Eleanor Holmes Norton: “Jim Vance, our local NBC news anchor in this region, who died Saturday at 75, probably set a record, local or national…”

“Jim Vance, our local NBC news anchor in this region, who died Saturday at 75, probably set a record, local or national, as news anchor. For 45 years, while being only himself, Vance presented the news to a region that challenged D.C. TV news with vast changes racially and ethnically, economically and politically. Jim Vance took the dare and told our ever-changing story straight. He made us see ourselves, from a city with too much crime to today's D.C. with low crime and a big surplus. Only a combination of consummate professionalism and enduring affability could have covered so much quick-moving news without ever missing a beat. Jim Vance brilliantly told our story throughout our first era of home rule. These years also encapsulated Jim Vance's service and now join his legacy with the District's own history. ____________________”