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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Katy are gathering in Austin to |
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celebrate Katy Day at the State Capitol on March 12, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated on the coastal prairie among the grasslands |
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and bayous, the community was originally known as Cane Island; it |
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was first settled in the 1870s as a farming community, with |
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residents primarily growing cotton, peanuts, and corn until 1901, |
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when William Eule introduced rice farming; the town came to be |
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called Katy, after the depot of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas |
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Railroad (the MKT)--or perhaps after the wife of a saloonkeeper; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The discovery of natural gas in 1934 changed the |
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fortunes of area residents, who profited from the size of the field |
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and its close proximity to Houston's refineries; the city was |
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incorporated in 1945 and today is an important rail and |
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agricultural center; and |
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WHEREAS, The Katy Independent School District is one of the |
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fastest-growing in the state; having completed 23 new campuses in |
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the past decade, it now includes 31 elementary schools, 12 junior |
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highs, 6 high schools, a career technology center, and an |
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alternative high school; the district places a strong emphasis on |
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technology, providing computers in each classroom and stationary |
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and wireless labs in every school; student achievement on |
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standardized tests consistently surpasses statewide levels, and 16 |
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Katy campuses have been designated as exemplary in the |
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accountability ratings compiled by the Texas Education Agency; and |
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WHEREAS, Several city attractions provide a window on the |
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area's past, including the Katy Heritage Museum, the vintage |
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buildings that make up Heritage Park, and the town's 1898 train |
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depot that has been restored to house the MKT Museum; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout the year, Katy hosts a number of popular |
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events that draw locals and visitors alike; the Katy Independent |
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School District FFA Livestock Show and Rodeo is held in February, |
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the Folk Life Festival takes place in April, and the Rice Harvest |
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Festival honors the city's agricultural traditions each October; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, For more than a century, Katy has been an |
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outstanding place to live and work, and its citizens may take great |
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pride in their contributions to the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 12, 2009, as Katy Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for |
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an enjoyable and informative stay in Austin. |