[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WESTERN QUEENS GAZETTE

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                         HON. THOMAS J. MANTON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 3, 1997

  Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 15th 
anniversary of the Western Queens Gazette, a weekly community newspaper 
that serves Queens County, in the State of New York.
  Mr. Speaker, the first edition of the Gazette was published on 
January 27, 1982. At its inception, the Gazette was a modest, 12 page 
weekly community newspaper. Today, the Gazette averages 80 pages weekly 
with a circulation of close to 100,000 for a single edition.
  Under the direction of its Publisher/Editor Tony Barsamian who has 
owned the Gazette since 1990, the paper has expanded the geographic 
region it serves as well as its news features. The Gazette now serves 
the Queens neighborhoods of Astoria, Ditmars, Dutch Kills, East 
Elmhurst, Hunters Point, Sunnyside, Woodside, Laguardia Airport, Long 
Island City, Jackson Heights, North Corona, Ravenswood, Roosevelt 
Island, Steinway, East Flushing, and Bayside.
  In New York City, the media capital of the world, there is a wide 
variety of news outlets for New Yorkers to choose from. However, to get 
quality, local community-based reporting residents of Queens turn to 
the weekly pages of the Western Queens Gazette. The Gazette covers the 
important issues facing residents of Queens on the national, state, and 
city level with a particular focus on neighborhood news. The Gazette 
brings attention to the neighborhood news that is often overlooked by 
the daily newspapers.
  The Gazette has regular weekly news features including community 
reporting, insightful editorials, op-ed pages, a religious column, 
political profiles, the local police blotter, sports, community 
calendars dining and entertainment reviews, legal notices, and complete 
classified ads.
  In their own words, the Western Queens Gazette is ``Dedicated to 
bringing our readers a vital locally oriented view of the News.'' 
Indeed, the Gazette effectively brings this local view of the news to 
their readers every week of the year. The Gazette is community 
reporting of neighborhood news at its very best.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in congratulating Tony 
Barsamian and everyone associated with the Western Queens Gazette on 
the joyous occasion of its 15th anniversary of publication.

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