 
Senate Resolution No. 4082
 
BY: Senator O'MARA
 
        COMMEMORATING   the   140th   Anniversary  of  The
        Observer
 
  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute  to
those  illustrious  journalistic  entities  which  have  diligently  and
consistently, year after year, recorded the history of their communities
and brought local news and news of the larger world  to  their  readers;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate the 140th Anniversary of The Observer; and
 
  WHEREAS, Published continuously for the past 140 years, The Observer
is  the  only locally-owned weekly newspaper in the Finger Lakes area of
New York, between Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake; since 1878, the paper  has
reported  on  the  area's booms and busts, crimes and creativity, births
and death and so much more; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Throughout  its  history,  The  Observer   has   published
continuously through the Spanish-American War, two World Wars, the Great
Depression,  four  additional  international  conflicts,  9/11  and  the
recession of 2008; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  January  of  1998,  George  C.  Lawson  purchased  The
Observer;   a  former  publisher,  chief  executive  officer  and  group
publisher of three daily newspapers in the northeast, he also served  as
an  executive  with  Gannett  newspapers in New York, Michigan, Florida,
Pennsylvania and his hometown of Rockford, Illinois; after the purchase,
George and his family moved to the Finger Lakes area; and
 
  WHEREAS, The award winning paper employs nine area staffers, and has
offices in Dundee and Penn Yan, New York; the media business  also  owns
the Watkins Glen REVIEW&EXPRESS; and
 
  WHEREAS,  George  C. Lawson proudly runs the business along with his
wife, Debra, who serves as the business manager for both newspapers, and
his son, Brandon, an award-winning photographer who manages  many  parts
of  the  business;  Brandon  also  played  a  key role in developing The
Observer's online edition at www.observer-review.com; and
 
  WHEREAS, In addition to his role at the paper, George C. Lawson  has
served  as  an  Executive  Board  Member  for the Boy Scouts of America,
Finger Lakes Council, a Trustee for the Finger Lakes Boating Museum, and
President of both the New York Press Association and the  Dundee  Rotary
Club; and
 
  WHEREAS,  For  his  steadfast  and  unremitting  commitment  to  his
community, George C. Lawson has been named a James E. West  Fellow  from
the  Boy  Scouts  Foundation  and  a  Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary
Foundation; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Observer, now 140 years old, has kept the  citizens  of
both  Keuka  and  Seneca  Lake  informed  and  enlightened  about  their
communities that command  their  interest  and  shape  their  lives;  it
presents  news,  opinions,  and feature stories of paramount interest to
residents of the Finger Lakes region; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Under  the  luminous  direction  of  George C. Lawson, The
Observer continues to maintain a high quality  and  relevant  newspaper,
and delivers a superior product to all of its readers, as well as serves
as  an  expressive  voice  to the people of his community by providing a
platform for all members of the community; and
 
  WHEREAS, Our newspapers provide a  tremendous  service  to  citizens
across  the  State  of  New  York by keeping them informed about current
events; the democracy of our State  and  Nation  is  strengthened  by  a
responsible  citizenry  which  is  actively  engaged in reading and kept
abreast of news affecting their lives; and
 
  WHEREAS, As The Observer moves into the future, it carries  with  it
the  legacy  of  a distinguished journalistic history and an outstanding
record of growth and achievement, fully confident that it will  continue
to  enjoy the sparkling success it has enjoyed thus far; now, therefore,
be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate the 140th Anniversary of The Observer; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to George C. Lawson, President and Publisher, The Observer.
Commemorating the 140th Anniversary of The Observer

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