| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 209 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Proud residents of Aransas County are gathering |
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| 3 | 3 | | in Austin to celebrate Aransas County Day at the State Capitol on |
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| 4 | 4 | | February 23, 2017; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, This region of thousand-year-old oaks, coastal |
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| 6 | 6 | | prairie, and sandy beaches was first inhabited by native peoples |
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| 7 | 7 | | 8,000 years ago; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, In 1828, the Mexican government awarded an |
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| 9 | 9 | | empresario grant to bring in settlers from Ireland and Mexico, |
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| 10 | 10 | | and not long after the Civil War, in the mid-1860s, the towns of |
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| 11 | 11 | | Fulton and Rockport were founded as ports for the cattle |
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| 12 | 12 | | business; Aransas County was formed in 1871 and named after a |
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| 13 | 13 | | Spanish palace; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Aransas County is the gateway to the nearly |
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| 15 | 15 | | 115,000-acre Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, where the amazing |
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| 16 | 16 | | whooping cranes spend the winter, and Goose Island State Park, |
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| 17 | 17 | | which has between 150,000 and 200,000 visitors annually; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Rockport and Fulton Harbors are the home ports of |
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| 19 | 19 | | many popular boating excursions for birders, dolphin watchers, |
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| 20 | 20 | | and devotees of deep-sea and bay fishing, while the beautifully |
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| 21 | 21 | | lit Fulton Harbor Pier and 8,690-foot-long Copano Bay Pier offer |
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| 22 | 22 | | first-rate opportunities for angling; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, The county's history is evoked by the 19th century |
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| 24 | 24 | | Fulton Mansion and the 1870s Victorian-style Aransas County |
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| 25 | 25 | | History Center, while the official Texas Maritime Museum in |
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| 26 | 26 | | Rockport celebrates the marine heritage of the Lone Star State; |
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| 27 | 27 | | the Rockport Center for the Arts is a hub for the region's |
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| 28 | 28 | | thriving cultural scene, which includes such festive annual |
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| 29 | 29 | | events as the Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair, the Fulton Oysterfest, |
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| 30 | 30 | | the Rockport Film Festival, the HummerBird Celebration, LaMardi |
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| 31 | 31 | | Gras, and the annual Rockport Festival of Wines; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Blessed with more magnificent bays than land, |
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| 33 | 33 | | more redfish and trout than cars, and a chamber of commerce |
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| 34 | 34 | | with a five-star rating, Aransas County is one of the treasures |
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| 35 | 35 | | of the Lone Star State, and its citizens may indeed take great |
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| 36 | 36 | | pride in their heritage and look forward to a future filled with |
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| 37 | 37 | | opportunity and good times; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature, hereby recognize February 23, 2017, as Aransas |
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| 40 | 40 | | County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting |
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| 41 | 41 | | delegation sincere best wishes for a memorable and meaningful |
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| 42 | 42 | | visit to Austin. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Kolkhorst |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 47 | 47 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 48 | 48 | | the Senate on February 15, 2017. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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