[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MERIDEN RECORD-JOURNAL

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                         HON. ELIZABETH H. ESTY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2017

  Ms. ESTY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
Meriden Record-Journal on the 150th Anniversary of its inaugural 
publication. This paper has been a staple of the Meriden community for 
the past century and a half, and its leaders have played a crucial role 
in informing the town.
  The Record-Journal traces its history to The Weekly Visitor newspaper 
first published in 1867. In 1892, E.E. Smith, along with Thomas 
Warnock, acquired the paper and began a family legacy of running the 
local publication for four generations. Smith's son, Wayne, succeeded 
his father as publisher, and following Wayne's death in 1966, his 
stepson Carter White served as publisher until his retirement in 1988. 
What's more, various members of the family worked as writers, editors, 
and managers for the paper, contributing to the paper's success.
  Though the Record-Journal has a long history in Meriden, its leaders 
have not been afraid to innovate and develop new practices to modernize 
the publication. RJ Media Group, which now publishes the paper, has 
been a leader in online, social media, and multimedia news in 
Connecticut. In fact, Editor & Publisher trade magazine named the 
Record-Journal as one of the ``10 Newspapers That Do It Right'' in 
March 2016, recognizing the hard work of the publication's leadership 
to keep the paper relevant for today's readers.
  Mr. Speaker, the Meriden Record-Journal has been an important 
community institution for a century and a half, connecting and 
informing the town of Meriden. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that 
we honor it, and all the leaders who have ensured its success here 
today.

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