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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Distinguished citizens of Irving are gathering on |
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February 17, 2009, to celebrate Irving Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally a settlement known as Gorbit and then as |
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Kit, the city was renamed in 1902, possibly for the author |
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Washington Irving; it soon became a center for cotton farming, |
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dairy farming, and poultry production in North Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Irving began its period of rapid growth in the |
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mid-20th century; the Plymouth Park Shopping Center opened in 1955, |
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the University of Dallas in 1956, and Irving Community Hospital in |
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1964; the creation of the Las Colinas and Valley Ranch |
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master-planned business and residential communities contributed |
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further to the city's growth, and from 1971 to 2008, the city was |
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the home of "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, with a population of nearly 210,000, Irving |
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boasts more than 10,000 companies, including the headquarters of |
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ExxonMobil, Kimberly-Clark, the Commercial Metals Company, and the |
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Fluor Corporation; over 45 companies in the Fortune 500 have a |
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presence in the city, including Amazon.com, Northrop Grumman, |
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Verizon, Microsoft, and many others; and |
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WHEREAS, Irving's educational and cultural resources make it |
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a fine place to live and work; the University of Dallas and North |
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Lake College offer ample opportunities for higher education, and |
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the city is home to the Irving Arts Center, as well as to three |
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symphony orchestras and two award-winning theater companies; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike may delight in the |
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gondolas at Mandalay Canal and the stunning sculpture known as the |
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Mustangs of Las Colinas, with its associated museum; Irving is also |
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home to the headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America, and the BSA's |
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National Scouting Museum tells the history of scouting and |
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possesses the world's largest collection of original Norman |
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Rockwell scouting artwork; the HP Byron Nelson Golf Championship is |
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an annual PGA Tour event; and |
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WHEREAS, Benefiting greatly from the farsighted leadership |
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of Mayor Herbert A. Gears and the members of the city council, |
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Thomas D. Spink, Beth Van Duyne, Allan E. Meagher, Lewis Patrick, |
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Rose Cannaday, Rick Stopfer, Sam Smith, and Joe Philipp, Irving is a |
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forward-looking and vibrant city, and its creative and hardworking |
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citizens are to be commended for their contributions to the |
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prosperity of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 17, 2009, as Irving Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to its mayor, city council members, |
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corporate executives, chamber representatives, and other citizens |
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present today a warm welcome to Austin. |