By:  Turner                                            S.R. No. 593
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, Nasinec, the state's only weekly Czech-language
    1-3  newspaper, is celebrating 80 years of publication as a forum for
    1-4  Czech-speaking people nationwide to write about their heritage; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Josef Najvar began publication of the newspaper in
    1-6  1914 in Hallettsville for those of Czech descent, but he soon died
    1-7  leaving his wife, Clara, in charge of the newspaper; Clara moved
    1-8  the paper to Taylor in 1916, and in 1918, it was adopted by the
    1-9  Czech Catholic Union of Texas as its official publication, an honor
   1-10  it retains today; and
   1-11        WHEREAS, In 1937 the paper was moved to Granger when several
   1-12  Granger residents bought the Nasinec and formed the Nasinec
   1-13  Publishing Company; during this period, Granger was 90 percent
   1-14  Czechoslovakian, and the newspaper had a circulation of 4,000; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, When the board of the publishing company elected
   1-16  to discontinue the publication and sell its assets in 1981,
   1-17  Joe Vrabel bought the company and resumed publication within two
   1-18  weeks; Mr. Vrabel began working for the Nasinec in 1958 and was
   1-19  interested in continuing the popular paper; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, By printing business cards, stationery, and
   1-21  Czech-language plastic-backed books, Mr. Vrabel has diversified
   1-22  his business and Nasinec has continued to survive through
   1-23  subscriptions, advertising revenue, and private donations; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, Subscribers, who provide much of the newspaper's
    2-2  copy, write about events in their own lives as well as their native
    2-3  land; readers are scattered around Texas and the United States as
    2-4  well as Czechoslovakia; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, Joe Vrabel types, edits, and manages the Nasinec,
    2-6  or "Fellow Countrymen," with the assistance of Otilie Maresh, whose
    2-7  husband was a former editor of the paper, and her sister-in-law,
    2-8  Marie Maresh; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, Although younger generations are not all taught the
   2-10  language and customs of their ancestors, Joe Vrabel is providing a
   2-11  valuable service for many people of Czech descent; now, therefore,
   2-12  be it
   2-13        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-14  74th Legislature, hereby recognize the Nasinec on the grand occasion
   2-15  of its 80th birthday and commend Joe Vrabel for his dedication to
   2-16  its continuation; and, be it further
   2-17        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a
   2-18  memento of this important milestone with all best wishes for the
   2-19  future from the Texas Senate.
   2-20                               ______________________________________
   2-21                                       President of the Senate
   2-22                                    I hereby certify that the above
   2-23                               Resolution was adopted by the Senate
   2-24                               on April 3, 1995.
   2-25                               ______________________________________
    3-1                                       Secretary of the Senate
    3-2                               ______________________________________
    3-3                                        Member, Texas Senate