[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    HONORING THE LIFE OF ERNIE MILLS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, New Mexico lost a legend 
recently. Ernie Mills, the dean of New Mexico's political reporters, 
died from pneumonia on Wednesday, February 26 in Santa Fe. Ernie's 
career and New Mexico politics were synonymous. There was probably no 
one else in Santa Fe who knew more about how New Mexico politics 
worked. Governors, senators, and representatives and a host of elected 
officials from across the state knew that Ernie and his ``little 
birdies'' had the scoop on what was really happening in the state's 
political arena.
  Ernie first came to New Mexico in 1957 when he became editor of the 
Gallup Independent. He had started his journalism career in New York 
where he worked for New York Herald Tribune. In 1958, he became the 
Capitol Bureau Chief for the Albuquerque Journal. He later opened his 
own public relations consulting firm in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and 
was president of the New Mexico Chapter of the Public Relations Society 
of America.
  In 1968-69, Ernie covered the activities of New Mexico servicemen in 
Vietnam during two tours of duty. During his tours of Vietnam, he also 
handed television coverage of the fighting there, first for KOB-TV and 
later for KOAT-TV.
  Ernie was probably best known for his participation in one of New 
Mexico's largest news stories: the 1980 prison riot in Santa Fe. 
Rioting inmates requested that Ernie--and no one else--be allowed into 
the prison to negotiate a settlement with them. Fifteen hostages were 
released after his participation, all unharmed. Thirty-three inmates 
died in the bloody confrontation.
  Ernie's career was devoted to his syndicated newspaper columns and 
radio and television shows. He produced a daily radio commentary 
Dateline New Mexico that was carried by more than 20 radio stations 
statewide. He also had a weekly television show entitled Report from 
Santa Fe that had been produced by KENW-TV in Portales, and that had 
aired for more than 27 years.
  He received numerous awards during his career, including Broadcaster 
of the Year in 1995 from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association. The 
same organization also honored him for Special Reporting, Best News 
Coverage, Best Editorial Writing and Radio Newsman of the Year.
  Ernie Mills is gone, but his impact on New Mexico will be with us 
forever. He will be remembered for his sense of fair play, his balanced 
reporting, his unwillingness to report in something without first 
making sure of his facts, even if it meant that he was not the first to 
break the news. He always said it right.
  Yes, he will be remembered for his ``little birdies,'' his ``gatos 
flacos,'' his ``wall-leaners,'' and his interviews that kept his guests 
struggling to keep up with him. And we won't forget the ``train 
wrecks,'' even if we don't remember what they were about. We will 
remember the man who gave his heart to all New Mexico. There was never 
a time that Ernie did not put people first. It was their hearts that he 
was about. When asked about running for office, Ernie was fond of 
saying, ``I'd like to run for office, but I wouldn't want to serve.'' 
It was Ernie's way of saying how much he loved being close to the 
people.
  A memorial service for Ernie will be held on St. Patrick's Day in the 
State Capitol. He would have loved this. He was proud of his Irish 
heritage and it is fitting that he be remembered in the center of New 
Mexico's political world in Santa Fe.
  Mr. Speaker, no one can ever replace Ernie Mills. His brand of 
journalism was unique and exclusively his own. More importantly, Ernie 
took people under his wing, to love, guide and protect. His heart was 
bigger than all New Mexico. On behalf of all who knew him, I can 
confidently say that we will sincerely miss him. I feel as though I 
have lost a real friend, and I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife 
Lorene and his children, Joy, Ken, Eddie, and Margaret.

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