SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 369
	WHEREAS, Many citizens of the Delta area in Hidalgo County 
are visiting Austin on March 10, 2003, to celebrate the significant 
role this historic locale has played in the development of the 
Lower Rio Grande Valley; and
	WHEREAS, The Delta area was settled before 1800 by 
ranchers, who introduced cattle and sheep and a variety of crops; 
Spanish land grants in the vicinity included the Llano Grande, 
given to Juan José Ynojosa de Ballí in 1790, and a grant issued
to Vicente de Ynojosa in 1797; some 50 or more years later,
Miguel Fernández and Macedonio Vela operated their ranches,
La Bota and Laguna Seca, in the area; and
	WHEREAS, In the early 1900s, Anglo-Americans, lured by the 
bright prospects for developing truck farms, began making their 
homes in this district; at one time, the Delta area was home to 
some of the largest canning and packaging companies anywhere in 
the world; today, agriculture continues to constitute a major 
source of the county's economy, and Hidalgo County ranks first in 
the state in the market value of its crops; and
	WHEREAS, Towns in the Delta area include Edcouch, Elsa,
La Villa, and Monte Alto; Edcouch was named for local landowner 
and banker Edward Couch, while Elsa was named for Elsie George, 
wife of another local landowner, William George; on March 2, 2003, 
Elsa celebrated the 76th anniversary of its founding; and
	WHEREAS, Deeply committed to their youth and to civic 
participation, area residents in 1997 created the Llano Grande 
Center for Research and Development; a nonprofit organization


based at Edcouch-Elsa High School, the center works to nurture 
the talents and leadership potential of local students and to 
strengthen the community fabric; among the many successes of 
which it can boast is a college preparation and placement 
program, which was informally established several years before 
the center's founding; it was largely due to this program
that more than 51 area students were admitted to Ivy League 
universities between 1993 and 2001; and
	WHEREAS, The residents of these proud Delta communities 
are drawing on the strengths of all their people as they work
to preserve their rich heritage and build toward a future of 
ever-expanding opportunity; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
78th Legislature, hereby declare March 10, 2003, as Delta Day at 
the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to all those 
here today for an enjoyable and memorable visit.
                                                                           Lucio




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on March 17, 2003.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate