H.R. No. 549
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Public-spirited residents of Big Spring and its
  vicinity are gathering in Austin to celebrate Big Spring Area Day
  at the State Capitol on March 25, 2009; and
         WHEREAS, This location in the foothills of the Caprock
  escarpment of West Texas was named for the "big spring" in Sulphur
  Draw, which was originally a watering place for wolves, antelope,
  buffalo, and wild mustangs; the spring was visited by the Comanche
  and Shawnee, and it later became a campsite on the Santa Fe Trail;
  and
         WHEREAS, Settled by buffalo hunters and ranchers in the
  1870s, the region became more populated after the arrival of the
  Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1880; the town of Big Spring grew up
  around a rail station that was located several miles from Sulphur
  Draw; in 1882, Howard County was established with Big Spring as its
  seat, and by 1884, the town had four general stores, six saloons,
  and a newspaper; and
         WHEREAS, By 1920, Big Spring had become an important shipping
  junction for livestock, cotton, and grain; the discovery of oil in
  1926 led to rapid growth; during World War II, the Big Spring Army
  Air Corps Bombardier School trained more than 5,000 bombardiers;
  Webb Air Force Base was later established on the site, and after the
  base closed in 1977, ownership of the airfield reverted to the City
  of Big Spring; now known as McMahon-Wrinkle Airport/Airpark, the
  facility is a major catalyst for development in the area; and
         WHEREAS, Today, cotton, cattle, and oil and gas production
  continue to undergird the diversified economy of Big Spring, in
  addition to the newer industries of composite manufacturing,
  telecommunications services, and plastics; the presence of four
  wind turbine farms has also made the region a leader in the
  production of green energy in Texas; in the city of Big Spring
  itself, the creation of the Downtown Historic District is spurring
  redevelopment, including the restoration of the famous Settles
  Hotel and the revitalization and beautification of the city's
  business district; and
         WHEREAS, A vital nexus for health care services, Big Spring
  is home to the VA Medical Center, Scenic Mountain Medical Center,
  Howard County Mental Health Center, and Big Spring State Hospital,
  as well as the main offices of the West Texas VA Health Care System
  and the West Texas Centers for Mental Health and Mental
  Retardation; the area's schoolchildren are served by the Big
  Spring, Coahoma, and Forsan Independent School Districts, and
  postsecondary education is provided by Howard College and the
  Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf; and
         WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy the fine
  recreational opportunities in the region; Big Spring State Park,
  capping a tall limestone bluff, offers striking views, and Moss
  Creek Lake affords enjoyable opportunities for camping, swimming,
  picnicking, and boating; the Heritage Museum tells the story of
  life in West Texas from the time of the Comanche to the oil boom,
  while the Hangar 25 Air Museum features aircraft exhibits; and
         WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history as they work to
  create a still brighter future, the people of Big Spring may take
  great pride in their heritage and their contribution to the
  prosperity of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize March 25, 2009, as Big Spring Area Day
  at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
  best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.
 
  Heflin
 
 
Straus Gattis Menendez
 
Allen Geren Merritt
 
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
 
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
 
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
 
Anderson Guillen Moody
 
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
 
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
 
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
 
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
 
Bonnen Harless Orr
 
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
 
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
 
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
 
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
 
Button Herrero Paxton
 
Callegari Hilderbran Peña
 
Castro Hochberg Phillips
 
Chavez Hodge Pickett
 
Chisum Homer Pierson
 
Christian Hopson Pitts
 
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
 
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
 
Cook Hughes Riddle
 
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
 
Crabb Isett Ritter
 
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
 
Creighton Jones Rose
 
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
 
Darby Kent Shelton
 
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
 
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
 
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
 
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
 
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
 
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
 
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
 
Edwards Legler Thibaut
 
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
 
Eissler Lewis Truitt
 
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
 
England Madden Turner of Harris
 
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
 
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
 
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
 
Fletcher Martinez Vo
 
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
 
Flynn McCall Weber
 
Frost McClendon Woolley
 
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 549 was adopted by the House on
  February 26, 2009, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House