85R29790 JGH-D
By: Price H.R. No. 2301
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Moore County News-Press is celebrating the 90th
anniversary of its founding in 2017, and this occasion offers a
fitting opportunity to pay tribute to the rich history of this
venerable community newspaper; and
WHEREAS, Originally known as the Moore County News, the paper
was founded by Ralph Miller and his brother-in-law, Amos DeWolfe,
with another family member, Fern Miller, serving as editor; the
first issue was published in Dumas on July 17, 1927; and
WHEREAS, The County News was subsequently owned by Fred C.
Wortham and then purchased in 1937 by W. R. Rutherford; Gene Alford
and Howard Jacob bought the paper in 1955 and moved it into a new
building, after which Mr. Jacob became sole owner; in 1960, a
former printer for the County News, Gene Sanders, set up a competing
paper, the North Plains Press, and Mr. Jacob responded by
publishing five times a week and renaming his paper the Moore County
Daily News; and
WHEREAS, In 1964, veteran newsman Dick Reavis moved to Dumas
and acquired the Daily News, and two months later, he bought the
North Plains Press; he combined the two papers as the Moore County
News-Press and returned to a semiweekly publication schedule; the
business moved into a new building in 1974; in the 1980s, the paper
was purchased by Southern Newspapers, and since 2000, it has been
owned by Lancaster Management Group; and
WHEREAS, The News-Press has employed many talented
journalists over the years; one of its first staffers, W. W. "Hick"
Halcomb, wrote a column called World's Greatest Hick, and several
of the paper's editors and writers have been inducted into the
Panhandle Press Association Hall of Fame, including Mr. Reavis and
Mr. Rutherford, as well as Gardner Collins, Rose Watson, and Dave
McReynolds; and
WHEREAS, Serving as both a written record of the region's
history and a voice for its readers, the News-Press has been a vital
community resource for nine decades, keeping the residents of Moore
County informed and enlightened; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Moore
County News-Press and extend to its staff 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 Moore County News-Press as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.