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2013
Travis’ letter returns to Alamo with plenty of support
February 20, 2013(AUSTIN)—Col. William Travis' plea for help at the Alamo may have been too late for him, but his "Victory or Death" letter's historic return Friday has marshaled broad support for the Alamo today. "It is not surprising, but still fulfilling to see everyone fall in like this to celebrate the histor...more
Winter Texans clean 2.7 tons of trash off South Padre beaches
February 13, 2013(AUSTIN)—Winter Texans from as far away as Canada showed up Friday to clean 5,400 pounds of trash - more than 2.7 tons - off South Padre Island beaches at the Texas General Land Office's Adopt-A-Beach Winter Texan Cleanup. A total of 135 volunteers from Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin joined ...more
Saturday’s Adopt-A-Beach Winter Beach Cleanup was biggest ever
February 12, 2013(AUSTIN)—A record number of volunteers showed up at Saturday's Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Winter Cleanup, taking seven tons of trash with them. A total of 468 volunteers cleaned 25 miles of Gulf Coast beaches from Rockport to the Padre Island National Seashore. Adopt-A-Beach coordinat...more
Remember the Alamo — with a gift you can’t get anywhere else
February 05, 2013(THE ALAMO, SAN ANTONIO)—The reimagined Alamo Gift Shop reopens at 9 a.m. Friday with dramatic flare, as a William Barret Travis reenactor slashes through the ceremonial ribbon with his sword. Members of the media can get a sneak peak of the new store and its one-of-a-kind-Alamo merchandise Thursday afternoon...more
Texas Coastal Management Program awards $1.75 million in grants
January 28, 2013(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today announced $1,740,000 in coastal grants awarded through the Texas Coastal Management Program will go to 21 projects. "These grants are targeted to restore vital wildlife habitat, advance our knowledge of the Texas coast and help fund local effo...more
“See the Letter” Facebook photo contest now open
January 24, 2013(AUSTIN)—When the brash, 26-year-old commander of the Alamo wrote his plea for help on February 24, 1836, he was clear about his chances for surviving the siege by Mexican troops under Santa Anna. But Col. William Barret Travis knew the power of his words. He chose them carefully and crafted a message that ...more
Effort to open up Cedar Bayou gets $200,000 boost
January 18, 2013(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today announced a $200,000 grant to help re-open Cedar Bayou, a natural pass between the Gulf of Mexico and the Aransas Bay complex. "This is good news for the whooping cranes, as well as everything else that depends on a healthy bay system," Patter...more
Travis’ “Victory or Death” letter returns Feb. 22
January 16, 2013(AUSTIN)—William Barret Travis' famous "Victory or Death" letter will make its return to the Alamo at 4 p.m. Friday, February 22 for a grand celebration at Alamo Plaza. This will be the first time it has been at the Alamo since it left with a courier on horseback under the cover of darkness during...more
School Land Board votes to release $300 million to fund schools
January 08, 2013(AUSTIN)—The School Land Board voted today to release an additional $300 million to public schools during its 2013 fiscal year after review of the Permanent School Fund's projected royalty income, cash flows, and investment capital requirements indicated the fund would not be hurt by lawmakers' demands for ...more
2012
Texas General Land Office statement on Alamo Mission Chapter use of state property
December 28, 2012(AUSTIN)—This week the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Mission Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) concluded discussions regarding the private entity's use of state property at the historic Alamo complex in San Antonio. Granted authority over the Alamo in 2011, the Texa...more
Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest opens
December 06, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is calling for entries in the 17th annual Adopt-A-Beach Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest. The deadline to submit artwork is Monday, March 4. Winning artwork will appear together in the 2014 Adopt-A-Beach calendar, which ...more
Christmas map sales Save Texas History
November 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—Archives staff members at the Texas General Land Office are as busy as elves this time of year, stuffing tubes with historic map reproductions and sending them off to good Texans all over the globe. "Online sales in December earn more for Save Texas History than any other time of the year...more
Travis’ “Victory or Death” letter to return to the Alamo for first time
October 24, 2012(AUSTIN)— The Texas State Library and Archives Commission voted today to allow the return of Col. Travis' "Victory or Death" letter to the Alamo in March for the 177th Anniversary of its writing. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, custodian of the Shrine of Texas Liberty, made the request for the hist...more
Adopt-A-Beach volunteers cleanup 153 tons of trash
September 26, 2012(AUSTIN)— More than 9,316 volunteers pitched in Saturday for the 26th Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup. The volunteers removed 153 tons of trash from 29 sites along 186 miles of Texas coast. "The turnout this year was amazing," said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterso...more
Change is coming to world-famous Alamo Gift Shop
September 26, 2012(SAN ANTONIO)—After sitting in the shadow of the historic Alamo church for 76 years, the Alamo Gift Shop will finally be getting some long-awaited attention of its own. On October 1, for the first time in history, a private company will begin operating the gift shop for the Cradle of Texas Liberty unde...more
Adopt-A-Beach volunteers win national award
September 11, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office's Adopt-A-Beach program does more than any other volunteer program in the nation to take care of public lands, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Adopt-A-Beach will be recognized with the Take Pride in America Award for top corporate-sponsored event Oct. 11 ...more
Home rehab and construction aid available for Bastrop fire victims
September 05, 2012(AUSTIN)—Victims of the 2011 Bastrop fires may now apply for federal aid to help rehabilitate or rebuild their homes. Applications for the aid are due by Sept. 28. Bastrop fire victims wishing to apply for grant money to rebuild may get an application from the Texas General Land Office website or ...more
