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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 130

	WHEREAS, Many proud South Texas citizens are visiting the 
State Capitol on February 12, 2003, to celebrate the history and 
numerous attractions of Jim Wells County; and

	WHEREAS, The county was created out of Nueces County in 
1911 and named for James B. Wells, Jr., an attorney and prominent 
South Texas political figure; Alice, the county seat, traces its 
roots to a railroad depot called Bandana, established in 1883 at 
the junction of two railroads; other communities in the county 
include Ben Bolt, Orange Grove, Premont, Rancho Alegre, Sandia, 
and part of San Diego; and

	WHEREAS, Livestock raising has constituted a mainstay of 
the area's economy since Texas formed part of the Spanish Empire; 
for a time in the late 1800s, Alice served as the world's largest 
shipping point for cattle, and in the 20th century the Beefmaster, 
a cattle breed designed to thrive in the challenging South Texas 
environment, was developed in Jim Wells County; and

	WHEREAS, Other significant sectors of the economy include 
farming, which developed on a large scale after 1910, and the 
petroleum and natural gas industry, which burgeoned after the 
discovery of oil in the county in 1931; and

	WHEREAS, Jim Wells County is poised for substantial 
economic growth as a result of its location within the I-69 
International Trade Corridor, which links the United States 
with its two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico; one 
component of this corridor, U.S. Highway 281, traverses Jim Wells 
County from north to south, while State Highway (S.H.) 44 crosses 
the county from east to west, connecting Corpus Christi to Laredo 
via U.S. Highway 59; this U.S. 59/S.H. 44 segment forms part of 
the Texas Trunk System and was designated by state officials in 
1998 as one of 10 Phase I High Priority Corridors; and

	WHEREAS, In addition to an expanding economy, residents 
enjoy an array of recreational opportunities, ranging from 
wildflower tours, to rodeos, to Fiesta Bandana; cultural 
resources include the South Texas Museum and the Tejano 
R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame Museum, which has just hosted the first 
Tejano Musician Reunion; and

	WHEREAS, Two outstanding hospitals, Christus Spohn 
Hospital Alice, which opened in 1999, and Alice Regional 
Hospital, which opened in 1931 and recently completed a new 
$40 million facility, have made the county seat an important 
regional medical center; and


	WHEREAS, The productive and forward-looking citizens of 
Jim Wells County are building on a sturdy foundation of 
progressive development, and it is a pleasure to recognize their 
industry, their achievements, and their public spirit; now, 
therefore, be it

	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 
78th Legislature, hereby recognize February 12, 2003, as 
Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the 
delegation here today sincere best wishes for an enjoyable 
and memorable visit.
                                                                        Hinojosa




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on February 12, 2003.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate