[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7020]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO RALPH WIRTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN R. MOOLENAAR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2015

  Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ralph 
Wirtz in recognition of his many contributions to Michigan's 4th 
District as the editor of the Midland Daily News.
   Ralph Wirtz dedicated over forty years of his life to the Midland 
Daily News starting as a sports writer and, because of his outstanding 
journalistic abilities, accepted increased responsibility until his 
appointment as managing editor in 1989.
   Ralph did not originally plan on a career in journalism but 
discovered a passion for sports writing while serving in the United 
States Navy in the 1970's. He has won numerous awards over the course 
of his career, including Agriculture Communicator of the Year in 1998, 
first place in editorial writing by the Associated Press in 2008, the 
2008 Journalist of the Year award by the Press Association Society of 
America and the Midland Community Voices Rosemary Byers Award in 2009. 
Ralph has been the person that the community has turned to whenever 
they needed a trusted voice for their news and information.
   Ralph Wirtz has set the standard for journalistic excellence in 
Michigan and his tireless work on behalf of his community is worthy of 
recognition from this Congress. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional 
District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Ralph Wirtz in 
gratitude for his forty years of service to the Midland Daily News and 
the Midland Community.

                          ____________________