Voices of Veterans™ exhibit ends Sept. 3
August 27, 2012(AUSTIN)—Take the time to listen to an old veterans story while you still can, urges Jerry Patterson, chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board. The Voices of Veterans "Every Veteran has a Story to Tell" exhibit is in its final week at the Capitol Visitor's Center. The interactive, multi-media exh...more
Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup Sept. 22
August 27, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is urging all Texans to take advantage of their right to access the public beach Saturday, Sept. 22 for the 26th Annual Texas General Land Office Fall Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup. The cleanup will take place at 29 sites along the Texas coast. "A right not exercise...more
Patterson takes aim at Progress Texas form letter campaign
August 22, 2012(AUSTIN)—After receiving more than 3,000 auto-generated e-mails from a recent Progress Texas online campaign about school finance, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today went on the offensive against the organization, blasting them for their support of what he calls a "slacktivist" campaign...more
Texas veterans land rush set with 6.75 percent interest rate
July 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Texas Veterans Land Board voted today to drop interest rates on land loans to a record low - just 6.75 percent. "I hope every veteran in Texas hears about these record low rates," said Jerry Patterson, chairman of the VLB. "This is a great benefit they have earned and should take adva...more
Tyler’s Texas State Veterans Home renamed
July 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Texas Veterans Land Board voted unanimously today to rename Tyler's Texas State Veterans Home the Watkins-Logan Texas State Veterans Home. The board voted on the change - dropping one of the previous namesakes, Tyler resident Samuel M. Garrison - after learning accounts of his military record h...more
Plans for Yankee invasion revealed!
July 12, 2012(AUSTIN)—By land and by sea, Federal troops invaded Texas four times during the War Between the States. They never once succeeded. Why and how Texas became one of just two southern states to succeed at fending off northern aggression is just one of the topics sure to fire debates and imaginations at the Thi...more
Patterson drilling down for answer to Texas water crisis
July 09, 2012(AUSTIN)—Along Interstate 35, between Austin and San Antonio, the Texas Economic Miracle is thirsting for water. Tight restrictions on the Edwards Aquifer and the high costs of pipelines are choking off the potential growth of homes and businesses. But on one 2,000-acre tract of land north of New ...more
Friendswood 7th grader wins Texas Travels essay contest
June 25, 2012(AUSTIN)—Westbrook Intermediate School's Kelly Sang, 12, is the Seventh Grade Grand Prize winner of the 2012 Texas Travels essay contest, sponsored by the Texas General Land Office's Save Texas History Program. Kelly's action-packed essay tells the bloody story of how Bandera County got its name, ...more
Tyler 4th grader wins Texas Travels essay contest
June 25, 2012(AUSTIN)—Caldwell Arts Academy's Quinn Boozer, 9, is the Fourth Grade Grand Prize winner of the 2012 Texas Travels essay contest, sponsored by the Texas General Land Office's Save Texas History Program. Quinn's entry, an imagined journal, tells the story of Coronado's ill-fated quest for gold from...more
Patterson calls for changes to Endangered Species Act
June 19, 2012(WASHINGTON)—Testifying today before the House Natural Resources Committee, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson described abuse of the Endangered Species Act by federal authorities who propose adding species to the endangered list based not on sound science, but in response to lawsuits filed by federally fu...more
Patterson takes the lizard fight to Congress
June 18, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson will testify before the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee at 9 a.m. (Central) Tuesday, June 19, about recently discovered abuse of the Endangered Species Act by lawyers funded with taxpayer dollars. "Species - like the dunes sagebrush lizard in...more
108th birthday party planned at Bonham veterans home
June 14, 2012(AUSTIN)—In 1904, the United States began work on the Panama Canal, the first subway line in New York City opened and Ruth Moore Waterman was born in Minco, Indian Territory, Oklahoma. At 11 a.m. Friday, staff and residents at the Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home in Bonham will throw Wate...more
Federal reptile dysfunction defeated
June 13, 2012(AUSTIN)—- Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today claimed victory in an initial battle after U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced federal bureaucrats will not list the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species. "Texans stood up and were heard," Patterson said...more
Texas General Land Office Names State Alamo Director
May 16, 2012(SAN ANTONIO)—Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, today announced San Antonio resident Stephen Oswald has been named the first-ever State Director of the Alamo. In this position, Oswald will oversee daily operation and management of the Alamo by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas ...more
State unveils plan to rebuild Bastrop homes
May 16, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office is asking for public comment on its plan to spend about $20 million to rebuild homes destroyed in last fall's Bastrop area wildfires. A public hearing will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 30 at the Bastrop County Commissioners' Court, 804 Pec...more
Texas Coastal Expo returns to Moody Gardens
May 15, 2012(AUSTIN)—Celebrate World Oceans Day when the Texas Coastal Expo returns to Galveston's Moody Gardens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 9. This free and family-friendly celebration of the Texas Coast - brought to you by the Texas General Land Office - is the biggest coastal expo in Texas. "Bring the kids...more
More than 7,300 volunteers haul 137 tons of trash off Texas beaches
May 01, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas beaches may just be getting cleaner, according to reports from Adopt-A-Beach coordinators across the coast. The 26th Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup drew 7,369 volunteers to the Texas coast Saturday. But the good weather and the strong turnout...more
