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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Jim Wells County are assembling at the |
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State Capitol on February 7, 2017, to celebrate the importance of |
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their home to the history of the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, A landscape of sweeping grasslands and wide |
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horizons, the county's early inhabitants, the Chaguane and Payuguan |
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tribes, enjoyed the region's mild winters and abundant game; after |
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the first European settlement in 1754, at Penitas Creek, Mexican |
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ranchers developed land grants into sheep and cattle ranches; in |
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1848 the region became part of the State of Texas, and it was |
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formally incorporated as a county in 1911 and named after the |
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prominent developer and attorney James B. Wells Jr.; and |
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WHEREAS, With the arrival of the railroad in the 1870s, Alice |
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became the most important livestock shipment junction in South |
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Texas, and ranching has remained a mainstay of the county's economy |
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ever since; cotton and sorghum are important crops, as are hay, |
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corn, and wheat; the county seat, Alice is a center for health care, |
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with an outstanding medical facility, the CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital |
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Alice, and since the discovery of oil in the area in 1931, the |
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county has become one of the state's leaders in oil production; and |
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WHEREAS, The Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame in Alice honors |
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Tejano culture and recognizes the region as the birthplace of this |
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popular musical genre; area culture is further showcased at the |
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South Texas Museum, housed in the historic McGill Brothers Building |
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in Alice, and the annual Fiesta Bandana, celebrating Cinco de Mayo, |
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is a highlight of the county's cultural calendar; and |
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WHEREAS, Celebrating their vibrant heritage as they embrace |
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the opportunities of the future, the citizens of Jim Wells County |
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are building on a long tradition of industry, achievement, and |
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public spirit, and they are indeed deserving of special |
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recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 7, 2017, as Jim Wells County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to its residents sincere best |
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wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin. |