August 11, 2023 - Veterans now have until 11:59 PM ET on Monday, August 14, 2023 to file a PACT Act claim—or submit an intent to file—and be eligible for benefits backdated to August 10, 2022. Take advantage of this extension and file now!

Due to high volume, some Veterans have received error messages when submitting their intent to file PACT Act claims. If you received one of these messages, don’t worry! The VA has logged your intent to file and saved your effective date for benefits.

August 10, 2023 - Good Morning! It's Thursday, August 10.

On this day, in 70 AD, the Roman army set fire to the temple in Jerusalem, leaving it completely destroyed. This event was predicted 40 years before, when Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another, every one will be thrown down." (Matthew 24:2)

August 9, 2023 — Texas A&M Forest Service encourages Texans to celebrate Smokey Bear’s 79th birthday today by being extremely cautious with all outdoor activities that create heat or sparks.

August 8, 2023 - You are walking down the sidewalk downtown and you meet a friend – “How’s it going, John?” you ask. “Fair to middling,” he responds. I know you have heard that phrase for a long time, but do you know for sure what it actually means? Or, from where did it originate?

I have always understood it to mean “about average” – you’ve been better, and you’ve been worse. I did a little research on this phrase and offer the following:

August 7, 2023 - The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens will be closed to the public starting Aug. 28 for major renovations and updates.

The nearly 300,000 gallons of aquariums will be updated, new larger aquariums will be added, the dive theater and other existing indoor exhibits will be updated, and new exhibits will be developed. Enhancements to recreational fishing ponds like Lake Zebco are also included in the renovation project.