Bryce Seifert wins Trash Travels High School PSA contest
April 30, 2012(AUSTIN)—Dripping Springs High School junior Bryce Seifert's slapstick approach to delivering the message "trash travels" earned him top honors in the Trash Travels High School PSA contest. "Bryce's video is funny, but still effectively delivers a serious message that litter in Central Texas can w...more
VLB now offering $417,000 for home purchases, $100,000 for land
April 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas veterans can now take advantage of the VLB's low-interest rate loans to borrow as much as $417,000 to buy a home and $100,000 to buy land. The Texas Veterans Land Board voted unanimously today to increase the home and land loan limits in the latest expansion of benefits under the le...more
Artwork wins Dallas fifth-grader Caribbean cruise
April 17, 2012(AUSTIN)—A sea turtle curiously approaches as mysterious hands pull a soda can and a six-pack ring from the surf. Colorful fish circle a tableau of trash left by beachgoers as a horseshoe crab scoots past, oblivious. Look closer and words appear on bracelets adorning the disembodied wrists, and the message ...more
Patterson Purples Up for Military Kids
April 09, 2012(AUSTIN)—The website more than 1.7 million veterans living in Texas rely on for information about their benefits - www.texasveterans.com - will go purple Friday, April 13 in a show of support for Texas Operation Military Kids. "The VLB will Purple Up! For Military Kids and we hope you wi...more
Supreme Court kills Texas tradition of open beaches on West Galveston
April 04, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Texas tradition of guaranteed public access to the beach died today for Galveston's West End with the Supreme Court reaffirming its prior ruling in favor of a California divorce attorney who bought rental properties on the beach. "It seems that the Open Beaches Act - at leas...more
More than 60,000 Easter eggs at Big Spring Veterans Home
April 04, 2012(AUSTIN)—The 9th Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt at Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home 9th Annual is set for 11 a.m. on Good Friday and kids of all ages are invited to join the fun. This week residents at the Big Spring home have stuffed more than 60,000 plastic eggs with cand...more
Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup set for April 28
March 29, 2012(AUSTIN)—Thousands of volunteers across the state are making plans now to take part in the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup Saturday, April 28. Texas - home to the nation's first all-volunteer beach cleanup in 1986 - boasts one of the biggest all-volunteer beach cleanups in the wor...more
Adopt-A-Beach lesson plans now available for grades K-8
March 20, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas educators know crafting a lesson plan both that is interesting and still covers the required Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills is no day at the beach. But a new set of lesson plans on the dangers of marine debris by the Adopt-A-Beach Program at the Texas General Land Office is su...more
Treasures of Texas liberty on rare display at Alamo Friday
February 29, 2012(AUSTIN)—An authentic Texas treasure will be put on rare public display Friday at the Alamo in celebration of Texas Independence Day. Samuel Maverick's personal copy of the 1836 Declaration of Texas Independence - one of just 13 original copies - will be put on public display from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p...more
Alamo armed for Texas Independence Day
February 29, 2012(AUSTIN)—A replica of the 18-pound cannon William Barret Travis answered Santa Anna's demand for surrender with makes a defiant return to the Alamo Friday in celebration of Texas Independence Day and the 176th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo. "This cannon is the very symbol of the Texians' ...more
TEXAS LAND COMMISSIONER AND CEMEX RESOLVE EL PASO MINERAL RIGHTS DISPUTE
February 28, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, the Texas General Land Office and CEMEX are pleased to announce a resolution of recent litigation that provides income to the Texas Permanent School Fund from CEMEX's future mining operations at McKelligon Canyon quarry. Current operations...more
High school students compete to create anti-litter PSA
February 16, 2012(AUSTIN)—A 30-second video depicting how litter can make its way to the Texas coast might just be the big break for some Central Texas high school film maker. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is calling for entries to the Trash Travels High School PSA contest. All entries must be exactly 30...more
Adopt-A-Beach cleanup nets more than three tons of trash
February 13, 2012(AUSTIN)—Cigarette butts, beer cans, dirty diapers and more - volunteers at Saturday's Winter Beach Cleanup picked up more than three tons of trash from Coastal Bend beaches. A total of 261 volunteers focused their efforts on Corpus Christi Beach at the Texas State Aquarium, Port Aransas beaches ...more
Winter Texans join forces for Adopt-A-Beach cleanup
February 13, 2012(AUSTIN)—Winter Texans from all over the United States and Canada pitched in Saturday to haul 6,875 pounds of trash - more than 3.4 tons - from South Padre Island's Edwin Atwood Park. A total of 63 volunteers checked in for the Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Winter Texan Cleanup, removing...more
Coastal Bend beach lovers take out the trash
January 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texans who love Coastal Bend beaches but hate the beer cans, diapers and cigarette butts that too often adorn them will join forces at four locations Saturday, Feb. 11 for the Adopt-A-Beach Winter Cleanup. "Trash on Texas beaches is a growing problem," said Texas Land Commissio...more
Winter Texans take on trash, need your help
January 26, 2012(AUSTIN)—Winter Texans who love Texas beaches but hate seeing them trashed will join forces Friday, Feb. 10 at Edwin Atwood Park for the Adopt-A-Beach South Padre Island Winter Texan Cleanup. "Winter Texans come to South Padre Island because they love our beaches, not our trash," said Texas Land ...more
El Paso’s Texas State Veterans Home hosts top veterans advocates
