|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Louis Black is retiring in 2017 as editor and |
|
publisher of the Austin Chronicle, which he cofounded 36 years ago; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, A New Jersey native, Louis Black relocated to Austin |
|
in the 1970s, and after earning a film degree from The University of |
|
Texas at Austin, he launched the Austin Chronicle with cofounder |
|
Nick Barbaro in September 1981; since then, he has remained at the |
|
paper's helm as copublisher and coeditor, authoring the popular |
|
Page Two column, in which he has covered a broad range of personal, |
|
political, and cultural topics; through the years, his visionary |
|
guidance and expertise have helped the publication remain one of |
|
the few independently owned alternative weeklies in a rapidly |
|
changing print media industry; and |
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Black has also played a vital role in shaping |
|
the Austin entertainment scene; since 1982, he has produced the |
|
annual Austin Music Awards to honor local musicians, and in 1987, he |
|
cofounded South by Southwest, which has gone on to become one of the |
|
most prominent music, film, and interactive festivals in the world, |
|
giving a platform to countless artists in its three-decade history; |
|
moreover, he is a founding member of the Austin Film Society, and |
|
following his retirement, he plans to continue working creatively |
|
through his two production companies, Production for Use and Louis |
|
Black Productions; and |
|
WHEREAS, Although Louis Black's departure from the Chronicle |
|
marks the end of an era, his contributions to journalism and to the |
|
arts will long resonate in the Austin community and beyond, and he |
|
may indeed reflect with justifiable pride on his many achievements; |
|
now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Louis Black on |
|
his retirement from the Austin Chronicle and extend to him sincere |
|
best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for Mr. Black as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
House of Representatives. |