H.R. No. 504

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Residents of the Texas Panhandle are gathering in
	Austin on February 22, 2011, to pay tribute to their region's rich
	heritage and to celebrate Panhandle Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, One of the oldest inhabited areas of Texas, where
	vast grasslands once thrived, the Panhandle is crossed by the
	Canadian and Red Rivers, rests over the southern tip of the Ogallala
	Aquifer, and offers breathtaking views of Palo Duro Canyon; in the
	1880s, three million acres of Panhandle land that was traded by the
	state to finance construction of a new Texas Capitol became known as
	the XIT Ranch; and
	WHEREAS, Ranching became central to the Panhandle's culture
	and economy in the late 19th century, and the arrival of the
	railroads and dryland farming techniques expanded the role of wheat
	and cotton farming; the discovery of oil and natural gas in the
	1920s further diversified the economic base, and today, ranching,
	farming, and the petroleum industry continue to be important to the
	region; and
	WHEREAS, Amarillo, in Potter and Randall Counties, is
	essential to the prosperity of the Panhandle with Tyson Foods, Bell
	Helicopter, B&W Pantex, and two health care systems all serving as
	major employers; in addition to the city of Hereford, which is
	regarded by many as the "Beef Capital of the World," other bedrock
	communities in the Panhandle include Borger, Cactus, Canyon,
	Childress, Clarendon, Dalhart, Dumas, Groom, Gruver, Pampa,
	Panhandle, Plainview, Skellytown, Stratford, Texhoma, and
	Whitedeer; and
	WHEREAS, The Panhandle is home to such premier educational
	institutions as the Texas Tech University System, with its schools
	of medicine and pharmacy, and West Texas A&M University, both of
	which boast nationally recognized programs and faculty; Amarillo
	College and South Plains College continue to be among the finest
	community colleges in the country, and Wayland Baptist University,
	Frank Phillips College, and Clarendon College also offer an
	outstanding education; and
	WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy a range of
	attractions, including the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the
	largest history museum in Texas, as well as the Amarillo Museum of
	Art, the public art installation Cadillac Ranch, and the American
	Quarter Horse Association's international headquarters; other
	cultural assets include the Lone Star Ballet and the Amarillo
	Symphony; and
	WHEREAS, Renowned for their hospitality, strong work ethic,
	and resilience, the citizens of the Texas Panhandle may take great
	pride in all they have done to make their region one of the
	treasures of the Lone Star State, and it is a pleasure to pay
	tribute to the Panhandle of Texas and the region's fine residents;
	now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize February 22, 2011, as Panhandle Day at
	the State Capitol and extend to the visiting guests sincere best
	wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.
	Price
	Smithee
	Chisum
	Landtroop
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 504 was adopted by the House on February
	22, 2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House