January 19, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home will host a meet and greet for El Paso's top veterans advocates at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. Congressman Silvestre Reyes, State Reps. Joe Pickett and Dee Margo, Mayor John Cook and City Councilman Carl Robinson will join El Paso's VA D...more
Western States petition Congress to fix Endangered Species Act
January 13, 2012(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is leading an effort to unite 23 western states to oppose the federal government's process for adding birds, bugs, lizards and other critters to the list of protected endangered species. The Western States Land Commissioners Association, w...more
Public trust land managers from across the West come to Austin
January 05, 2012(AUSTIN)—The Western States Land Commissioners Association will meet at the Hyatt Regency Austin Jan. 8-12 to swap ideas on managing millions of acres of public trust land. "Vast resources and abundant land have always been the hallmark of the American West," said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Pat...more
2011
Adopt-A-Beach Marine Debris Summit targets trash on beaches
December 15, 2011(AUSTIN)—Diapers, beer cans and cigarette butts - trash on Texas beaches is a growing problem. Be part of the solution by attending the first-ever Adopt-A-Beach Marine Debris Summit from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, January 13 at Moody Gardens Convention Center on Galveston Island. The conference ...more
Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest opens
December 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is calling for entries in the 16th annual Adopt-A-Beach "Treasures of the Texas Coast" Children's Art Contest. The deadline to submit artwork is Monday, March 5. "The goal of this art contest is to drive home the message that trashing Texa...more
Post-Rollover pier plan presented for public comment
December 09, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today released his proposed plan to build a pier on Bolivar Peninsula for public comment as the closure of Rollover Pass nears. The Texas Legislature authorized $5.85 million in 2009 to close the popular fishing pass following Hurricane Ike's devast...more
More than 1,000 gather to dedicate Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery
December 08, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas veterans turned the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor into a celebration Wednesday as hundreds gathered to dedicate the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. "We are here today to consecrate this land for our Texas veterans," said Jerry Patterson, chairman of the Texas ...more
Texas Veterans to get a Lone Star Final Salute
December 02, 2011(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board, today thanked the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Texas for their gracious donation of 1,000 Texas flags to be used in the Final Salute Program. "These flags will be presented to the family of any Texas veteran who, at the time of ...more
Federal reptile dysfunction delayed
December 01, 2011(AUSTIN )—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to call for more data before making any decision to list the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species. Listing the lizard could threaten continued exploration and production of one...more
Help Santa Save Texas History this Christmas
December 01, 2011(AUSTIN)—Santa Claus isn't widely known for his important role in Texas history, but no one else is doing more than him to help save it. Christmas map sales are now the biggest annual fundraiser for the conservation of historic maps and documents in the archives of the Texas General Land Office. "...more
Patterson: Combs exceeded her authority to reach F1 deal
November 23, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is asking Attorney General Greg Abbott to investigate the legality of Comptroller Susan Combs' $250 million taxpayer gift to bring Formula One racing to Texas. "This deal to give away a quarter of a billion in taxpayer dollars is a real turkey - New...more
One-of-a-kind Texas State Veterans Home open for business
November 09, 2011(AUSTIN)—Generations of veterans gathered today in Tyler to dedicate the newest and most down-home state veterans’ home in Texas. “Watkins-Logan-Garrison Texas State Veterans Home is a one-of-a-kind facility,” said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, chairman of the Vetera...more
Voices of Veterans™ exhibit opens on Veterans Day
October 31, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas Veterans Land Board and chairman Jerry Patterson, will celebrate Veterans Day with the opening of a Voices of VeteransTM program exhibit at the Texas Capitol Visitors Center called "Every Veteran has a Story to Tell." The interactive, multimedia exhibit will open on Nov. 11 (11.11.11) at ...more
Land Office helps turn Eagle Otome spill into better parks for Port Arthur
October 27, 2011(AUSTIN)—Port Arthur parks will soon get upgrades worth more than $313,000 as part of a settlement the General Land Office has reached over the Eagle Otome spill, which put nearly 397,000 gallons of crude oil into the Port Arthur Ship Channel. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson anno...more
Keynote speakers set for U.S.-Mexico Border Energy Forum in El Paso
October 24, 2011(Austin)—Keynote speakers at this week’s U.S.-Mexico Border Energy Forum will include distinguished business and government leaders from both sides of the border. All 10 U.S. and Mexican states along the border are represented at the forum, which takes place Oct. 27-28 at the El Paso Convention Ce...more
Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery dedication Dec. 7
October 17, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas veterans and those who support them are invited to a December 7 dedication of the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. The dedication will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the 54-acre site, located at 9974 Interstate 37 Access Road, Corpus Christi. Retired Army Lieutenant General Ma...more
Watkins-Logan-Garrison Texas State Veterans Home dedication Nov. 9
October 05, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today invited veterans and those who support them to the Nov. 9 dedication of Watkins-Logan-Garrison Texas State Veterans Home in Tyler. A ceremony to dedicate this one-of-a-kind long-term care facility will begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at ...more
Texas history draws national audience
