Bill Text: MS SC518 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognize respected Mississippi Capitol Correspondent Jack Elliott, Jr.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-02-16 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC518 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2016-SC518-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Blount, Burton
Senate Concurrent Resolution 518
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND THANKING LONGTIME MISSISSIPPI CAPITOL REPORTER AND SYNDICATED COLUMNIST JACK ELLIOTT, JR., FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO MISSISSIPPI HISTORY AND TO THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS, longtime Mississippi Journalist Jack Elliott, Jr., is retiring after more than three decades at The Associated Press. The 66-year-old Elliott has covered politics, court cases, executions, natural disasters and a wide variety of other news stories. His final day at The Associated Press was Monday, August 31, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Elliott, who lives in Forest, graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a communications degree in May 1971. He has been a reporter for the Meridian Star in Meridian, Mississippi; The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi; the now-defunct Alabama Journal in Montgomery, Alabama; and United Press International in Jackson, Mississippi. He also worked in public relations for the Mississippi Economic Council in the early 1970s and as Washington Press Secretary for Democratic U.S. Representative David Bowen of Mississippi in 1982. After Representative Bowen chose not to seek re-election, Elliott returned to Mississippi and worked at the Jackson Daily News; and
WHEREAS, Elliott joined The Associated Press in Oklahoma in 1984 and moved back to his native Mississippi to work for the company four years later. He covered three legislative sessions in Oklahoma and 25 in Mississippi. He also covered seven Mississippi Governors: Bill Waller, Cliff Finch, William Winter, Bill Allain, Ray Mabus, Kirk Fordice and Ronnie Musgrove; and
WHEREAS, "Jack has been a strong, guiding hand in the Jackson bureau and served as a mentor to countless journalists," said The Associated Press Deep South Editor Jim Van Anglen. "Jack epitomizes grace and class. His energy and good cheer are legendary. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure to work with Jack will tell you he is one of the finest gentleman and finest journalists you will ever meet"; and
WHEREAS, the members of the Capitol Press Corps are vital parts of the legislative process by the timely reporting of the daily actions of the House and Senate to the public in order for public input into the deliberative process. Jack Elliott served as a leader and mentor in the Capitol Press Corps. His legacy of historical reporting and remarkable intellect have enriched the reporting skills of his and colleagues. Jack Elliott is truly one of a kind:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and thank Syndicated Columnist Jack Elliott for his contributions to Mississippi History and to the Mississippi legislative process, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to Jack and his family on the occasion of his retirement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Jack Elliott, forwarded to The Associated Press, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
