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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Chambers County are gathering at the |
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State Capitol on February 11, 2009, to celebrate their unique |
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region of Texas and to discuss the challenges they face after |
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Hurricane Ike; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated on the plains of the Gulf Coast, Chambers |
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County was first settled by several Indian tribes and by people from |
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Spain, France, and Mexico; the county was created in 1858 from |
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portions of Liberty and Jefferson Counties, and it was named for T. |
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J. Chambers, a chief justice of the Supreme Court of Coahuila and |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, the diverse economy of Chambers |
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County has included agriculture, fish and oyster processing, and |
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the petroleum industry, and the region's abundant natural resources |
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have drawn visitors from across the state for the ample |
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opportunities for birding, hunting, and fishing in the county's |
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coastal marshlands; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, however, the people of Chambers County are |
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facing the difficult job of cleaning up after Hurricane Ike, which |
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struck on September 13, 2008; a number of people lost their lives, |
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and homes and businesses were destroyed or severely damaged; two of |
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the county's treasured habitats, the Anahuac National Wildlife |
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Refuge and the Candy Cain Abshier Wildlife Management Area, were |
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hit hard as well; the popular Texas Gatorfest in Anahuac and the |
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Texas Rice Festival in Winnie were canceled; and |
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WHEREAS, In spite of these setbacks, the people of Chambers |
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County are working with grit and determination to restore their way |
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of life; businesses have begun to reopen, and three months to the |
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day after the landfall of the hurricane, portions of the Anahuac |
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National Wildlife Refuge were opened again to the public; plans for |
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the 2009 Gatorfest and the Rice Festival are well under way; and |
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WHEREAS, The hardy spirit of the people of Chambers County |
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remains strong, and with the help of their fellow Texans, they are |
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working dauntlessly to rebuild their communities, earning the |
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respect of all for their courage and fortitude; 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 11, 2009, as Chambers County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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wishes for a meaningful and productive visit to Austin. |