September 27, 2011(AUSTIN)—One-hundred-seventy-five years after Texas' fight for independence from Mexico, the revolution will be televised. Today, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced C-SPAN, the national public affairs network, will broadcast the second annual Save Texas History Symposium to be held this Satur...more
Adopt-A-Beach volunteers find the coast is pretty clear
September 26, 2011(AUSTIN)—More volunteers picked up less trash at the 25th Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup Saturday, prompting speculation that - after 25 years - Texans are starting to get the message. "Despite an amazing turnout, we picked up 20-percent less trash than last fall," sai...more
Patterson welcomes VA settlement in Houston
September 26, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today welcomed news that Texas veterans and their families will once again be free to worship as they choose at the Houston National Cemetery. According to reports, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to settle a lawsuit over allegations of rel...more
Historical artwork honors 175th anniversary of Texas
September 22, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office has turned to art to help preserve the history of Texas. The oldest state agency commissioned notable Texana artist Gary Zaboly to create a special work of art to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Texas Revolution. His vivid depiction of Texians at the...more
Christmas Mountains to become open-air classroom
September 15, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall today announced the transfer of the Christmas Mountains to the Texas State University System. The rugged and remote 9,269-acre tract of land in Brewster County will become an outdoor classroom, open to...more
Major announcement Thursday on Christmas Mountains
September 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson will make a major announcement about the Christmas Mountains at a 9 a.m. press conference Thursday, Sept. 15. The press conference will be on the ninth floor of the Stephen F. Austin Building, at 17th and North Congress Avenue. The Christmas Mountai...more
Patterson wins huge lawsuit against CEMEX
September 02, 2011(AUSTIN)—The schoolchildren of Texas today a won huge appeal against CEMEX over the ownership of building materials mined from Permanent School Fund lands. Damages in the case could be worth more than half a billion dollars. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson took CEMEX to court in ...more
State and corporate leaders to meet in El Paso for U.S.-Mexico Border Energy Forum
August 24, 2011(AUSTIN)—Top business leaders will meet with government officials from all ten border states to plan for the future during the U.S.-Mexico Border Energy Forum at the El Paso Convention Center Oct. 27-28. This year's forum - the 18th annual - will be bigger than ever, coinciding with the Re-Energiz...more
25th annual Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup Sept. 24
August 15, 2011(AUSTIN)—The 25th Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup will be held Saturday, Sept. 24 at 29 sites along the Texas coast. Adopt-A-Beach volunteers can register at any of 28 check-in sites all along the Texas coast between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sept. 24. Volunteers must pre-regist...more
Oil spill prevention efforts in Texas lauded by EPA
August 08, 2011(AUSTIN)—A state and local effort that's kept boaters from pumping more than 1.3 million gallons of oily bilge water into Texas coastal waters earned national recognition this week. The General Land Office's Oil Spill Prevention and Response Program and the Matagorda County Navigation District No....more
9-year-old from The Woodlands wins Save Texas History essay contest
August 04, 2011(AUSTIN)—Alonso de Pineda's 1517 expedition to Texas comes to life in 9-year-old Madeleine Smith's winning fourth-grade entry in the 2011 Save Texas History Texas Travels Essay Contest. "I jumped into the surf, drew out my sword, and slashed the waves with my sword and claimed the land for the Kin...more
Save Texas History essay contest won by Moldavian
August 03, 2011(AUSTIN)—The winning seventh-grade entry in the 2011 Save Texas History Texas Travels Essay Contest proves you don't need to be born in Texas to love its history. Elena Ivanova, 12, took top honors with her vivid retelling of how 18 Texians stood down an army of 100 Mexican soldiers at t...more
One-of-a-kind Texas State Veterans Home gets a name
July 28, 2011(AUSTIN)—A one-of-a-kind long-term care facility being built in Tyler got its name today: the Watkins-Logan-Garrison Texas State Veterans Home.The Texas Veterans Land Board voted unanimously to honor three local heroes — two Medal of Honor recipients and a Tuskegee airman — in naming the...more
Patterson meets with Alamo caretakers
July 25, 2011(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, met Monday with the leader of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to discuss the future of the Alamo - the "Cradle of Texas Liberty." Karen R. Thompson, president general of the 8,000-member Daughters of the Repu...more
Texas school kids earn more than ever from oil and gas in 2011
July 19, 2011(AUSTIN)—Oil and gas exploration from West Texas' Permanent School Fund lands is earning the school kids of Texas more than ever in 2011. Private oil and gas companies today paid $9.3 million just for the right to explore on land owned by the state's Permanent School Fund, which helps pay for the ...more
Wal-Mart buys leased Baytown facility from Permanent School Fund
July 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—Wal-Mart Corp. recently repurchased the 4 million-square-foot distribution center in Baytown that the retail giant had been leasing from the state's Permanent School Fund since 2005. "With this deal, the Permanent School Fund earned more than $40 million for Texas schools without raising ...more
General Land Office expands disaster recovery role
July 08, 2011(AUSTIN)—Hurricane disaster recovery in Texas will be put on the fast track as the Texas General Land Office expands its rebuilding role following Dolly and Ike. The Land Office is now the lead state agency managing disaster recovery grants through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developm...more
Buy land, help Texas veterans
July 05, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today slashed prices on all tracts of forfeited land in the VLB's Type II inventory by 25 percent. The sale is open to the public and offered on a "first come, first serve" basis. "We may be late for all the Fourth of July sales, but what better way...more
