Al Cross, reporter and political columnist with The Courier-Journal and national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, was honored on March 11 by some of the very politicians he covers in the General Assembly.

State Reps. Greg Stumbo, the House majority floor leader, and Jody Richards, speaker of the House, introduced House Resolution 229 honoring Cross for his work and contributions.

Cross was presented by the resolution's sponsors with a framed copy of The Kentucky Press which carried the story about his being named SPJ national president. The presentation was made on the House floor.

"This was a surprise..." Cross said. It began when he received a call on his cell phone from a Stumbo aide asking of his whereabouts. It just happened, Cross said, that he was near the House chambers. He was asked by the aide to come into the chamber because Stumbo had something to give him.

The resolution honoring Cross was read and he was presented with the framed front page.

"I was embarrassed but I sat there and took it," Cross said. The veteran journalist chided Stumbo jokingly for two things ó the majority floor leader had embarrassed him with the recognition but also inaccurately announced to everyone present that Cross was a registered Republican. Cross explains that he grew up in a Republican household and that he had been a registered Republican at one time for family reasons. His father represented Clinton County in the General Assembly in 1948 and ë49. But Cross has also been a registered Democrat, depending on where he lived at the time, he said. But since becoming a political writer, he has been a registered independent.

Soon, a photographer took a photo of Cross posing with Stumbo. But then, Cross said, Richards left the speaker's chair to have his photo taken, too.

While he appreciated the resolution and framed front page, Cross was quick to point out that it "doesn't buy any ink or keep any ink from being used. I think both of those gentlemen are professional enough to know that."

Cross's journalism career began as editor and general manager of The Record in Monticello following his graduation from Western Kentucky University. From Monticello, Cross moved to Russellville to work for Al Smith. After two years, Cross moved to Smith's paper in Leitchfield to become editor. From there, he accepted the Courier-Journal's offer to staff its Somerset bureau. Seven months later, the bureau moved to Bardstown.

WHEREAS, Al Cross, is a native son of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, born in Albany in Clinton County; and

WHEREAS, Al Cross has been a valued and committed employee of the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper for a very respectable period of more than two decades; and

WHEREAS, Al Cross has been a fixture in and out of the House and Senate Chambers for over ten years diligently reporting the activities of the legislature to the public; and

WHEREAS, Al Cross is currently serving as president of the Society of Professional Journalists which is the nation's largest professional journalism organization ...

WHEREAS, the mission of the Society of Professional Journalists is to promote a free press, that very free press being essential to the continued success of our nation's democracy; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the Society of Professional Journalists is also to promote high standards of reporting and ethics associated with the profession;

NOW, THEREFORE

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

Section 1. The House of Representatives does hereby honor and laud Al Cross for his many years of dedicated, professional reporting of the activities of the legislature, and further honors him for his prestigious status of being president of the Society of Professional Journalists.