2025 -- H 5481

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

JOYOUSLY CELEBRATING PATRICE WOOD'S 45TH ANNIVERSARY WORKING AS A

DISTINGUISHED JOURNALIST SERVING THE RHODE ISLAND AND GREATER NEW

ENGLAND COMMUNITY

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, McNamara, Chippendale,
Ackerman, Corvese, Kennedy, Shallcross Smith, Ajello, and Boylan

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Patrice Wood, born Holly Patrice Wood in a small farming community in

Rockford, Ohio, reached an important milestone on February 4, 2025, when she completed her

45th year as an award-winning and Hall of Fame journalist for WJAR NBC 10; and

     WHEREAS, Patrice Wood graduated from Bowling Green State University with a

Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. Shortly thereafter, she began her distinguished

journalism career when she accepted a position with WDHO-TV in Toledo, Ohio. She also served

internships with ABC News, the United States House of Representatives, and Time Magazine;

and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Wood joined WJAR in February of 1980, and quickly established

herself as a hard-working journalist who could be trusted at all times to provide her viewers with

factual information along with the perspectives of all sides invested in any issue. Ms. Wood

began her tenure at WJAR as a street reporter and was quickly promoted to work the weekend 11

o’clock newscasts in 1982; and

     WHEREAS, In 1988, Patrice Wood was selected to serve as the anchor of the 5:30 p.m.

news edition, and added the 5:00 p.m. news period in 1995 as well as the 6:00 p.m. news report in

1997. Patrice worked much of her tenure with longtime anchor Doug White, meteorologist Gary

Ley and sportscaster Frank Carpano, a team that dominated the ratings in large part thanks to

Patrice Wood’s strong interviewing skills through which she conducted fascinating and

illuminating interviews with famous personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Mark Wahlberg;

and

     WHEREAS, Patrice Wood is the longest-serving female newscaster in Rhode Island

history and today she anchors the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m., newscasts. In addition, Ms. Wood

also serves as the education reporter for WJAR NBC 10, and her long-running Tuesday’s Child

special reports, featuring children in state care, have resulted in 60 percent of the children

featured being matched with adoptive families; and

     WHEREAS, Patrice Wood has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of

her exemplary journalistic professional career. She is a member of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall

of Fame, and the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame. She also received the

prestigious Silver Circle Award from the New England Chapter of the National Academy of

Television Arts and Sciences, and was the recipient of the Congressional Angels in Adoption

Award for her tireless advocacy on behalf of children in foster care; and

     WHEREAS, Patrice Wood is married to Paul Pabis, who works as the Director of

Operations and Engineering at WBZ-TV in Boston. Ms. Wood is the devoted mother of

Stephanie and Jonathan, and is an ardent lover of Golden Retrievers; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

joyously celebrates legendary journalist Patrice Wood’s 45th anniversary at WJAR NBC 10. We

thank her for her highly skilled professionalism as a journalist as she keeps the Rhode Island

citizenry informed and educated about the important issues of our time, and we thank her for her

tireless work in support of children in foster care in Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Patrice Wood.

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