[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 76 (Monday, June 3, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E775-E776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VILLAGER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 3, 2013

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the 60th 
anniversary of The Villager. Born to give neighborhoods in Saint Paul, 
Minnesota a voice, the Villager is a local newspaper dedicated to 
covering Highland Village and other neighborhoods. Since 1953, the 
Villager has served as an important source of news to its loyal 
readers. Today it continues

[[Page E776]]

to be the voice of Highland Village and beyond and the trusted go-to-
source for local news.
  The Villager began when Barry Prichard and Arnold Hed were seeking a 
way for merchants in the Highland Village area of Saint Paul to connect 
with local shoppers. Mr. Prichard and Mr. Hed were helped in their 
venture by Harold Shapira, the de facto mayor of Highland, who endorsed 
the Villager as the ``Official Publication of Highland Village 
Merchants.'' As time progressed, the Villager turned from a local 
bulletin board of events and news briefs, to a full-fledged community 
newspaper. Today, the villager is freely distributed in over 10 Twin 
Cities neighborhoods, and has a regular readership of over 100,000 
people--making it the largest neighborhood newspaper in the Twin 
Cities.
  Much has changed in Highland Village and the surrounding area since 
the first edition of the Villager was published. In 1953 the first 
color ad ran, featuring rib steaks for 49 cents a pound and salad 
dressing at 32 cents a quart and an article on the dedication of the 
$100,000 Ford Auto Workers Union meeting hall. In recent times, the 
Villager has reported on main community topics such as the closure of 
Saint Paul's Ford plant (after 86-years) and subsequent redevelopment 
efforts for the site, as well as the restoration of the historic Union 
Depot multi-modal transit hub in downtown Saint Paul.
  Born to give our Saint Paul neighborhoods a voice, the Villager has 
evolved throughout the years, but has continued to keep the 
journalistic integrity that makes the paper a reputable source of 
information throughout our community.
  Mr. Speaker, in honor of the Villagers' dedication to the businesses 
and residents of the many neighborhoods it serves, I am pleased to 
submit this statement for the Congressional Record recognizing the 60th 
Anniversary of this Saint Paul publication.

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