[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 46 (Monday, April 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF POLLY GONZALEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 18, 2005

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my condolences to 
the family and friends of Polly Gonzalez. Anyone that lives in the Las 
Vegas Valley knows the contribution that Polly gave not only to Channel 
8 Eye Witness News, but also to her family, friends, and community. 
This was even exemplified in her death on March 28th as she was taking 
her two daughters to see the wildflowers in Death Valley.
  Polly Gonzalez started her career in journalism 20 years ago at the 
San Jose State University. Overcoming a rough and troubled childhood 
living in a home where her mother would sell street drugs to provide 
food for her children, Polly became an award winning anchorwoman. As an 
anchorwoman in Salina, California she was one of the first journalists 
to uncover the growing gang problem within this tiny community. She 
eventually joined Channel 8 in 1994 and became a co-anchor for the 
twelve o'clock and four thirty news casts. During her career at Channel 
8 she covered such stories as the Oklahoma Bombing in 1995.
  She was the first Latino anchor in Las Vegas and was very proud of 
this fact. She considered herself to be a role model to her two 
daughters and to the other Latino women she knew and represented. She 
wanted them to know that anything is achievable through hard work and 
dedication and used her life story as an example.
  As a Nevadan and Channel 8 viewer, I will always remember the 
professional, yet warm and friendly way Polly delivered the news into 
my home. I felt that Polly had a sincere desire to bring accurate and 
fair news to my family as if she were a close personal friend or family 
member herself.
  I would like to express my sincere sympathy to the family, friends, 
and co-workers of Polly Gonzalez. Our hearts go out to those 
individuals mourning the loss of a family member, friend, and role 
model. As we move forward in our lives, may we never forget the 
achievements and contributions of Ms. Polly Gonzalez.

                          ____________________