Following the passing of New York Times reporter Robin Toner, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer released the following statement:

"I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Robin Toner.

"She was a reporter of great talent and insight. Her ability to convey to the American public the Congress's deliberations and actions was helpful to them and our democracy.

"She will be missed by her colleagues at the New York Times and by all of us who respected her tireless research of the issues, accurate analysis, and cogent reporting.

"My thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her husband and children."

From the New York Times:

Robin Toner, who was the first woman to be the national political correspondent of The New York Times and who had a significant hand in the coverage of five presidential elections, innumerable Congressional and gubernatorial campaigns and the great legislative debates of the day, died early Friday at her home in Washington. She was 54.

The cause was complications of colon cancer, her family said.

From the Miami Herald:

As a young news researcher at The Washington Post, Elisabeth Lacey "Liz" Donovan helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein cover the Watergate scandal -- and take down a president.

As a veteran at The Miami Herald, Donovan helped lead the transition to computer-based research. A pioneering Internet user -- yet eternal flower child -- she enabled Herald writers to produce work that won Pulitzer Prizes.

Said humorist Dave Barry: 'I went to her with many strange requests, and they never fazed her. I'd ask her something like, 'Are there any politicians whose last name is Doody?' And she'd say, 'Do you want federal, state or both?'"

Donovan, 63, died of lung cancer Tuesday at a Gainesville, Ga., hospital.

Last night at the Newseum, more than 300 people turned up to pay tribute to Bill Headline, CNN's first DC bureau chief. Headline passed away in October.

FishbowlDC has learned that USA Today's Tom Fogarty has passed away, after a fight with cancer.

From the Weekly Standard:

It's my sad duty to report that our good friend and valued contributor Dean Barnett passed away today. He was a remarkable man--principled, witty, and to all of us, a model of grace and courage. We mourn his passing and cherish his memory.

-William Kristol

Barnett created SoxBlog, blogged on Hugh Hewitt's website and drove Mitt Romney around the 1994 Seante campaign.

Barnett suffered from cystic fibrosis. He was 41.

Other In Memoriams:

Karen Timmons, 58; Editor Planned Scripps Coverage

Former Inquirer reporter Carol Horner

From DCRTV:

Bill Headline, who was CNN's first DC bureau chief, has passed away. "Bill was one of the legends of Washington journalism, having carved out a successful career in the broadcast network world before coming to the cable upstart CNN," says David Bohrman, CNN's current DC bureau chief in a memo to staff. "Bill ran the DC operation in two locations here in town, and is responsible for hiring many of the great people who work here today."

September 21: Nancy Hicks Maynard, one of the first black female reporters at the New York Times and once the publisher of The Oakland Tribune, dies.

September 22: The New York Times publishes its obituary.

September 25: The Gray Lady admits that "An obituary on Tuesday about Nancy Hicks Maynard, a newspaper publisher and journalism educator, included a number of errors."

October 9: The Gray Lady admits that it had erred again: "An obituary on Sept. 23 about Nancy Hicks Maynard, a newspaper publisher and journalism educator, attributed an erroneous distinction to her, and a correction in this space on Sept. 25 repeated the error. She was one of the first black women to become a reporter at The New York Times, but not the first; at least one, Bernadette Carey, a reporter in society news, preceded her."