 | 47 | | and induction into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | Intercollegiate Press Association Hall of Fame; he has also |
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| 48 | 49 | | received the City of Houston Public Service Award and the Leon |
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| 49 | 50 | | Goldstein Award for Outstanding Service in Fighting Crime, and he |
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| 50 | 51 | | has been honored by the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas; |
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| 51 | 52 | | and |
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| 52 | 53 | | WHEREAS, Dave Ward's talent, professionalism, and dedication |
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| 53 | 54 | | to his fellow citizens have greatly benefited KTRK-TV and the |
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| 54 | 55 | | Houston community for more than 50 years, and he may indeed reflect |
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| 55 | 56 | | with pride on a career well spent as he embarks on the next exciting |
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| 56 | 57 | | chapter of his life; now, therefore, be it |
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| 57 | 58 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 58 | 59 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Dave Ward on the occasion of his |
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| 59 | 60 | | retirement from KTRK-TV in Houston and extend to him sincere best |
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| 60 | 61 | | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 61 | 62 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 62 | 63 | | prepared for Mr. Ward as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 63 | 64 | | House of Representatives. |
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