[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2006-E2007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE 41 YEARS OF SERVICE OF ANDE YAKSTIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 6, 2001

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join 
me in recognizing the 41 years of service and the retirement of Ande 
Yakstis from the Alton Telegraph Newspaper in Alton, Illinois.
  Ande Yakstis, award-winning reporter, retired on Friday, November 2, 
2001 from the Alton Telegraph after a distinguished 41 year career at 
the historic newspaper. Ande has been described by his colleagues as a 
skilled veteran reporter as well as a community-minded journalist.
  Throughout his 41 years, Ande witnessed many changes at the Alton 
Telegraph, ranging from different newspaper ownership to changing news 
philosophy, but Ande has always kept the importance of freedom of 
speech and community journalism in the forefront of his mind.
  Ande started his career at the Telegraph in 1960 with the late 
publisher Paul S. Cousley and well-known editor Elmer Broz. Ande has 
previously described Cousley as a publisher with great integrity and 
respect. Cousley was credited with carrying on the tradition of Elijah 
P. Lovejoy, the abolitionist newspaper/publisher/editor. He had a great 
impact on Ande, teaching him about being a newspaper person, how to 
inform people about issues in government, reporting on school district 
affairs and coverage of the business community.
  When Ande started as a cub reporter, Madison County was noted for 
illegal gambling and other related activities. He gained a reputation 
as an investigate reporter who exposed the racketeering empire of local 
mobster, Frank ``Buster'' Wortman. As a result of his stories exposing 
the gangsters, the Illnois Crime Investigation Commission teamed up 
with FBI and other law enforcement authorities to shut down organized 
crime operations in both Madison and St. Clair Counties.
  Another highlight of his career came in 1969, when he and former 
Telegraph reporter Ed Pound began an investigation of an Illinois 
Supreme Court Justice who allegedly received a gift of stock after he 
set a defendant free in a crime. After the story appeared, an 
investigation of the Supreme Court was undertaken by both the Illinois 
and Chicago Bar Associations. Following the hearing, two justices of 
the Court resigned. Both Ande and Ed Pound were then nominated for a 
Pulitzer Prize for their stories on the Supreme Court Investigation. 
They were also honored with the National Associated Press Managing 
Editors Award for the Supreme Court Expose.
  In addition to these honors, Ande was awarded the Illinois Associated 
Press First Place award for news and feature writing 10 different times 
and twice was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his news reporting. 
His career was further distinguished in 1997, when he was awarded the 
Elijah P. Lovejoy award for a lifetime of writing stories to improve 
the quality of life of people of all races and nationalities.
  Ande is known for his writing ability, but most of all, he has been 
involved in many humanitarian efforts in the community during his 41 
year career. In the early 1960's, Ande spent time tutoring young black 
children to help them to read. Ande has said his greatest reward as a 
journalist comes when one of his stories helps a child get an organ 
transplant or when a story he writes helps a local food pantry receive 
donations of food for hungry families. It is then, that Ande believes 
his life as a writer has been worthwhile.
  In 1975, Ande was presented the Brotherhood Award from Black Churches 
in Alton for

[[Page E2007]]

his stories promoting justice and racial harmony in the community. He 
organized a campaign to rebuild the historic Rocky Fork New Bethel 
A.M.E. church in Godfrey after it was burned by arsonists. Ande has 
also volunteered at the Salvation Army to help the poor with food and 
clothing and helped the late Frances Jackson to start the Alton Food 
Crisis Center which feeds hundreds of people each month.
  Ande is a veteran of the Korean War and has spent a lifetime as an 
advocate for the rights of men and women who served in the armed 
forces.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 41 years 
of service of Ande Yakstis and to wish both he and family the very best 
for an enjoyable retirement.

                          ____________________