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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Willacy County are gathering at |
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the State Capitol on April 14, 2011, to celebrate Willacy County |
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Day, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to recognize |
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the 100th anniversary of the county's founding; and |
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WHEREAS, Located on the Gulf Coast in the Rio Grande Valley, |
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Willacy County was formed in 1911 from parts of Cameron and Hidalgo |
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Counties and also originally included the land that is now Kenedy |
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County; it was named for state legislator John G. Willacy, who |
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introduced the bill that established the county; and |
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WHEREAS, Raymondville, the county seat and largest city, was |
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established by Edward Burleson Raymond in 1904; it is home to the |
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Raymondville Historical Museum and hosts a number of special events |
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throughout the year, including the Willacy County Livestock Show, a |
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Fourth of July celebration, and the Christmas Tree Lighting |
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Ceremony and Christmas Parade; and |
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WHEREAS, Lyford is named for William H. Lyford, an attorney |
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for the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad, and it rings in the |
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holiday season with the annual Lyford Christmas Parade and |
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Festival; farther east, the close-knit community of Santa Monica |
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celebrates the annual Santa Monica Fest during the fall to benefit |
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Santa Monica Catholic Church; and |
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WHEREAS, A number of other communities are also named for |
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prominent figures in the county's early history; Lasara was platted |
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in 1924 and was named for Laura Harding and Sarah Gill, wives of |
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early settlers William Harding and Lamar Gill, while San Perlita |
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takes its name from Pyrle Johnson, the wife of the town developer; |
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settled before 1906, Sebastian was first known as Stillman but was |
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renamed around 1912 in honor of John Sebastian, vice president of |
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the Rock Island Railroad Company, which helped to develop the area; |
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other notable communities in the county include Los Coyotes, |
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Porfirio, Port Mansfield, and Willamar; and |
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WHEREAS, Young people in the area benefit from the dedicated |
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efforts of the county's school districts, which include the |
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Raymondville Independent School District, with more than 2,200 |
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students, the Lyford Consolidated Independent School District, |
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serving over 1,500 students, Lasara ISD, with an enrollment of |
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nearly 400, and San Perlita ISD, with approximately 300 pupils; and |
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WHEREAS, Willacy County residents are employed in a range of |
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private-sector and government jobs, and the county's proximity to |
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Mexico and six international bridges makes transportation and |
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commercial trade central components of the local economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Ecotourism and heritage tourism also generate |
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employment and income; Willacy County's ranchlands and coastal |
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habitats include a wide range of birds, mammals, wild grasses, |
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trees, butterflies, and other species; the county has a |
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well-developed hunting and fishing industry and is a premier |
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destination for those seeking to experience the outdoors; "Wild in |
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Willacy" is an annual event held the last week of October to promote |
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awareness of the area's diverse natural offerings and includes |
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tours of private ranches, lectures on birding, cook-offs, musical |
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entertainment, and more; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the hubs of tourism activity is Port |
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Mansfield, which has unique bird-watching opportunities and is an |
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extremely popular fishing center that hosts a well-known fishing |
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tournament each year; the town's harbor office is run by the Willacy |
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County Navigation District, which also oversees land leases and the |
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county's small-craft airport; and |
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WHEREAS, Willacy County's rich natural environment and its |
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resourceful and productive citizenry make it a great place to live |
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and work, and it is a pleasure to honor this South Texas county as it |
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reflects on a century of growth and progress; 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 April 14, 2011, as Willacy County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for an enjoyable and rewarding visit to Austin. |