By:  Berlanga                                          H.R. No. 507
       73R8400 JLZ-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, For the past 40 years, longtime radio personality
    1-2  Victor Lara has been a fixture on the airwaves over Corpus Christi,
    1-3  informing and entertaining South Texans with insightful news and
    1-4  commentary on radio station KUNO; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Born on September 9, 1928, in the Mexican state of
    1-6  Coahuila, Mr. Lara spent many years of his childhood in the border
    1-7  community of Nuevo Laredo, where he grew up across the street from
    1-8  radio station XEDF and thus acquired early in life what would be a
    1-9  lifelong fascination with the broadcasting industry; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, After attending a vocational school in Laredo, he
   1-11  went to work full-time for a local business known as the Tex-Mex
   1-12  Railroad Company, but he maintained his avid interest in radio
   1-13  broadcasting by working part-time as an announcer with station
   1-14  XEFE; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Pursuing his interest in radio also paid off
   1-16  handsomely when he met his future wife, Hortencia Puentes, while
   1-17  doing a radio broadcast for XEFE in 1948; married the following
   1-18  year, the young couple entered into a loving relationship that has
   1-19  matured and grown in mutual love and respect through the years, to
   1-20  the continuing delight of Mr. and Mrs. Lara and their family and
   1-21  friends; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, Enjoying his work with station XEFE, Mr. Lara
   1-23  decided to pursue a full-time career in radio, and in 1950 he and
   1-24  his wife moved to Houston, where Mr. Lara joined the staff of radio
    2-1  station KLVL as a translator, newscaster, and commentator; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, After three years with the Houston station, Mr. Lara
    2-3  began seeking other career opportunities and in early 1953 sent a
    2-4  demonstration tape to Leslie Smith, general partner and station
    2-5  manager of KUNO in Corpus Christi; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, On the basis of his impressive performance on that
    2-7  tape, he was offered a position with KUNO, which he accepted, and
    2-8  on May 31, 1953, began a long and rewarding association with the
    2-9  Corpus Christi community that has continued unabated to the
   2-10  present; and
   2-11        WHEREAS, He quickly made his mark as a radio personality and
   2-12  in 1955 launched a noon talk show that ensured his place in the
   2-13  Coastal Bend community; broadcast from the KUNO facilities in the
   2-14  Benavides Hotel on the corner of Agnes and 19th streets and thus
   2-15  entitled "Comentarios En La Esquina," this open-mike program became
   2-16  a favorite of local listeners who enjoyed his repartee and incisive
   2-17  comments on people and events of local and statewide significance;
   2-18  and
   2-19        WHEREAS, A mainstay of KUNO for the past four decades as a
   2-20  newscaster, director, and commentator, Mr. Lara has made a lasting
   2-21  impact on the people of South Texas, and the occasion of his 40th
   2-22  anniversary affords an appropriate opportunity for the members of
   2-23  this body to join his many listeners, friends, and admirers in
   2-24  bestowing a well-deserved salute to this outstanding individual;
   2-25  now, therefore, be it
   2-26        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-27  Legislature hereby commend Victor Lara for his many contributions
    3-1  to public affairs broadcasting in South Texas and extend warmest
    3-2  congratulations on the occasion of his 40th anniversary with radio
    3-3  station KUNO in Corpus Christi; and, be it further
    3-4        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
    3-5  prepared for Mr. Lara as an expression of high esteem by the Texas
    3-6  House of Representatives.