[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO KEN BECKER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 2011

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of 
Ken Becker of Cresco, Iowa. For the last 34 years, Ken has worked as a 
journalist for the Cresco Times-Plain Dealer.
  Throughout his career, Ken dedicated himself to documenting the 
stories and photographs of Cresco and its citizens, preserving the 
events and stories that have helped to make the town what it is today. 
Whether it was traveling with the high school basketball team to the 
state tournament, riding a snowmobile, or climbing the town's water 
tower, Ken was willing to do whatever it took to capture Cresco's 
history as it unfolded. His articles and pictures helped to keep the 
town's residents informed and interested in local happenings.
  Ken believes the most important aspect of being a good journalist is 
to remember that ``you aren't the story. The story is never about you 
as the writer. This is about what you're writing about.''
  I thank Ken for his strong and diligent work ethic. It is an 
admirable characteristic found in many citizens of Iowa, and one that I 
hope to see all Americans embody.
  I know that my colleagues in the United States Congress will join me 
in commending Ken Becker for his decades of service at the Cresco 
Times-Plain Dealer. It is an honor to serve as his representative, and 
I wish Ken a happy and healthy retirement.

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