[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6056-6057]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE SEATTLE TIMES AND THE PUGET SOUND BUSINESS JOURNAL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 2010

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
wonderful accomplishments and tireless efforts of two of my local 
newspapers--the Seattle Times and the Puget Sound Business Journal. 
Both papers captured the attention of their readership by searching for 
all the details, double checking all the facts and meticulously 
painting the full pictures of the two most noteworthy stories of 2009. 
For its efforts in reporting on the financial troubles of Washington 
Mutual, the PSBJ was recognized by the Pulitzer Committee for 
explanatory reporting. The Seattle Times took the lead in reporting 
every aspect of the heinous murders of four police officers in 
Lakewood, Washington and for their outstanding efforts have been 
awarded a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news.
  When the fall of Washington Mutual first emerged, thousands of people 
throughout the Puget Sound area searched for the facts; the Puget Sound 
Business Journal supplied them. The incisive and thorough nature of 
their reporting allowed interested readers to understand the full scope 
of the issues at hand and the challenges facing their families, their 
pocketbooks and their neighborhoods. Although the coverage brought 
devastating news, it was fair, accurate and held a redeeming value. The 
Newspaper's journalists provided an invaluable public service and never 
looked for accolades--they simply did their jobs to the best of their 
abilities.
  Washington residents were greeted with extremely grim news the 
morning of November 29: four police officers had been shot and killed 
and the gunman was on the loose. The story--heartbreaking, complex, and 
infuriating--dragged on for more than 40 hours, with Times reporters, 
photographers, editors and producers working tirelessly to provide 
their readers with a comprehensive picture of the story as it unfolded. 
When the shooter was shot and killed early in the morning on a Seattle 
street, The Times was there to sift through the information and report 
the facts. The Times did a wonderful job reporting on an absolutely 
horrible and tragic string of events. I applaud them for their service 
to the community and congratulate them for the well deserved honor from 
the Pulitzer Committee.
  The stories told by the Puget Sound Business Journal and the Seattle 
Times, although depressing and brutal in nature, prove that even in the 
midst of a sluggish economy and a fractured marketplace for quality 
journalism, our nation's newspapers play an absolutely vital role in 
society. It is especially gratifying, as a native of the Puget Sound 
region, to recognize the remarkable accomplishments of some 
``hometown'' journalists. To name just a few individuals at the Times, 
I'd like to recognize Publisher Frank Blethen, Executive Editor David 
Boardman, Managing Editor Suki Dardarian and Assistant Managing Editor 
Jim Simon. In addition, Madam Speaker, it is nearly impossible to 
record the names of every

[[Page 6057]]

person at The Times who contributed to the voluminous and detailed 
coverage of those difficult incidents, so I want to recognize the work 
of the entire newsroom staff and their giving and patient families. 
Additionally, I'd like to recognize Puget Sound Business Journal 
publisher Emory Thomas, Jr., Editor George Erb, reporter Kirsten Grind, 
and the rest of the wonderfully talented people at the PSBJ. At this 
time, it is almost impossible to determine how all of us will receive 
our news in the future. Whatever the answer, we all hope it comes from 
the dedicated and talented professionals highlighted here. 
professionals highlighted here.

                          ____________________