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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 668
WHEREAS, On April 29, 2003, residents from Katy are
gathering in Austin to celebrate Katy Day at the State Capitol;
and
WHEREAS, First settled in 1872 and originally known as
Cane Island, Katy took its present-day name from the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas Railroad, which built through the area in the
1890s; the city was formally incorporated in 1945 and is located
in three counties--Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller; and
WHEREAS, In the early days, the town's prosperity derived
from the production of cotton, peanuts, and corn, but those crops
were eclipsed after William Eule introduced rice farming in 1901;
natural gas was discovered in 1934, and during World War II the
size of the field's reserves, coupled with its proximity to
Houston-area refineries, made it the most important gas-condensate
field in the United States; today, Katy remains an important rail
and agricultural center and continues to profit from one of the
largest gas fields in the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Among the town's cultural assets are Heritage
Park, home to a number of historic buildings that have been
restored by the Katy Heritage Society, and the Katy Veterans
Memorial Museum, which features military exhibits of every
foreign conflict involving the United States; and
WHEREAS, Residents of this fine city enjoy commemorating
its heritage each year at the Katy Rice Harvest Festival,
sponsored by the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce; this celebration,
which draws more than 50,000 people over a two-day period, is
being held again on October 11-12, 2003; in addition, numerous
parks in the city provide year-round opportunities for a wide
range of recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, The award-winning Katy Independent School
District provides young Texans with a top-notch education and
is considered one of the strongest and most competitive school
districts in the state, as exemplified by the fact that it is one
of only three large districts to have held the distinction of a
"recognized" rating from the Texas Education Agency continuously
since 1997; and
WHEREAS, Other indicators of the district's success
include student achievement levels that in 2001-2002 met state
standards for "exemplary" in both reading and math; Katy
Independent School District has 13 National Blue Ribbon Schools
of Excellence, as well as an award-winning Partners in Education
program, which provides approximately one volunteer for every
three children in the district; furthermore, Katy Independent
School District is the first school district in the world to
adopt a Junior Achievement "whole district" approach, providing
the Junior Achievement curriculum at each grade level and every
campus; and
WHEREAS, This charming town prides itself on making sure
"You'll Love Katy," and such organizations as Katy Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 9182 contribute to making the community
special; the post has received national awards for its exemplary
community services; and
WHEREAS, The city is also the proud hometown of several
talented citizens who have gained national attention; accomplished
actress Renee Zellweger, a native of Katy, has won numerous awards
for her performances in Nurse Betty, Bridget Jones's Diary, and
Chicago; country western superstar Clint Black also grew up in
Katy and has won nearly every music industry accolade imaginable,
including being honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame for
his outstanding contributions to music and entertainment; and
WHEREAS, Situated a scant 25 miles west of downtown
Houston, Katy offers ready access to all the benefits of a big
city while affording its residents the friendly community life
of a small town; the citizens of Katy are embracing the myriad
challenges and opportunities of the future while continuing to
build on their history, and it is indeed most appropriate to pay
tribute to them at this time; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
78th Legislature, hereby recognize April 29, 2003, as Katy Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the delegation here today sincere
best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable visit.
Lindsay, Janek
______________________________ ______________________________
Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 29, 2003.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate