S*1444 Concurrent Resolution, By Jackson and Lourie
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND CRAIG MELVIN, OF RICHLAND
 COUNTY, FOR SEVEN SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF FULL-TIME JOURNALISM WITH THE WIS
 TELEVISION STATION, AND TO WISH HIM SUCCESS AS HE BEGINS HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT IN
 WASHINGTON, D.C.

   06/03/08  Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-10
   06/04/08  House  Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence HJ-23

TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND CRAIG MELVIN, OF RICHLAND COUNTY, FOR SEVEN SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF FULL-TIME JOURNALISM WITH THE WIS TELEVISION STATION, AND TO WISH HIM SUCCESS AS HE BEGINS HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly were saddened to learn that WIS television journalist Craig Melvin will be leaving the Palmetto State in July to accept a position with the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) in the nation's capital; and

Whereas, a native of Columbia and the son of Betty and Lawrence Melvin, Craig Melvin began working at WIS-TV while attending Columbia High School, and he later earned a bachelor's degree from Wofford College; and

Whereas, while serving as an Our Generation Reporter in 1996, he won an Associated Press award for his story on innovative teaching and was one of the youngest journalists ever to win such an award; and

Whereas, Craig Melvin has been a photographer, producer, featured reporter, and anchor for WIS-TV and has covered major news events and in-depth subjects such as education in South Carolina, Columbia's homelessness, and gangs in the Midlands; and

Whereas, he reported from the center of a prison hostage standoff and traveled to Germany to report on American soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

Whereas, he has further served his community as a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the South Carolina Philharmonic and was the first tee announcer for Hootie and the Blowfish's Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament; and

Whereas, other favorite charities for which he has worked extensively include the Columbia City Ballet, Brookland Baptist Church Foundation's Black Male Conference, Palmetto Children's Hospital, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving; and

Whereas, in 2006, he received the prestigious Emmy award as the best television anchor in the southeast from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and in 2007, the South Carolina Broadcaster's Association named him the best anchor in South Carolina, and recently his "Wounded Warriors" series won a coveted Edward R. Murrow Award; and

Whereas, he was recently recognized as the media professional of the year by Phi Beta Sigma and has been inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame and into the Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame; and

Whereas, although the members of the South Carolina General Assembly will miss the keen insight and reporting of this South Carolina son, they congratulate him on his new position in broadcast journalism. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and commend Craig Melvin, of Richland County, for seven successful years of full-time journalism with the WIS television station, and wish him success as he begins his new assignment in Washington, D. C.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Craig Melvin.