[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 42 (Friday, March 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING CHRIS SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 9, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I along with Representative 
Huffman rise today to honor Chris Smith in celebration of his 40 years 
as a reporter and columnist for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in Santa 
Rosa, Sonoma County, California.
  Mr. Smith grew up in Riverside, California where he attended Chemawa 
Junior High School and Ramona High School. He graduated from San Jose 
State University, where he earned a degree in reporting and editing. 
After graduation, he worked as a reporter for the Press-Enterprise in 
Riverside, California and the weekly Independent Coast Observer in 
Gualala and The Sea Ranch in Northern California.
  He first joined The Press Democrat as a correspondent in Fort Bragg 
and Mendocino, reporting on the pulse of Mendocino County. In 2002, he 
became a full-time columnist and since then has kept Sonoma County 
residents in tune with our region. Mr. Smith writes of the good people 
do for one another--the sculpture Patrick Amiot created for Carla 
Filgas, wife of the late Denny Martin; the delegation from 
Ichikikushikino, Japan who came to support their sister city of Santa 
Rosa after the fires; members of Threshold Choirs, who packed boxes of 
heirlooms and other items of personal significance for victims of the 
fires.
  Mr. Smith is also active in our veterans community. For the last 
several years he has hosted and emceed an annual event honoring Pearl 
Harbor veterans. When support beams from the Twin Towers were brought 
to Sonoma County as a permanent memorial to 9/11, he was instrumental 
in publicizing the associated events to honor the people who lost their 
lives.
  Mr. Smith is married to Diane Peterson, a fellow Press Democrat 
writer who covers food and music. According to Mr. Smith, he ``lives 
primarily to sustain and amuse Betty, an Australian shepherd.''
  Mr. Speaker, two words come to mind when thinking of Chris Smith--
patriotic and compassionate. He is truly dedicated to serving our 
region with his strong, community-focused reporting. It is therefore 
fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

                          ____________________