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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 gathering at the |
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State Capitol on March 6, 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, A landscape of sweeping grasslands and wide |
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horizons, the county's early inhabitants enjoyed the region's mild |
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winters and abundant game; after the first European settlement in |
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1754, at Penitas Creek, Mexican ranchers developed land grants into |
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sheep and cattle ranches; in 1848, the region became part of the |
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State of Texas, and it was formally incorporated as a county in 1911 |
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and named after the prominent developer and attorney James B. Wells |
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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 key crops, as are hay, corn, and |
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wheat; since the discovery of oil in the area in 1931, mining, |
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quarrying, and oil and gas extraction have emerged as the leading |
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occupations of local residents; and |
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WHEREAS, Notable communities in Jim Wells County include |
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Orange Grove, Ben Bolt, Palito Blanco, Premont, Sandia, and |
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La Gloria; the county seat, Alice, is a center for health care, with |
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an outstanding medical facility, the CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Alice; |
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the Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame in Alice honors Tejano culture |
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and recognizes the region as the birthplace of this popular musical |
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genre; the area's distinctive history is showcased at the South |
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Texas Museum, housed in the 1940s McGill Brothers Building; and |
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WHEREAS, Jim Wells County benefits from the dedicated |
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leadership of its elected officials, including county judge Pedro |
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"Pete" Trevino Jr. and county commissioners George Aguilar, Ventura |
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Garcia Jr., Renee Kirchoff Chapa, and Wicho Gonzalez; 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 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 6, 2025, as Jim Wells County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting |
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delegation. |