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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Texas House of Representatives are |
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pleased to join with a delegation of citizens from Edinburg in |
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celebrating Edinburg Day at the State Capitol on February 10, 2009; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Established in the early 20th century and originally |
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known as Chapin, Edinburg became the seat of Hidalgo County in 1908; |
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though ranching initially formed the basis of the town's economy, |
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the arrival of the railroad in 1909 and irrigation in 1915 soon led |
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to an emphasis on the farming of cotton, grain, and citrus; in short |
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order, the town became a thriving center for agricultural marketing |
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and processing; and |
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WHEREAS, Long considered the gateway to the lower Rio Grande |
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Valley, Edinburg is now a dynamic community of approximately 70,000 |
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people; in October 2008, throngs of residents commemorated the |
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town's centennial with a spirited, weeklong celebration, which |
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included the opening of the new city hall; and |
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WHEREAS, Edinburg offers a wide range of amenities that mark |
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it as a forward-looking city; the educational needs of area |
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students are capably met by the Edinburg Consolidated Independent |
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School District, which is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its |
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founding in 2009; encompassing 945 square miles, the district |
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includes 27 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 3 high schools, |
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and an alternative campus; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded in 1927 as Edinburg Junior College, The |
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University of Texas--Pan American remains one of the Valley's |
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premier institutions of higher learning; UTPA recently opened its |
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Wellness and Recreation Sports Complex, and the school is moving |
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forward with plans for the construction of a Fine Arts Center; the |
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center is expected to bring in significant revenue to the |
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university and the surrounding area and also to help draw |
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corporations and industry to South Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Standing adjacent to UTPA is the Medical Research |
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Division of the Regional Academic Health Center, a part of The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; the |
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Medical Research Division was dedicated in 2006 and will develop |
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treatments for illnesses prevalent along the Texas-Mexico border; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Health care resources include the Edinburg |
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Children's Hospital, the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, and three |
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facilities that all opened in 2007--the Renaissance Behavioral |
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Center, the Cancer Center at Renaissance, and the Women's Hospital |
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at Renaissance; and |
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WHEREAS, The vibrant history and culture of the region are |
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highlighted by the Museum of South Texas History, where new |
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exhibits include 64 maps of Texas dating from 1548 to 2006, as well |
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as a centennial exhibit that explores the history of education, |
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government, civic life, and commerce in the city over the past 10 |
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decades; as part of its 2003 expansion, the museum installed the |
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first two sections of a permanent exhibit titled "Rio Grande |
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Legacy," which presents the prehistory and history of the region |
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with bilingual text and state-of-the-art displays; currently under |
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development next to the museum is Will Looney Legacy Park, where |
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exhibits will show how earlier inhabitants of South Texas adapted |
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to the environment; and |
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WHEREAS, In June 2008, the local Boys and Girls Club, which |
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serves almost 20,000 children in Edinburg and nearby communities, |
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broke ground on a new, eco-friendly clubhouse; encompassing nearly |
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33,000 square feet, the building will sit on a 20-acre site that |
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will feature a track, soccer field, walking trail, and tennis and |
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basketball courts; and |
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WHEREAS, Other Edinburg attractions include the 40-acre |
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wetlands of the World Birding Center, the Texas Cook 'Em cook-off, |
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and the All-America City 10K Run/Walk, which draws runners from |
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throughout Texas and Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Mayor Joe Ochoa and city |
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council members Alma Garza, Noe Garza, Agustin Garcia, and Gene |
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Espinoza, Edinburg continues on the trajectory of steady growth and |
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improvement that has made it a three-time winner of the All-America |
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City award, given by the National Civic League; and |
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WHEREAS, Proud of their rich history, the people of Edinburg |
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are determined to preserve the best of the city's past while |
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building a future full of hope and opportunity; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2009, as Edinburg Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the delegation from |
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Edinburg. |
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Pena |
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Gonzales |
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Alvarado |
Gonzales |
Miller of Comal |
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Anchia |
Gonzalez Toureilles |
Miller of Erath |
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Aycock |
Gutierrez |
Morrison |
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Branch |
Harper-Brown |
Ortiz, Jr. |
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Brown of Kaufman |
Hartnett |
Otto |
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Brown of Brazos |
Heflin |
Parker |
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Callegari |
Hilderbran |
Pena |
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Cohen |
Howard of Fort Bend |
Quintanilla |
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Coleman |
Howard of Travis |
Raymond |
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Craddick |
Jackson |
Rodriguez |
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Crownover |
Keffer |
Sheffield |
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Davis of Harris |
King of Parker |
Smith of Tarrant |
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Davis of Dallas |
King of Taylor |
Smith of Harris |
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Deshotel |
King of Zavala |
Smithee |
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Driver |
Kleinschmidt |
Solomons |
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Eiland |
Leibowitz |
Thompson |
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Elkins |
Lucio III |
Turner of Tarrant |
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England |
Madden |
Turner of Harris |
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Farias |
Mallory Caraway |
Veasey |
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Farrar |
Marquez |
Villarreal |
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Flores |
Martinez Fischer |
Walle |
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Gallego |
McReynolds |
Zerwas |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 277 was adopted by the House on |
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February 10, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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