Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:3599 Primary Sponsor:Harvin Type of Legislation:CR Subject:The Item, Sumter's Newspaper Date Bill Passed both Bodies:Feb 27, 1991 Computer Document Number:DKA/3178.AL Introduced Date:Feb 26, 1991 Last History Body:House Last History Date:Feb 27, 1991 Last History Type:Received from Senate Scope of Legislation:Local All Sponsors:Harvin Baxley G. Brown McElveen McLeod Type of Legislation:Concurrent Resolution
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN ---- ------ ------------ ------------------------------ --- 3599 House Feb 27, 1991 Received from Senate 3599 Senate Feb 27, 1991 Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence 3599 House Feb 26, 1991 Introduced, adopted, sent to SenateView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO CONGRATULATE THE ITEM NEWSPAPER AND ITS STAFF ON WINNING THIRTEEN AWARDS FOR NEWSPAPERS AND REPORTING EXCELLENCE FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORT IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM.
Whereas, The Item, a newspaper in Sumter, South Carolina was founded in 1894 and annually competes with eight other daily newspapers in the State with circulations under thirty thousand; and
Whereas, the South Carolina Press Association is a nonprofit trade association with eighty-seven newspaper members across the State; and
Whereas, last year The Item captured ten awards including four firsts and eight of sixteen awards in a special Hurricane Hugo contest; and
Whereas, this year the paper landed thirteen awards, claiming eight first place awards for writing, editing, design, and photography, more than any other newspaper in its circulation category; and
Whereas, the first place award for General Excellence in Design was a first for The Item and is a real tribute to the entire newspaper because it requires all departments to pay attention to details; and
Whereas, The Item swept the Enterprise Reporting category in writing awards for news stories not written under deadline pressure; and
Whereas, Assistant Managing Editor Bob Gorman took first place in the news photo category for a harrowing picture of a man standing near an intersection with a gun pointed to his head, threatening suicide; and
Whereas, City Editor Marge Barber claimed first place for a story on the pending crisis of caring for the senior citizen population; and
Whereas, Clarendon County Bureau Chief Bonnie Blackburn won first place in the Reporting in Depth category for her examination of racial integration in Clarendon School District One; and
Whereas, in the sports department, Sports Editor Robbie Evans won first place based on a selection of his provocative weekly columns, and Staff Writer Dennis Brunson captured first place for a story about Sumter native and former New York Yankee great Bobby Richardson's relationship with the late Billy Martin; and
Whereas, Staff Writer Billy Quarles won a first place business reporting award for breaking the story of the Campbell Soup Company's plan to close the Sumter plant and a second place award for a story about workers at a Turbeville apparel plant who were about to be laid off; and
Whereas, Staff Photographer Micheline Phelan won first place in the Pictorial Series or Photo Page category for documenting a weekend night in the Tuomey Regional Medical Center emergency room and a second place for a photo essay about the breakfast routine at Sumter's Cut Rate Drug Store; and
Whereas, Staff Writer Steve Pradarelli took second place for an article on sexually transmitted diseases, and Staff Writer John Fritz captured third place for his work on a story about crime and fear in South Sumter; and
Whereas, Trevis Mayfield, a former Panorama Editor, landed a third place award for Lifestyle/Living Page design; and
Whereas, The Item and its fine staff of editors, reporters, and photographers have shown excellence in their fields by winning these awards. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly congratulate The Item newspaper and its staff on winning thirteen awards for newspaper and reporting excellence from the South Carolina Press Association and to encourage them to continue their efforts in the field of journalism.
Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to Hubert Osteen, Publisher of The Item and Graham Osteen, Managing Editor of The Item.