H.R. No. 277 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Members of the Texas House of Representatives are pleased to join with a delegation of citizens from Edinburg in celebrating Edinburg Day at the State Capitol on February 10, 2009; and WHEREAS, Established in the early 20th century and originally known as Chapin, Edinburg became the seat of Hidalgo County in 1908; though ranching initially formed the basis of the town's economy, the arrival of the railroad in 1909 and irrigation in 1915 soon led to an emphasis on the farming of cotton, grain, and citrus; in short order, the town became a thriving center for agricultural marketing and processing; and WHEREAS, Long considered the gateway to the lower Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg is now a dynamic community of approximately 70,000 people; in October 2008, throngs of residents commemorated the town's centennial with a spirited, weeklong celebration, which included the opening of the new city hall; and WHEREAS, Edinburg offers a wide range of amenities that mark it as a forward-looking city; the educational needs of area students are capably met by the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, which is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its founding in 2009; encompassing 945 square miles, the district includes 27 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 3 high schools, and an alternative campus; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1927 as Edinburg Junior College, The University of Texas--Pan American remains one of the Valley's premier institutions of higher learning; UTPA recently opened its Wellness and Recreation Sports Complex, and the school is moving forward with plans for the construction of a Fine Arts Center; the center is expected to bring in significant revenue to the university and the surrounding area and also to help draw corporations and industry to South Texas; and WHEREAS, Standing adjacent to UTPA is the Medical Research Division of the Regional Academic Health Center, a part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; the Medical Research Division was dedicated in 2006 and will develop treatments for illnesses prevalent along the Texas-Mexico border; and WHEREAS, Health care resources include the Edinburg Children's Hospital, the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, and three facilities that all opened in 2007--the Renaissance Behavioral Center, the Cancer Center at Renaissance, and the Women's Hospital at Renaissance; and WHEREAS, The vibrant history and culture of the region are highlighted by the Museum of South Texas History, where new exhibits include 64 maps of Texas dating from 1548 to 2006, as well as a centennial exhibit that explores the history of education, government, civic life, and commerce in the city over the past 10 decades; as part of its 2003 expansion, the museum installed the first two sections of a permanent exhibit titled "Rio Grande Legacy," which presents the prehistory and history of the region with bilingual text and state-of-the-art displays; currently under development next to the museum is Will Looney Legacy Park, where exhibits will show how earlier inhabitants of South Texas adapted to the environment; and WHEREAS, In June 2008, the local Boys and Girls Club, which serves almost 20,000 children in Edinburg and nearby communities, broke ground on a new, eco-friendly clubhouse; encompassing nearly 33,000 square feet, the building will sit on a 20-acre site that will feature a track, soccer field, walking trail, and tennis and basketball courts; and WHEREAS, Other Edinburg attractions include the 40-acre wetlands of the World Birding Center, the Texas Cook 'Em cook-off, and the All-America City 10K Run/Walk, which draws runners from throughout Texas and Mexico; and WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Mayor Joe Ochoa and city council members Alma Garza, Noe Garza, Agustin Garcia, and Gene Espinoza, Edinburg continues on the trajectory of steady growth and improvement that has made it a three-time winner of the All-America City award, given by the National Civic League; and WHEREAS, Proud of their rich history, the people of Edinburg are determined to preserve the best of the city's past while building a future full of hope and opportunity; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2009, as Edinburg Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the delegation from Edinburg. Pena Gonzales 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. 277 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