| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Tyler, Longview, and Kilgore are |
|
|
gathering in Austin on February 25 and 26, 2013, for East Texas |
|
|
Coalition Days at the State Capitol, and this occasion represents |
|
|
an ideal opportunity to celebrate the special strengths of East |
|
|
Texas; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Blessed with beautiful lakes and woodlands as well |
|
|
as many urban amenities, the citizens of Tyler enjoy a fine quality |
|
|
of life that is further enhanced by the city's many |
|
|
state-of-the-art health care facilities, including The University |
|
|
of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler; area residents also |
|
|
benefit from the opportunities for education and advancement |
|
|
afforded by The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler Junior College, |
|
|
and Texas College, which together enroll more than 18,000 students |
|
|
each year; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Tourism is a mainstay of Tyler's prosperity, and |
|
|
visitors and residents alike take delight in such attractions as |
|
|
the Tyler Rose Garden, the Caldwell Zoo, the award-winning |
|
|
Discovery Science Place, and the Tyler Museum of Art; fishing and |
|
|
boating enthusiasts enjoy Lakes Palestine and Tyler, while golfers |
|
|
can hit the links on a variety of courses; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, East of Tyler, the communities of Gregg County grew |
|
|
quickly during the East Texas oil boom of the 1930s, and today oil |
|
|
continues to play a key role in the county's economy, which also |
|
|
benefits from manufacturing, tourism, and lignite mining; major |
|
|
companies such as Eastman Chemical Company, LeTourneau |
|
|
Technologies, Inc., Sitel, and TrinityRail employ many residents, |
|
|
and the county's popular special events include the Roughneck Day |
|
|
Festival in White Oak and East Texas Gusher Days in Gladewater; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Both the Gregg County seat and its largest city, |
|
|
Longview is home to LeTourneau University and such fine cultural |
|
|
attractions as the Longview Museum of Fine Arts, the Gregg County |
|
|
Historical Museum, and the R. G. LeTourneau Memorial Museum and |
|
|
Archives; the annual Great Texas Balloon Race draws visitors from |
|
|
across the nation; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Known as the City of Stars because of its |
|
|
star-topped derricks downtown, Kilgore boasts the East Texas Oil |
|
|
Museum, which evokes the history of the oil boom in the 1930s; it is |
|
|
famous as the home of the Kilgore Rangerettes, and pianist Van |
|
|
Cliburn, legendary Texas Ranger Manuel T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, |
|
|
and Lawrence Welk "Champagne Lady" Alice Lon all lived there; in |
|
|
recent years, professional actors from New York, Chicago, and Los |
|
|
Angeles regularly travel to the area to perform at the nationally |
|
|
acclaimed Texas Shakespeare Festival; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history even as they work to |
|
|
create a bright future, the residents of Tyler, Longview, and |
|
|
Kilgore may indeed take justifiable pride in the unique role their |
|
|
region plays in the history, culture, and economy of the Lone Star |
|
|
State; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 25 and 26, 2013, as East |
|
|
Texas Coalition Days at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting |
|
|
delegations from Tyler, Longview, and Kilgore sincere best wishes |
|
|
for a memorable and enjoyable visit to Austin. |