Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HR1768 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.R. No. 1768
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4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, The iconic Cafe Texan in Huntsville is reopening in
6	6	May 2023 as the Cafe Texan History Museum and Library; and
7	7	WHEREAS, In April 1936, the cafe's imminent opening was
8	8	front-page news in The Huntsville Item; founder Fred Morris was an
9	9	experienced restaurateur, and he snagged an ideal location in the
10	10	former United Gas Company office in the art deco Eastham Building,
11	11	on the downtown square across from the Walker County Courthouse;
12	12	for decades, the cafe was a favorite meeting place for business
13	13	owners, old-timers, Sam Houston State University students, and
14	14	others in the community; and
15	15	WHEREAS, Mr. Morris ran the Cafe Texan until 1958, and after
16	16	that, it passed through a number of hands; by 1996, the business was
17	17	flailing, but one of the regulars, U.S. Army veteran John
18	18	Strickland, purchased the cafe and helped turn things around; he
19	19	earned the loyalty of employees by paying them fairly and treating
20	20	them well, and many worked there for decades; in addition, he gained
21	21	the appreciation of the community through his support of numerous
22	22	worthy causes and organizations; and
23	23	WHEREAS, Patrons enjoyed the comfort of the familiar decor,
24	24	with the original counters, stools, and pressed-tin ceiling; the
25	25	menu remained fairly constant through the years, with chicken-fried
26	26	steak and pepper steak the perennial customer favorites; in later
27	27	years, the Texan became known for diner-style breakfasts and hearty
28	28	lunch specials such as fried chicken and catfish; and
29	29	WHEREAS, Like many other businesses, the Texan shut down at
30	30	the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; when Mr. Strickland began to
31	31	contemplate reopening, he discovered that the old place would
32	32	require an enormous investment to bring it up to current codes; he
33	33	sold the restaurant to former city council member and mayor pro tem
34	34	Vance Howard and his wife, Karen; the couple has renovated the
35	35	building extensively, turning it into a combination upscale eatery
36	36	and museum for their enormous collection of antiques and artifacts,
37	37	from pistols owned by the Emperor Napoleon and letters written by
38	38	President George Washington to a rare geological map of Texas; they
39	39	intend to run the restaurant as a nonprofit benefiting local
40	40	charities and scholarship programs; and
41	41	WHEREAS, Renowned as one of the state's oldest cafes, the
42	42	Cafe Texan has been a cornerstone of the Huntsville community for
43	43	generations, and its return is sure to gladden the hearts of
44	44	countless area residents; now, therefore, be it
45	45	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
46	46	Legislature hereby congratulate the Cafe Texan on its reopening and
47	47	extend to all those associated with this venerable establishment
48	48	sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
49	49	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
50	50	prepared for the cafe as an expression of high regard by the Texas
51	51	House of Representatives.
52	52	Kacal
53	53	______________________________
54	54	Speaker of the House
55	55	I certify that H.R. No. 1768 was adopted by the House on May
56	56	25, 2023, by a non-record vote.
57	57	______________________________
58	58	Chief Clerk of the House