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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Longview and Gregg County are |
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gathering in Austin to celebrate Longview/Gregg County Days at the |
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State Capitol on March 27 and 28, 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, Present in the chamber on this occasion are the |
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following dignitaries from Gregg County: Longview City Councilman |
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Sidney Allen, Paul Anderson, Lisa Benson, Longview City Councilman |
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John Bolster, Tony Cain, Suzanne Cook, Longview Mayor Jay Dean, Joe |
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Derouen, Chuck Ewings, Charles Farmer, Jo Lee Ferguson, Judy |
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Freeman, Candice Gast, Kelly Hall, Laura Hill, Dr. Bill Holda, |
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Keith Honey, Shirley Hook, Dietrich Johnson, Joel Johnson, Wilton |
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Johnson, Gene Keenon, Richard Lazarus, Lester Lucy, Richard Manley, |
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Jack Miller, Scott Owens, Debbie Sadler, Bill Simms, Jay Stokes, |
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County Judge Bill Stoudt, Dennis Suiter, Gladewater Mayor John Paul |
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Tallent, Elton Taylor, Linda Thomas, John Ussery, Lindsay |
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Vanderbilt, White Oak Mayor Tim Vaughn, Cheryl Way, Lon Welton, and |
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Jackie Wood; and |
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WHEREAS, Once part of the hunting grounds of the Caddo tribe, |
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this region became Gregg County on April 12, 1873, and was named |
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after Confederate General John B. Gregg; Longview was designated as |
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the county seat; and |
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WHEREAS, While the county's economy was originally founded on |
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cotton and corn, the discovery of oil transformed Longview and |
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Gregg County, with more than 3 billion barrels produced since 1931; |
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the Big Inch pipeline, running from Longview to New York City, |
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helped win World War II by providing an uninterrupted supply of gas |
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and oil to U.S. armed forces; while the county remains an important |
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center for the petroleum industry, its diverse economy is also |
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founded on such key industries as the Texas Eastman Company, |
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LeTourneau, Inc., SITEL, and Trinity Industries; and |
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WHEREAS, Ideally situated in the Piney Woods of East Texas, |
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just north of the Sabine River, county seat Longview is home to |
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LeTourneau University, and the city's many cultural and historical |
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attractions include the Longview Museum of Fine Arts, the Gregg |
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County Historical Museum, and the R. G. LeTourneau Museum; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1978, the Great Texas Balloon Race, which |
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attracts the best competitive balloon pilots in the world, has |
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taken place in Longview; other festivals in the county include the |
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annual Texas Shakespeare Festival in Kilgore, Roughneck Day |
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Festival every April in White Oak, and East Texas Gusher Days in |
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Gladewater; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with scenic vistas, a rich heritage, and an |
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even brighter future, Gregg County is an outstanding region of the |
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Lone Star State and a fine place to live, work, and raise a family; |
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it is most fitting to pay tribute to the county and its citizens on |
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this occasion; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby recognize March 27 and 28 as Longview/Gregg County Days at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes |
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for an enjoyable and informative stay in Austin. |