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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of House District 39 are gathering |
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in Austin on March 27, 2007, to celebrate House District 39 Day at |
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the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Including the cities of Alamo, Donna, Mercedes, |
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Progreso, Progreso Lakes, San Juan, and Weslaco, this region of the |
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lower Rio Grande Valley was settled by cattle ranchers and sheep |
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ranchers under grants from the Spanish and Mexican governments; in |
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recent years it has been a center for farming and agribusiness, with |
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such important crops as cotton, sugarcane, citrus fruit, grain, and |
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vegetables; and |
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WHEREAS, Alamo is in the midst of an ambitious and successful |
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revitalization plan; the city has a new city hall, public library, |
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and public works center and is making significant improvements in |
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city streets, parks, and utility infrastructure; there is a new |
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Sports Complex and Community Park, and a new fire station, police |
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substation, and 500,000-gallon water tower are planned; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely known as "the City with a Heart in the Heart |
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of the Rio Grande Valley," the city of Donna looks forward to the |
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long-awaited Donna International Bridge to Mexico; when completed, |
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the eight-lane toll bridge will bring in $3 million a year in tolls, |
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as well as bolstering the city's economy with the traffic of |
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shoppers and tourists going to and from Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, Known as the Boot Capital of Texas, Mercedes has |
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long been a major center for the processing and marketing of |
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livestock, cotton, and vegetables; the annual Rio Grande Valley |
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Livestock Show and Rodeo draws 150,000 people, with over 3,000 |
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exhibitors; in recent years it has raised $14,000 in scholarship |
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money for 4-H and FFA students; and |
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WHEREAS, With their long history as centers for the sugarcane |
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business, Progreso and Progreso Lakes are also a gateway to the Rio |
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Grande Valley thanks to the new Progreso/Nuevo Progreso |
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International Bridge, completed in 2003; approximately 1.25 |
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million pedestrians cross the bridge each year, and a million cars |
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make the southbound crossing; and |
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WHEREAS, Celebrating the 90th anniversary of its |
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incorporation, San Juan has become one of the fastest-growing |
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cities in the Rio Grande Valley; it is the home of the Virgen de San |
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Juan del Valle Shrine, which draws between 20 and 30 thousand |
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visitors a week from all over the nation and Mexico, as well as a |
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flagpole paying tribute to the men and women who have served in the |
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nation's armed forces; and |
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WHEREAS, The city of Weslaco has become a favorite |
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destination for tourists, golfers, retirees, and birders; it is |
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also home to two important Texas A&M research stations; the annual |
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Onion Fest celebrates the development of the famous Texas 1015 |
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Onion in Weslaco and draws 12,000 visitors to the city; and |
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WHEREAS, The public schools of District 39 provide |
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educational opportunities to the region's diverse population; |
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Donna ISD may take pride in its 1,500 elementary students who |
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participated in Read Across America, in the recent impressive |
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improvement in reading scores of third and fifth graders, and in the |
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notable performance of its Bilingual/ESL students on state |
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assessment tests, which have made it a model school district; and |
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WHEREAS, Home of the Mercedes Tigers, Mercedes ISD is proud |
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of its many accomplished graduates, including Congressman Ruben |
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Hinojosa, Hidalgo County Judge J. D. Salinas, District Clerk Laura |
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Hinojosa, Tejano singer Elida Reyna, musicians Ruben Vela and |
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Gilberto Perez, authors Eddie Howell and Michael Salinas, |
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songwriter Amanda McBroom, Weslaco ISD Superintendent Ricardo |
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Rivera, and physician Dr. Eduardo Caballero; and |
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WHEREAS, The Progreso Early College High School Academy |
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offers an opportunity for high school students to get an early start |
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on college by earning 60 college credit hours or an associate |
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degree; beginning in the fall of 2007 and provided free of charge, |
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this innovative program has already received 300 applications; and |
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WHEREAS, Weslaco ISD has been a TEA "Recognized" school |
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district for 10 years, and it has also been recognized by the |
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National Center for Educational Accountability for exhibiting |
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outstanding performance by comparison with other schools in Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Eight schools in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD have |
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been featured in Texas Monthly magazine as being among the best |
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public schools in Texas by exhibiting outstanding performance |
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across several grades and years on the TAKS test; another three |
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campuses in the district have been recognized as exemplary |
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campuses; and |
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WHEREAS, The residents of this dynamic and rapidly growing |
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region of the Lone Star State are justifiably proud of their hard |
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work, civic commitment, and innovative spirit; a fine place to live |
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and work, it celebrates its rich past while looking forward to an |
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exciting future; 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 27, 2007, as House District 39 |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |