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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Edinburg are gathering in Austin |
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on March 8, 2011, to celebrate Edinburg Day at the State Capitol; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A vibrant, growing community, Edinburg has |
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approximately 77,000 residents, making it the third-largest city in |
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the Rio Grande Valley; it is the county seat of Hidalgo County and |
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serves as an important educational and commercial center for the |
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booming Texas-Mexico border region; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded on October 10, 1908, the town was known as |
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Chapin until 1911, when it adopted the name Edinburg; ranching |
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formed the basis of its economy until the arrival of the railroad in |
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1909 and irrigation in 1915, changes that spurred a transition to |
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farming and agricultural processing and marketing; the city |
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incorporated on September 19, 1919; and |
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WHEREAS, Edinburg is a forward-looking, pro-business |
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community that is committed to job creation and sustainable |
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economic growth; it is a three-time winner of the All-America City |
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Award, which is given by the National Civic League to recognize |
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communities that have come up with innovative strategies to meet |
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their challenges; and |
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WHEREAS, The educational needs of more than 33,000 area |
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students are capably met by the Edinburg Consolidated Independent |
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School District, which celebrated its centennial in 2009; the |
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district comprises 30 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 3 high |
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schools, a dropout recovery school called the Vision Academy of |
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Excellence, and an alternative campus; and |
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WHEREAS, The University of Texas-Pan American, which was |
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founded in 1927 as Edinburg Junior College, remains one of the |
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Valley's premier institutions of higher learning; its seven |
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colleges offer approximately 120 degree programs: 57 master's, 56 |
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bachelor's, 3 doctoral, and 2 collaborative doctoral degrees; in |
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the past decade, graduation rates for undergraduates have doubled; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Regional Academic Health Center includes The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio research |
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campus in Edinburg, an educational campus in Harlingen, and a |
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public health campus in Brownsville; and |
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WHEREAS, Edinburg has established a first-class network of |
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public and private health assets that form the Edinburg Medical |
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Corridor; this health industry sector, which includes major |
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hospital systems, employs thousands of medical professionals and |
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features the latest medical technology; and |
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WHEREAS, The vibrant history of the region is preserved by |
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the Museum of South Texas History; the museum's recent expansion |
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includes the installation of the world-class Rio Grande Legacy |
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exhibit, tracing the history of the Valley from prehistoric times |
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to the 20th century, and the construction of the Will Looney Legacy |
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Park; and |
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WHEREAS, Edinburg's dynamic business climate led to record |
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sales tax figures in 2010 and attracted major employers, such as the |
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Santana Textiles denim manufacturing plant and the Rio Grande |
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Valley Produce park, both under construction; and |
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WHEREAS, Often called the gateway to the Rio Grande Valley, |
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Edinburg is under the leadership of Mayor Richard H. Garcia, Mayor |
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Pro Tem Agustin "Gus" Garcia, and city council members Noe Garza, |
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Gene Espinoza, and Alma Garza; it is a dynamic city with a bright |
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future, and its hardworking citizens can take justifiable pride in |
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their accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 8, 2011, as Edinburg Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to all those in |
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attendance for an enjoyable visit to Austin. |