|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of the Mid-Valley region of Texas |
|
are gathering in Austin on February 11, 2015, to celebrate |
|
Mid-Valley Day at the State Capitol; and |
|
WHEREAS, Located in eastern Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande |
|
Valley, the Mid-Valley region includes the towns of Alamo, Donna, |
|
Mercedes, Pharr, Progreso, Progreso Lakes, San Juan, and Weslaco; |
|
this area is a center for agribusiness, with farmers producing |
|
sugarcane, grains, and citrus fruit such as grapefruits and |
|
oranges; and |
|
WHEREAS, The city of Alamo is located in proximity to the |
|
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses more than |
|
2,000 acres of protected land and is home to a wide array of animals |
|
and plants; in addition, the town boasts a birding information |
|
center and the popular Alamo Central Park; and |
|
WHEREAS, Upholding the motto "the City with a Heart in the |
|
Heart of the Rio Grande Valley," Donna serves as the location of the |
|
Donna-Rio Bravo International Bridge, which helps to facilitate |
|
shopping, tourism, and commercial trade to and from Mexico; and |
|
WHEREAS, Mercedes has long been a major center for the |
|
processing and marketing of livestock, cotton, and vegetables, and |
|
it is also known for its boot makers and the shopping opportunities |
|
at the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets; the annual Rio Grande |
|
Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo draws more than 200,000 people to |
|
town each year, and the event provides valuable scholarship funds |
|
for 4-H and FFA students; and |
|
WHEREAS, Known as the Hub City of the Rio Grande Valley, Pharr |
|
is home to the Pharr International Bridge, which for more than two |
|
decades has served as a reliable passage for exported produce and |
|
textiles; moreover, the town has been recognized as a Triple Crown |
|
City in honor of national awards it has received for commitment to |
|
historic preservation, economic development, and civic excellence; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, In addition to being centers for the sugarcane |
|
business, Progreso and Progreso Lakes have been serving as gateways |
|
to the Rio Grande Valley since the opening of the Progreso/Nuevo |
|
Progreso International Bridge in 2003; and |
|
WHEREAS, Fast-growing San Juan is the home of the Basilica of |
|
Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine, which attracts |
|
multitudes of pilgrims from throughout the United States and |
|
Mexico; the town hosts an annual Spring Fiesta and is the site of |
|
numerous parks, including Liberty Park, with its flagpole monument |
|
honoring those who have served in the U.S. armed forces; and |
|
WHEREAS, The city of Weslaco has become a favorite |
|
destination for tourists, golfers, retirees, and birders, and it is |
|
the location of two important Texas A&M University research |
|
stations; the annual Onion Fest celebrates the development of the |
|
famous Texas 1015 onion in Weslaco, and this popular event brings |
|
many visitors to the city; and |
|
WHEREAS, Throughout the Mid-Valley region, great emphasis is |
|
placed on the value of education; the Science Academy of South Texas |
|
in Mercedes consistently ranks among the top 100 on Newsweek's list |
|
of "America's Best High Schools"; in addition, IDEA Public Schools, |
|
a nonprofit network of charter schools with 26 campuses in the Rio |
|
Grande Valley alone, is helping young Texans build a strong |
|
foundation for future success; 99 percent of IDEA alumni go on to |
|
enroll in a college or a university, and they graduate from those |
|
institutions at five times the national average for students of |
|
similar backgrounds; and |
|
WHEREAS, The residents of this dynamic region of the Lone |
|
Star State are justifiably proud of their hard work, civic |
|
commitment, and innovative spirit, and their efforts have created a |
|
group of notable Texas communities that are well prepared to meet |
|
the challenges and opportunities of the future; now, therefore, be |
|
it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 11, 2015, as Mid-Valley Day |
|
at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
|
best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |
|
|
Martinez |
|
Canales |
|
Longoria |
|
Muñoz, Jr. |
|
Guerra |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anderson of Dallas |
Herrero |
Phelan |
|
|
Anderson of McLennan |
Howard |
Phillips |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bonnen of Brazoria |
Johnson |
Riddle |
|
|
Bonnen of Galveston |
Kacal |
Rinaldi |
|
|
Burkett |
Keffer |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
|
|
Burns |
Keough |
Rodriguez of Travis |
|
|
Burrows |
King of Hemphill |
Romero, Jr. |
|
|
Button |
King of Parker |
Rose |
|
|
Canales |
King of Taylor |
Sanford |
|
|
Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Schaefer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Craddick |
Landgraf |
Simmons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Davis of Dallas |
Longoria |
Spitzer |
|
|
Davis of Harris |
Lozano |
Springer |
|
|
Deshotel |
Lucio III |
Stephenson |
|
|
|
|
Dutton |
Martinez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
|
|
Elkins |
Martinez Fischer |
Thompson of Harris |
|
|
Faircloth |
McClendon |
Tinderholt |
|
|
Fallon |
Menéndez |
Turner of Collin |
|
|
Farias |
Metcalf |
Turner of Harris |
|
|
Farney |
Meyer |
Turner of Tarrant |
|
|
|
|
Fletcher |
Miller of Comal |
Villalba |
|
|
Flynn |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
|
|
|
|
Frullo |
Morrison |
White of Bell |
|
|
Galindo |
Muñoz, Jr. |
White of Tyler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 444 was adopted by the House on February |
|
11, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|