H.R. No. 229
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of the city of McAllen are gathering at
the State Capitol on February 10, 2009, to celebrate their
community's contributions to the vitality of the Lone Star State;
and
WHEREAS, Located in southern Hidalgo County, the site of
present-day McAllen was developed by Spanish settler Jose Manuel
Gomez, who founded the Santa Anita Ranch in 1797; the ranch grew in
size and passed through the hands of several heirs of his
great-granddaughter, Salome Balli, who married John McAllen;
together they continued to add to the property and renamed it
McAllen Ranch; and
WHEREAS, In 1904, Mr. McAllen and other early settlers
established a town site called West McAllen, where the St. Louis,
Brownsville & Mexico Railroad arrived a year later; additional
developers founded East McAllen in 1907, and the two towns
eventually merged and welcomed several businesses, churches, and
residences and a newspaper; by 1920, the city's population exceeded
5,000 and continued to grow steadily; and
WHEREAS, In the last three decades, McAllen has become a
center for business, commerce, and government in the Valley; ranked
number one in the nation in job growth in 2008, McAllen has the
strongest housing market in the country, according to Forbes
magazine, and it was named the number-one fastest-growing real
estate market in the country by CNNMoney.com; in addition, the city
is home to South Texas College, one of the fastest-growing
community colleges in the nation; and
WHEREAS, The unique landscape of the Rio Grande Valley
provides promising soil for farming and produces a hospitable
environment for cultivating citrus fruits, cotton, sugarcane, and
many other crops and vegetables; a variety of ecosystems also
nurtures many unusual flora and fauna specific to this region of the
country; and
WHEREAS, A center for cultural activities, McAllen is home to
the International Museum of Art and Science, which serves as a
showcase for traveling exhibitors, loaned works from the
Smithsonian Institution, and an extensive collection of Latin
American folk art; tourists and residents alike enjoy festive
annual events, including the Candlelight Posada, the Fourth of July
Celebration and Parade, Palmfest Fajita Cook-off, International
Friendship Run, and McAllen New Year's Eve Celebration; and
WHEREAS, Led by Mayor Richard Cortez, District 1 Council
Member Scott Crane, District 2 Council Member Marcus Barrera,
District 3 Council Member Hilda Salinas, District 4 Council Member
Aida Ramirez, District 5 Council Member John Ingram, and District 6
Council Member James "Jim" Darling, the citizens of McAllen are
justifiably proud of their city, which has played a significant
role in the annals of Texas history, and it is a pleasure to pay
tribute to them on this special day; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2009, as McAllen Day at
the State Capitol and extend to all those McAllen residents who are
present on this day sincere best wishes for a memorable visit to
Austin.
Gonzales
Pena
Flores
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 229 was adopted by the House on
February 10, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas