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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The residents of San Antonio bade farewell to an |
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esteemed newspaper publisher with the passing of Florentino Duran |
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on June 25, 2017, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Tino Duran was born on October 24, 1934, and was |
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introduced to journalism while serving as the editor of the |
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newspaper at Sidney Lanier High School; after four years in the |
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U.S. Air Force, he enrolled at San Antonio College, where he worked |
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on the school paper, the Ranger; he went on to earn a bachelor's |
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degree in political science and a master's degree in public |
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administration from St. Mary's University; and |
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WHEREAS, Early in his career, Mr. Duran worked for the Bexar |
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County Juvenile Probation Department and then was appointed as an |
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executive assistant in the administration of President Lyndon |
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Johnson; he also held high-ranking posts with San Antonio Mayor |
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John Gatti and the Housing Authority of Bexar County before |
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focusing his talents on newspaper publishing; he became the general |
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manager of the newspaper El Sol de Tejas in Dallas in the mid-1980s |
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and then took on the role of president and CEO of El Informador |
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Hispaño in Fort Worth; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, Mr. Duran and his wife, Amelia, purchased |
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La Prensa, a bilingual newspaper which had been serving San Antonio |
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since 1913; under his leadership, the paper became a cornerstone of |
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the Hispanic community, offering vital information and an inspiring |
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message to area residents, and it also trained many aspiring young |
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journalists; the couple also started the La Prensa Foundation, |
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which has distributed more than $2 million in college scholarships |
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since 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Duran's numerous honors include the Henry |
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Guerra Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Journalism from |
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the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Henry B. |
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Gonzalez Public Service and Integrity Award, and the North San |
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Antonio Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award; in 2014, he |
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was inducted into the Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, Tino Duran made a positive difference in the San |
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Antonio community through his dedicated efforts to showcase |
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uplifting stories about the city's Latino residents, and his |
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influence will continue to be felt for many years to come; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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of Florentino Duran and extend sincere condolences to the members |
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of his family: to his wife of 62 years, Amelia Duran; to his |
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children, Tino Duran Jr. and his wife, Susan, David Duran and his |
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wife, Norma, Steve Duran and his wife, Virginia, Margie Freeman and |
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her husband, Kenneth, and Nina Duran; to his 13 grandchildren and 18 |
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great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and many friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Florentino |
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Duran. |