[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9025]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     RETIREMENT OF STEVE HEMMINGSEN

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, this day marks the retirement of a legend 
in broadcast journalism in South Dakota. Steve Hemmingsen, who has 
faithfully delivered news to living rooms in my home state for over 
twenty-five years, will give his last regular broadcast tonight.
  There's an old story about Calvin Coolidge, told shortly after he 
left the White House. He was filling out a standard form, which asked 
for standard information. Line 1 asked for his name and address. Line 2 
asked for his ``Occupation'', for which he answered ``Retired''. Line 3 
was titled ``Remarks.'' Mr. Coolidge responded ``Glad of it.''
  I hope that Steve Hemmingsen will share that sentiment: glad to be 
retired from the rigors of his job--but never fully removed from his 
audience, the thousands of people who have relied on him for their news 
for more than two decades.
  Steve grew up just across the border in Minnesota, and after 
graduating from high school, he landed his first job in broadcasting at 
the ``Polka Station of the Nation'' in New Ulm. Later, he studied at 
the Brown Institute and was hired by KELO-TV in 1969. He has been a 
fixture there and on our nightly news ever since.
  It has been estimated that since Steve began working the 6:00 and 
10:00 pm news at KELO, he has delivered about eighteen thousand 
newscasts. He's shouldered the responsibility of helping our state get 
through some of its most trying times--such as the devastating Rapid 
City flood in 1972, the tragic plane crash that took the lives of 
Governor George Mickelson and several of South Dakota's economic 
development leaders in 1993, the horrible tornado in Spencer two years 
ago and countless South Dakota blizzards. When South Dakotans have 
faced adversity, Steve's steady voice and calm demeanor brought us up 
to speed on the latest events and talked us through each crisis we 
encountered.
  But Steve has been there through the good times as well. When we 
celebrated our state's centennial in 1989, Steve reported on the 
numerous celebrations going on around South Dakota, giving us insight 
on where our state had been, and where it was going. When Scotland, 
South Dakota's own Chuck Gemar went into space, Steve helped express 
the collective sense of pride that was felt throughout the state. You 
could say that during his career at KELO, Steve's familiar voice was 
the first that brought news of noteworthy events to the people in South 
Dakota.
  Over the last twenty-five years, Steve Hemmingsen has earned the 
trust of the people of South Dakota. Although Steve and I haven't 
always seen eye-to-eye on some issues, I have never had a reason to 
question his dedication as a broadcaster, his fairness as a reporter or 
his integrity as a person. In my years in public service, I have had 
the opportunity to work with hundreds of reporters both in South Dakota 
and across the nation and there is no doubt in my mind that Steve 
Hemmingsen is one of the best. Today we congratulate him, but tomorrow 
he will certainly be missed.
  It brings me great pleasure to join all of KELO-Land in wishing Steve 
the best as he signs off tonight. The evening news will never be the 
same.

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