|
|
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 142
|
|
WHEREAS, Members of the Texas Senate are pleased to join |
|
with a delegation of citizens of Edinburg in celebrating Edinburg |
|
Day at the State Capitol on February 10, 2009; and |
|
WHEREAS, Long considered the gateway to the lower Rio |
|
Grande Valley, Edinburg was originally known as Chapin when it |
|
became the Hidalgo County seat 100 years ago; it was a ranching |
|
community in its early years, then the arrival of the railroad |
|
and the introduction of irrigation in the early 20th century |
|
shifted the emphasis of the local economy to the farming of |
|
cotton, grain, and citrus; and |
|
WHEREAS, Officially incorporated in 1919, Edinburg |
|
experienced a period of growth and prosperity fostered by the |
|
foresight of such city leaders as John Closner and W. F. Sprague; |
|
as a thriving center for agricultural marketing and processing, |
|
Edinburg experienced a building boom that included the |
|
construction of the Grandview Hospital and the Sam Houston and |
|
Stephen F. Austin Elementary Schools, all of which still stand; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, The educational needs of area students are |
|
capably met by the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School |
|
District; encompassing 945 square miles, the district includes |
|
27 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, |
|
and an alternative campus; and |
|
WHEREAS, Founded in 1927 as Edinburg Junior College, The |
|
University of Texas--Pan American remains one of the Valley's |
|
premier institutions of higher learning; the university has |
|
recently established a master's degree program in creative |
|
writing in order to foster a new generation of South Texas |
|
writers; and |
|
WHEREAS, The University of Texas Regional Academic Health |
|
Center in Edinburg is part of a three-city, upper-division |
|
medical school system that includes an educational component in |
|
Harlingen and a postgraduate school of public health in |
|
Brownsville; and |
|
WHEREAS, The Edinburg Children's Hospital has a 24-hour |
|
pediatric emergency room; the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance |
|
offers a full range of medical and surgical services; and the new |
|
Women's Hospital at Renaissance is able to handle the delivery of |
|
8,000 babies a year; and |
|
WHEREAS, The vibrant history and culture of the region are |
|
highlighted by the Museum of South Texas History; the facility's |
|
recent expansion includes the Rio Grande Legacy exhibit, tracing |
|
the history of the Valley from prehistoric times to the 19th |
|
century; further expansion of the museum will include the |
|
continuation of the Rio Grande Legacy exhibit to the present day, |
|
as well as the construction of the Will Looney Legacy Park; and |
|
WHEREAS, Other Edinburg attractions include the 40-acre |
|
wetlands of the World Birding Center, where waterfowl and native |
|
plants can be viewed from winding trails and viewing platforms; |
|
events such as the annual All-American 10K Run/Walk promote |
|
health and fitness, attracting participants from all over Texas |
|
and the world; Edinburg is also home to the Texas Cook'Em |
|
cook-off, where grill cooks compete to prepare the best steaks, |
|
chicken, spare ribs, and brisket; and |
|
WHEREAS, Edinburg's dynamic business climate is attracting |
|
major employers in manufacturing and the medical field, and the |
|
city's unemployment rate is the lowest in the Rio Grande Valley |
|
and better than the state and national levels; the Edinburg |
|
Economic Development Corporation has authorized substantial |
|
investment in filmmaking as part of its efforts to promote higher |
|
education, cultural enrichment, fine arts, and other positive |
|
aspects of this vibrant city; and |
|
WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of its mayor and city |
|
commissioners, the city has experienced steady and favorable |
|
growth, and Edinburg has been recognized three times by the |
|
National Civic League as an All-America City; and |
|
WHEREAS, In October of 2008, Edinburg celebrated its |
|
centennial as the county seat of Hidalgo County; proud of their |
|
rich history, the people of Edinburg are determined to preserve |
|
the best of the city's past while joining together to build a |
|
future full of hope and opportunity; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
|
Legislature, hereby recognize February 10, 2009, as Edinburg Day |
|
at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the delegation |
|
from Edinburg. |
|
|
Hinojosa, Lucio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
I hereby certify that the |
|
|
above Resolution was adopted by |
|
|
the Senate on February 10, 2009. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |