SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 174
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
	welcome the citizens from Amarillo and other communities located
	in the Texas Panhandle who are visiting Austin on February 17,
	2015, to pay tribute to their region's rich heritage and to
	celebrate Panhandle Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, The Panhandle is a thriving region of the state
	and is home to one of the oldest inhabited places in Texas; Palo
	Duro Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the country, stretches
	through the northern part of the region, boasts spectacular
	views, and reveals through its exposed strata a geologic record
	spanning 250 million years; and
	WHEREAS, Rich in history, the region is also known for its
	traditional ranch lands, crop and meat production, large areas of
	oil and gas reserves, major industry, and a nationally recognized
	workforce; and
	WHEREAS, Amarillo, the principal northern city of the
	Panhandle, is a dynamic urban center with a population of
	almost 190,000 and a wide array of cultural amenities;
	contributing to Amarillo's economic vitality are a Bell
	Helicopter tilt-rotor assembly center, where the V-22 Osprey
	and the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters are assembled, as well as
	the only assembly-disassembly plant for the nation's nuclear
	weapons arsenal, a facility operated by B&W Pantex for the
	United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security
	Administration; and
	WHEREAS, A region of many exemplary citizens and community
	leaders, the Texas Panhandle is also home to excellent
	educational institutions; the Texas Tech University System,
	including its medical, law, and pharmacy schools, and West Texas
	A&M University are among the premier institutions in Texas and
	boast ever-increasing enrollments, nationally recognized
	programs and faculty, and outstanding graduates; Amarillo
	College continues to be among the finest community colleges in
	the country, and Wayland Baptist University, Frank Phillips
	College, and Clarendon College are all outstanding educational
	institutions in the area; and
	WHEREAS, Attractions in the region include the
	Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, which is located on the
	campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon and is the largest
	history museum in the state, and the Texas Tech University
	campus, which is host to many restored structures at the National
	Ranching Heritage Center, a 15-acre site tracing the evolution of
	ranch architecture and the history of the cattle industry in
	Texas; and
	WHEREAS, The citizens of the Panhandle region are renowned
	for their friendliness and warmth; they have helped to build
	vital urban centers that serve not only a large part of Texas but
	also eastern New Mexico; it is a pleasure for the Texas Senate to
	pay tribute to the Panhandle of Texas and the region's fine
	residents; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
	84th Legislature, hereby recognize February 17, 2015, as
	Panhandle Day at the State Capitol and extend to the delegations
	in attendance today and to their fellow citizens sincere
	appreciation for their contributions to the Lone Star State; and,
	be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
	honor of this special day.
	Seliger
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 17, 2015.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate