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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Duval County are visiting Austin to |
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celebrate Duval County Day at the State Capitol on March 14, 2007; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, This rolling brushland was first inhabited by the |
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Venado tribe who lived off the bison, deer, and the wild fruits and |
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nuts of the region; later the Apache and the Comanche peoples moved |
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through the country, as well as Spanish expeditions coming north |
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from Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, The earliest European settlers were herdsmen; in |
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1848 Pablo Perez established the first town, originally called |
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Perezville but later changed to San Diego; naming it after Burr H. |
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Duval, a Texas revolutionary who was killed in the Goliad Massacre, |
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the Texas legislature formed Duval County in 1858, though it wasn't |
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organized until 1876; San Diego was made the county seat; and |
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WHEREAS, After a colorful period when outlaws and renegades |
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dominated the region's history, the arrival of the railroad helped |
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make Duval County a prosperous sheep-ranching area, and between |
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1873 and 1883 the county was said to have more sheep than any other |
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county in the nation; today the county's economy is founded upon |
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cattle ranching and oil; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy Duval County's |
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annual festivals; every year the Pan de Campo Fiesta in San Diego |
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celebrates the famous bread prepared by vaqueros on cattle drives |
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with a pan de campo competition, a parade, a beauty pageant, and |
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live musical entertainment; and |
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WHEREAS, The annual Freer Rattlesnake Roundup began in the |
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mid-1960s as the Oil-O-Rama, celebrating the oil industry, but |
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shifted focus to the crowd-pleasing roundup of rattlesnakes; the |
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Roundup features carnival rides, the Mama Salsa Contest, and |
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performances by some of the biggest names in country and western and |
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Tejano music; and |
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WHEREAS, The year 2006 brought the election of a new county |
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judge, Abel Aragon; born and raised in San Diego, where he graduated |
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from St. Frances Catholic School and San Diego High School, he has |
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bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Texas A&I |
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University in Kingsville; with over 40 years as a teacher and school |
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administrator in Freer and service on the Freer Independent School |
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District Board, Judge Aragon brings a wealth of experience to his |
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new position, and Duval County Day provides a fitting opportunity |
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to congratulate him and welcome the Duval County contingent to |
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Austin; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 14, 2007, as Duval County Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes |
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for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |