[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 23078] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN HONOR OF MELANIE CHRISTOPHER ______ HON. CHARLES W. ``CHIP'' PICKERING of mississippi in the house of representatives Wednesday, December 6, 2006 Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, as this Congress comes to an end, we see the closing of an era for News Channel 12 in Jackson, Mississippi. After 25 years in the business, Melanie Christopher--the cheerful and informative co-anchor of WJTV--will be retiring at the end of this year. She will be focusing more time and attention on her husband and family, but we, her viewers, will miss her. Melanie is one of Jackson's most respected and honored television journalists. This year, she was voted ``Newsperson of the Year'' by the Mississippi Associated Press, the first female journalist to earn this distinction. Her work has also won awards from the National Commission on Working Women, the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters, and the Associated Press. She has served as emcee of numerous fund raising events on WJTV over the years, including the Children's Miracle Network telecast to benefit Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson. In recent years, Melanie has been the face of health and medical reporting for WJTV as she informed viewers about the latest treatments, drugs, and how to improve their health. Melanie serves on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan YMCA and MORA, the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency. She also works with the March of Dimes, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children. She is also a board member of Ballet Mississippi and hosts ``The Learning Exchange'' four times a year on Mississippi ETV. Mr. Speaker, Melanie Christopher has long been a reliable, trustworthy source of news and information for Mississippians, and her dedication to the community has earned her well deserved honor. She has served in her role as journalist and kept the public trust in that institution. We will miss tuning in to see and hear her on WJTV, but I'm convinced she will continue to benefit her community and all of Mississippi for many years to come. ____________________