[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO THE DOLAN-JUSTICE FAMILY

 Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I wish to 
pay tribute to the Dolan-Justice family on the 100th anniversary of 
owning the Grant County Review of Milbank, SD. This occasion highlights 
the Dolan-Justice family commitment to the newspaper industry and to 
the Grant County community.
  On February 11, 1911, 24-year-old William S. Dolan acquired the Grant 
County Review. This started a 46-year adventure as editor of the small 
town weekly newspaper. In a time with virtually no access to television 
or radio, the local newspaper was the only source of news for small 
town South Dakota. With no experience in news media, William quickly 
learned the ropes. The Grant County Review became a family affair. 
William's wife, Christine Olson, was a trusted adviser to the paper, 
and his sister-in-law, Victoria Olson, even set the type on the 
linograph machine by hand. While other surrounding newspapers folded, 
William's accounting background and hard work enabled the Grant County 
Review to continue through the 20th century. A fierce rivalry began 
between the Grant County Review and the Herald Review, pitting each 
paper against each other for advertisers and breaking news stories. 
Often Dolan and the editor of the Herald Review would trade blows in 
the editorial section of their papers.
  Sticking with the family tradition for journalism, William's daughter 
Phyllis pursued a journalism degree at South Dakota State University 
and the University of Minnesota. She then came back to write for the 
paper and help her father run the day-to-day activities. The family 
paper soon hired a printer, Clarence Justice. Clarence worked for many 
papers before coming to the Grant County Review, including the Miller 
Gazette, the Interlakes Daily, and the Miller Press. After William S. 
Dolan passed away, his family took over operation of the Grant County 
Review, with his wife Christine served as the new publisher, and his 
daughter Phyllis as the new editor.
  William always fought for small business and rural farmers, and 
served as the president for the Board of Regents, overseeing South 
Dakota's public universities. In 1962, William S. Dolan was elected to 
the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame. In 1982, Phyllis was elected 
as the first female president of the South Dakota Press Association, 
and in 1988 she joined her father in the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of 
Fame. Phyllis' boundary breaking honors serve as an inspiration to 
women in journalism. Clarence and Phyllis both received distinguished 
service awards for their work in journalism for the South Dakota 
Newspaper Association. In 1997, the Grant County Review received the 
distinguished Bishop Dudley award from the Diocese of Sioux Falls, for 
Clarence and Phyllis' dedication to integrity and religious values. The 
Grant County Review has the largest readership of any weekly newspaper 
in the State. This achievement highlights the incredible devotion this 
family and the paper's employees have to the responsibility of 
disseminating the news. I am proud to honor the Dolan-Justice family on 
reaching this hallmark, and on being reliable, responsible members of 
the journalism community.

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