Houston named, "Texan of the Year," by Dallas Morning News

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/3558388.html

Jan. 1, 2006, 2:01AM
Walk with pride: Houston is 'Texan of the Year'
Rivalry aside, Dallas paper touts the Katrina effort


By THOMAS KOROSEC
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

DALLAS - In a year full of unlikely and amazing events, you can add this: A Dallas newspaper just named the entire city of Houston "Texan of the Year."

"If this can help lead to world peace, so be it," said Keven Ann Willey, editorial page editor for the Dallas Morning News, acknowledging the cities' long-standing rivalry.

In a Sunday editorial, the newspaper said it was giving Houston the honor for "assembling the largest shelter operation in the nation's history after Hurricane Katrina, then following up with bold resettlement plans."

Houston's "good old Texas neighborliness" and resourcefulness "did the whole state proud," the newspaper said.

Other cities did their part to help the storm's victims, Willey said, "but it was a different magnitude in Houston. There are still 150,000 evacuees in the Houston area."

The newspaper lauded the ''hundreds, thousands of unsung heroes'' and singled out Houston Mayor Bill White, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and Housing Choice Center CEO E.A. ''Buddy'' Grantham "for leadership and tireless work in coordinating the massive task."

When informed about the tribute, Eckels chuckled and said, "We've always loved Dallas."

He added, "We've always thought there are great Texans in Houston as there are all over the state. We just happened to be the ones here when this hit."

Willey said the government deserved praise, "but it's also about the thousands of volunteers who stepped up, something like 60,000 volunteers. That's bigger than most cities."

The Texan of Year is a person or persons of "uncommon impact" who "exemplify Texas traits of trailblazing independence and staring down adversity," Willey said. The honoree can affect lives positively or negatively.

In 2003, the paper gave the accolade to President Bush. White House aide Karl Rove was named last year for masterminding Bush's re-election.