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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Robert "Bob" A. Runnels
4Sr. on his retirement from serving as alderman of the 6th
5district of the City of North Chicago; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Robert Runnels, retired Navy journalist and
7former TV news reporter and photographer, received most of his
8journalism training while serving in the Navy; he attended
9various Navy schools, including the Navy's Class "B" School
10(Advanced Course) at Great Lakes and the University of
11Nebraska at Omaha; in 1968, he served a tour of duty for the
12Navy in the Republic of South Vietnam; and
 
13    WHEREAS, While in the Navy, Robert Runnels was involved in
14writing news releases, news photography, radio, and
15television; he was editor and sports editor of several Navy
16command newspapers; he is considered the "last uniformed
17military editor of the Great Lakes Bulletin," which is the
18base newspaper at the Great Lakes Naval Station; he was a force
19historian journalist from 1968 to 1969; he assisted Navy
20officer historians and also wrote documents recording the Navy
21and Marine Corps roles in South Vietnam in 1968 and 1969; and
 
22    WHEREAS, After 20 years of U.S. Naval service, Robert

 

 

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1Runnels joined the KMTV news staff in Omaha, Nebraska in 1971;
2at KMTV, he was a general and beat assignment
3reporter-photographer and hosted a weekly community affairs TV
4talk show entitled "Expressions"; he left KMTV in 1983 and
5moved to Washington State in October of 1984; he remained
6semi-retired except for a nearly 10-year stint as a journalism
7instructor at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake,
8Washington; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Robert Runnels is a three-term alderman of the
106th Ward of the City of North Chicago, Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Robert Runnels was inducted into the Omaha Press
12Club Journalism of Excellence Hall of Fame on June 5, 2018; he
13was the recipient of the Most Influential African American in
14Lake County, Illinois Lifetime Achievement Award; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Robert Runnels has been very active in community
16affairs; he was a board member of the Greater Omaha Girl Scout
17Council while in Omaha and served on the board of the
18Mid-Columbia Girl Scout Council in Washington State, earning
19him a 25-year Girl Scouts pin and certificate; he has served as
20a Big Brother and a YMCA (Omaha) Camping Committeeman; he was a
21North Chicago Library Board Trustee from 2009 to 2021; he is a
22Foundation Board Member of the National Museum of the American
23Sailor; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Currently, Robert Runnels is a member of the
2Veterans of Foreign Wars (Lifetime Member), American Legion
3Post #397(North Chicago), Little Fort Elks Lodge #1359 (North
4Chicago), the PGA Tour Partners Club (Lifetime Member), and
5the United States Golf Association (USGA); therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we congratulate Robert "Bob" A. Runnels Sr. on his retirement
9from serving as alderman of the 6th ward of the City of North
10Chicago; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to Robert Runnels as a symbol of our esteem and
13respect.