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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens from Amarillo and other communities |
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located in the Texas Panhandle are visiting Austin on February 24, |
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2009, to pay tribute to their region's rich heritage and to |
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celebrate Panhandle Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The Panhandle is a thriving region of the state and |
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home to one of the oldest inhabited places in Texas; stretching |
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through the northern part of the region is Palo Duro Canyon, the |
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second-largest canyon in the country, which boasts spectacular |
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views and reveals through its exposed strata a geologic record |
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spanning 250 million years; and |
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WHEREAS, Rich in history, the region is also known for its |
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traditional ranch lands, crop and meat production, large stretches |
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of oil and gas reserves, major industry, and a nationally |
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recognized workforce; and |
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WHEREAS, Amarillo, the principal northern city of the |
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Panhandle, is a dynamic urban center with a population of almost |
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175,000 and a wide array of cultural amenities; contributing to |
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Amarillo's economic vitality are a Bell Helicopter tilt-rotor |
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assembly center, where the V-22 Osprey and the US101 presidential |
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helicopters are assembled, as well as the only assembly-disassembly |
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plant for the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal, a facility operated |
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by BWXT Pantex for the United States Department of Energy's |
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National Nuclear Security Administration; and |
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WHEREAS, A region of many exemplary citizens and community |
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leaders, the Texas Panhandle is also home to excellent educational |
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institutions; the Texas Tech University System, including its |
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medical, law, and pharmacy schools, and West Texas A&M University |
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are among the premier institutions in Texas and boast |
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ever-increasing enrollments, nationally recognized programs and |
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faculty, and outstanding graduates; Amarillo College and South |
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Plains College continue to be among the finest community colleges |
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in the country, and Wayland Baptist University, Frank Phillips |
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College, Western Texas College, and Clarendon College are all |
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outstanding educational institutions in the area; and |
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WHEREAS, Outstanding attractions in the region include the |
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Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, which is located on the campus |
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of West Texas A&M University in Canyon and is the largest history |
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museum in the state, and the Texas Tech University campus, which is |
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host to many restored structures at the National Ranching Heritage |
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Center, a 15-acre site tracing the evolution of ranch architecture |
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and the history of the cattle industry in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of the Panhandle region are renowned |
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for their friendliness and warmth; they have helped to build vital |
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urban centers that serve not only a large part of Texas but also |
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eastern New Mexico; it is a pleasure for the Texas House to pay |
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tribute to the Panhandle of Texas and the region's fine residents; |
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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 24, 2009, as Panhandle Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to those individuals in attendance on |
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this day and to their fellow citizens sincere appreciation for |
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their contributions to the Lone Star State. |
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Swinford |
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Smithee |
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Chisum |
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Heflin |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 541 was adopted by the House on |
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February 24, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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