HR0487 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0487 LRB094 12491 CSA 46987 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Charles Richards of Palos Heights, publisher of The Regional News and The Reporter, is retiring after a long and distinguished career; and

WHEREAS, The Regional News was founded in 1941 by Carl Richards, Charles' father, as the Palos Regional; Charles Richards began working at the newspaper in high school and, in 1965, after attending journalism school at the University of Missouri in Columbia and another year in graduate school taking business courses, he returned to work for the Regional News; and

WHEREAS, He came up through the ranks in the shop and later as a reporter, photographer, editor, ad manager, and circulation manager; in 1967, he led the conversion from letterpress to offset; and

WHEREAS, Charles Richards bought the Regional from his father in 1970; in 1983, the paper's name was changed to The Regional News because of the addition of news and advertising matter from Orland Park; today, The Regional News has approximately 18,000 readers, an all-time high; it has won 600 awards for excellence, including being named Best Small Weekly in Illinois five times by the Illinois Press Association; and

WHEREAS, The Reporter Newspaper was founded in 1960 to serve the Worth, Chicago Ridge, Palos Hills, and Hickory Hills area; in 1983, it expanded into Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park; in 1986, Charles Richards purchased The Reporter and most of the existing staff was retained, as was the office in Chicago Ridge; a year later, the newspaper office was moved to Palos Heights; The Reporter currently publishes one edition for Palos Hills and Hickory Hills, another for Worth and Chicago Ridge, and a third for Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park; The Reporter's paid circulation is now over 18,000 per issue; and

WHEREAS, During his career as publisher, Charles Richards followed in his father's footsteps by serving two terms as the President of the Palos Chamber of Commerce; he was also elected President of the Cook County Suburban Publishers Association and has been serving for many years as treasurer of that group; he also served a term on the Board of The Calumet Ben Franklin Club; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Charles Richards on his fulfilling journalism career and community service and wish him all the best in his retirement and future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Charles Richards as an expression of our esteem.