Senate Resolution No. 524

BY: Senator GRIFFO

COMMEMORATING the Bicentennial Anniversary of the
Observer-Dispatch

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 Bicentennial Anniversary of the Observer-Dispatch in
Utica, New York; and

WHEREAS, Published continuously for the past 200 years, the
Observer-Dispatch is the Mohawk Valley region's flagship newspaper;
throughout its history, the paper has reported on the area's booms and
busts, crimes and creativity, births and death and so much more; the
paper has tracked the little city's rise from a tiny canal town to a
20th Century regional economic powerhouse; and

WHEREAS, In 1817, Eliasaph Dorchester founded the weekly newspaper,
the Utica Observer; in 1848, it became a daily newspaper and, after
several mergers with other newspapers, became the Observer-Dispatch in
1922; and

WHEREAS, In that same year, the Observer-Dispatch was purchased by
Frank E. Gannett, who founded the Gannett Company; he owned the
newspaper until 2007, when it was purchased by GateHouse Media, one of
the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the
United States; and

WHEREAS, For a while, the Daily Press was published in the morning
and the Observer-Dispatch in the afternoon; in 1959, those newspapers
were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for public service for an investigation
into local corruption; and

WHEREAS, The two newspapers merged into a single, seven-day morning
publication, the Observer-Dispatch, in 1987; the company added digital
delivery of news and information in January of 2000, when it launched
uticaOD.com; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, Gatehouse Media acquired the Mid York Weekly
newspaper, serving Hamilton, New York, and weekly Pennysaver
publications, which are distributed throughout Oneida and Herkimer
counties; in addition, the company publishes Your Valley in Herkimer
County; and

WHEREAS, The Observer-Dispatch, now two centuries old, has kept the
citizens of Utica and both Oneida and Herkimer counties 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 Mohawk Valley; and


WHEREAS, Under the luminous direction of Publisher, Terry Cascioli
and Executive Editor, Ron Johns, the Observer-Dispatch 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-Dispatch moves into the future, it carries
with it the legacy of a distinguished journalistic history and an
outstanding record of growth and achievement; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Observer-Dispatch; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Terry Cascioli, Publisher, Observer-Dispatch.