Round Rock Express, VLB team up for Texas veterans
June 27, 2011(ROUND ROCK)—The Round Rock Express and the VLB have teamed up to help Texas veterans with a Military and Veterans Appreciation Night on June 27. Ken Wallingford, a former POW, will throw out the first pitch in a night dedicated to letting Texas veterans know about the VLB benefits they've earned through their ...more
107th birthday party planned at Bonham veterans home
June 14, 2011(AUSTIN)— In 1904, the United States began work on the Panama Canal, the first subway line in New York City opened and Ruth Moore Waterman was born in Minco, Indian Territory, Oklahoma. At 10 a.m. Thursday, staff and residents at the Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home in Bonham will throw W...more
Texas Coastal Expo comes to Moody Gardens
June 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas Coastal Expo is coming to Galveston's Moody Gardens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18. This free and family-friendly celebration of the Texas Coast - brought to you by the Texas General Land Office - is the biggest coastal expo in Texas. "Bring the kids, we'll have touch ...more
62nd Army Band honors former band member, about to turn 99
May 19, 2011(AUSTIN)—The 62nd Army Band will perform a special tribute concert for Russell Peloquin at 2 p.m. Friday, at El Paso's Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home. Peloquin, a resident at the veterans' home and former trumpeter with the band, will be honored for his lifetime of service to our natio...more
Horse Cavalry Detachment, 1st Cavalry Division visits Temple's state veterans home
May 09, 2011(AUSTIN)—Residents at the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home in Temple are set to witness a precision, military drill usually performed only for soldiers returning from Iraq. Fort Hood's First Cavalry Division's Horse Cavalry Detachment will perform at the Texas State Veterans Home at 1...more
More than 7,000 volunteers haul 123 tons of trash off Texas beaches
May 03, 2011(AUSTIN)—The 25th Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup drew more than 7,000 volunteers to the Texas coast Saturday. "No one can top our Adopt-A-Beach volunteers," said Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the General Land Office. "In one day, they swarmed over 150 miles of bea...more
Harker Heights chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart makes generous donation to William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home
May 03, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Harker Heights chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart will present a generous donation of $943 to the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home, 1424 Martin Luther King Jr. Lane in Temple at noon, Wednesday, May 4. Jack Palmer, commander of Chapter 1876, and his wife of 41 years,...more
Patterson defends open beaches Tuesday
April 18, 2011(AUSTIN)—A California attorney's assault on the Texas Open Beaches Act will face a stiff defense Tuesday from Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. In a rare rehearing, the Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments for and against the Texas tradition of public beach access at 9 a.m. Following the...more
Gabrielle Wenske, of Victoria, takes top honors at Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest
April 12, 2011(AUSTIN)—Victoria 11-year-old Gabrielle Wenske's image of a surf shack on a Texas beach won grand prize in the General Land Office's 2011 Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest. "The colors in Gabrielle's art really jumped out, and the message ‘Trashing Texas Beaches Isn't C...more
Oil and gas lease sale shatters previous Permanent School Fund record
April 05, 2011(AUSTIN)—Competition for oil and gas leases on Permanent School Fund lands in West Texas earned more than $108 million Tuesday for the Permanent School Fund, a total that’s more than twice the previous record set in 1979. “This is an all-time record, $108 million just for the right to ex...more
Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup set for April 30
March 28, 2011(AUSTIN)— The 25th annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup will take place Saturday, April 30th at 30 sites along the Texas coast. "Bring the family and let's go clean the beach," said Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. "The Adopt-A-Beac...more
Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to be dedicated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 22
March 18, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are proud to announce the grand opening of the Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep. The dedication ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 22 at the University of Texas...more
Surfside Beach is back, just in time for Spring Break
March 14, 2011(SURFSIDE, Texas)—Spring Break revelers hit the new-and-improved Surfside Beach Monday, where the General Land Office just finished work on a $4.7 million effort to restore this iconic Texas surf spot to its former glory. Surfside Mayor Larry Davidson and Larry Laine, chief clerk at the General Land Office...more
Surfside Beach restored to former glory
March 11, 2011(AUSTIN)—Just in time for Spring Break, work to restore Surfside Beach to its former glory is complete. A rededication of this iconic Texas surf spot will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 14 on Surfside Beach, near the intersection of Texas Street and Beach Drive. Larry Laine, former Surfside resi...more
Texas Open Beaches Act gets second chance
March 11, 2011(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today welcomed news that the Supreme Court will rehear arguments in a case brought forward by a California resident that some say has gutted the Texas Open Beaches Act. "This is nothing less than a second chance for the Texas Open Beaches Act," Patt...more
Long-lost letters shed new light on Texas Navy
March 01, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas Navy was pressed into service in January 1836 - just months before the newborn Republic declared independence from Mexico. By August 1837 all four ships were lost, as was the reputation of the ragtag flotilla of privateers and U.S. Navy veterans. But correspondence recently cull...more
San Angelo benefits fair April 9 for Texas veterans
March 01, 2011(AUSTIN)—A free "come and go" benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the San Angelo Coliseum, 50 East 43rd St, San Angelo. The fair, targeting all Big Country veterans, is one of several throughout the state. Officials from the Texas Ve...more
Texas City pipeline leak contained, Moses Lake protected
February 24, 2011(AUSTIN)—A pipeline leak near Texas City's Bayou Pierre is contained, and local, state and federal authorities are overseeing the cleanup of an unknown amount of gasoline. At 3:30 a.m. today Magellan Pipeline reported that an 18-inch gasoline pipeline near State Highway 146 and Loop 197 in Texas C...more
“Held in Trust” 10 a.m. Saturday at El Paso Veterans Home
February 18, 2011(AUSTIN)—Bob Sneed will perform excerpts from his one-man play, "Held in Trust," 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home, 9650 Kenworthy Street, El Paso. The public is invited to this free performance. The play tells the life story of West Point's first black gr...more
Adopt-A-Beach Celebrates 25th Anniversary
February 18, 2011(AUSTIN)—Ronald Reagan was president, Top Gun was the top draw at the box office and 2,800 Texans volunteered for the inaugural General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup in 1986. Since then, the General Land Office's Adopt-A-Beach Program has grown into one of the most successful all-volunteer eff...more
Adopt-A-Beach volunteers pickup more than 5.7 tons of trash
February 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—Volunteers at Saturday's Winter Beach Cleanup picked up more than 5.7 tons of trash from Coastal Bend beaches. Volunteers focused their efforts on Corpus Christi Beach at the Texas State Aquarium, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Bayside and the Padre Island National Seashore. ...more
Winter Texans brave cold for Adopt-A-Beach cleanup
February 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—Winter Texans who can't stand to see trash on Texas beaches did more than just complain Friday - 36 volunteers removed more than 1,650 pounds of the stuff from Edwin Atwood Park. The Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Winter Texan Beach Cleanup drew volunteers from...more
Long-lost letters shed new light on Texas Navy
February 14, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas Navy was pressed into service in January 1836 - just months before the newborn Republic declared independence from Mexico. By August 1837 all four ships were lost, as was the reputation of the ragtag flotilla of privateers and U.S. Navy veterans. But correspondence recently cull...more
Patterson announces $1.7 million in grants for Texas coast
February 07, 2011(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, today announced grants for 16 projects worth $1.7 million to protect and preserve the Texas coast. "These projects will get a lot of bang for the buck, restoring vital marshlands, improving public access to the beach and even...more
Pasadena benefits fair March 26 for Texas veterans
January 25, 2011(AUSTIN)—A free "come and go" benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 26 at the Pasadena Civic Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, 77507. The fair, targeting all area veterans, is one of several throughout the state. Officials f...more
Seventh annual Coastal Bend Winter Beach Clean up Feb. 12
January 19, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Seventh Annual Coastal Bend Winter Beach Cleanup will be held Saturday, February 12 announced Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The cleanups will take place at five locations along the Coastal Bend shoreline. "The volunteers who help out with the Adopt-A-Beach Wint...more
Adopt-A-Beach Winter Texan Beach Clean up Feb. 11
January 18, 2011(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Winter Texan Beach Cleanup will be Friday, Feb. 11 at Edwin Atwood Park, announced Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The cleanup begins with volunteer registration at 8:30 a.m. and lasts until noon. "Winter Texans h...more
Save Texas History essay contest open to 4th and 7th graders
January 13, 2011(AUSTIN)—Exploring the rich history of the Lone Star State is its own reward, but the Texas General Land Office's Save Texas History program is also offering fourth-and seventh-grade students a chance to win a fun-filled weekend in San Antonio - including round-trip airline tickets on Southwest Airlines...more
Dallas benefits fair Feb. 26 for Texas veterans
January 10, 2011(AUSTIN)—A free "come and go" benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dallas Market Center, 7050 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas. The fair, targeting all Dallas area veterans, is one of several throughout the state. Offici...more
Patterson takes oath of office as Texas Land Commissioner
January 04, 2011(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson took his third oath of office today as Commissioner of the General Land Office in a ceremony marked by both humor and humility. "It has been my greatest honor to lead the General Land Office," Patterson said. "Texans have allowed me to provide the continuity of leadership ...more
2010
VLB organizes airlift of more than 80 wounded Warriors to Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
December 28, 2010(AUSTIN)—More than 80 wounded warriors will watch SMU faceoff against Army at the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Thursday, thanks to an airlift organized by the Texas Veterans Land Board. This is the fifth year the VLB has brought soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan...more
All who served and live in Texas now Texas veterans
December 16, 2010(AUSTIN)—The 1.7 million veterans living in Texas - regardless of when they moved here - will qualify for benefits from the Texas Veterans Land Board as of Dec. 21. "A veteran is a veteran, and this change opens up VLB programs to all who served and now call Texas home," said Jerry Patterson, chairman of th...more
Adopt-A-Beach Treasures of the Texas Coast art contest opens
December 13, 2010(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, is calling on Texas students to participate in the 15th annual Adopt-A-Beach "Treasures of the Texas Coast" Children's Art Contest. The deadline to submit artwork is Tuesday, March 1, 2011. "Trashing Texas Beaches i...more
Give the gift of Texas history for the holidays
December 03, 2010(AUSTIN)—With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is once again urging Texans to give the gift of history. Historic map reproductions from the archives of the Texas General Land Office are available for as little as $20. The colorful maps are rich with h...more
Patterson sends Pearl Harbor survivors back for anniversary memorial
December 01, 2010(AUSTIN)—Two Texans who fought back the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 69 years ago will soon be headed back for special memorial services, thanks to the Texas State Veterans Home in Temple where the old heroes live. Once shipmates aboard the USS Phoenix, Albert Kamenicky and Ben Russell each wat...more
West Galveston Island beach project is cancelled
November 15, 2010(AUSTIN)—Work on a vital West Galveston Island beach renourishment project (CEPRA 1391) has stopped and the project is cancelled, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced today. The $40 million effort to restore and nourish six miles of beach - from the west end of the Galveston Seawall t...more
Veterans Land Board undergoes corporate rebranding
October 27, 2010(AUSTIN)—After 64 years of faithful service, the Veterans Land Board - or VLB - has a new look to spread the word that veterans benefits in Texas aren't just limited to land anymore. "The VLB offers Texas veterans more than just a land loan nowadays," said VLB Chairman Jerry Patterson. "From low-c...more
McAllen Texas State Veterans Home celebrates five years serving the Valley
October 13, 2010(AUSTIN)—The Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home in McAllen celebrates five years of serving Rio Grande Valley veterans at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 14. Dolia Gonzalez, mother of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Alfredo "Freddy" Gonzalez, will be the featured guest at a luncheon honor...more
Patterson hosts seminar exploring Texas’ Spanish, Mexican roots
October 13, 2010(AUSTIN)—Join the Texas General Land Office as it hosts the first ever Save Texas History Symposium Saturday, November 6 at the Stephen F. Austin State Office Building in Austin. This inaugural symposium, Discovering Spanish and Mexican Texas, will focus on the settlement of Texas before 1836. "It...more
Patterson to help rededicate monument to Hood’s Texas Brigade
October 12, 2010(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson - flanked by the Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Mounted Color Guard - will help rededicate the Hood's Brigade Monument at the Texas Capitol at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. The centennial celebration of the monument and the hard-fighti...more
Patterson welcomes President Obama’s offshore wind start
October 08, 2010(AUSTIN)—Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson drew attention to the Obama Administration's belated entry into the offshore wind race today after U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed the nation's ninth lease for the development of offshore wind power with much fanfare. Patterson signed the...more
New interest in old west Texas fields keeps bids high
October 05, 2010(AUSTIN)—A continued surge of interest in West Texas exploration kept the average per acre bid high today at a regular Permanent School Fund oil and gas lease sale, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced today. "The average bids today were the second highest we've ever seen for oil and...more
State’s oldest agency unveils cutting-edge website: www.glo.texas.gov
October 01, 2010(AUSTIN)—The Texas General Land Office today unveiled a website - www.glo.texas.gov - with a sleek, corporate feel that reflects the professional evolution of the state's oldest agency. "The Texas General Land Office operates more like a business than any other state agency, and this new...more
Legendary land surveying papers donated to Texas General Land Office
September 29, 2010(AUSTIN)—Beginning more than 120 years ago, Willis Day Twichell surveyed tens of millions of acres of public and private lands in West Texas. He laid out more than 40 towns and provided surveying work in 165 of 254 counties in Texas. The lands he surveyed included the boundary between Texas and New Mexico, ...more
Texas State Veterans Homes open to all Gold Star parents
September 29, 2010(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Chairman of the VLB, today welcomed news that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill sponsored by Congressman Mac Thornberry expanding access to Texas State Veterans Homes for all Gold Star parents. A Gold Star parent is someone whose son or daughter died while s...more
17th Annual Border Energy Forum to be held in Chihuahua, Chih.
September 29, 2010(AUSTIN)—Government and private sector leaders from the U.S.-Mexico border region will gather in Chihuahua, capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, for the 17th annual Border Energy Forum on September 30 and October 1. This year's forum - always held in a border state - will focus on ...more
Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home celebrates five years in El Paso
September 28, 2010(AUSTIN, TX)—Jerry Patterson, Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board, will join veterans at El Paso’s Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, to celebrate five years of serving those who have served our nation. “The El Paso veterans’ community h...more
Adopt-A-Beach volunteers cleanup 172.7 tons of trash
September 27, 2010(AUSTIN)—More than 8,815 volunteers joined forces Saturday for the 24th Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup. The volunteers removed nearly 172.7 tons of trash off more than 167 miles of Texas coast. "The turnout this year was great," said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patte...more
El Paso veterans home hosts annual Wii bowling tournament
September 23, 2010(AUSTIN, TX)—Residents from nursing homes and assisted living centers all around El Paso will converge on the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, for the Third Annual Wii Bowling Tournament. Residents from 13 area facilities are expected to join Texas veterans in a fun-f...more
Patterson: Record lease sale good for Texas education
September 22, 2010(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, chairman of the Permanent University Fund's Board for Lease of University Lands, announced the results of a record oil and gas lease sale in Midland today: $207 million. "Today's lease sale was a jaw-dropper," Patterson said. "The $207 million brought in today for the Per...more
Patterson hears widow’s plight, changes policy overnight
August 30, 2010(AUSTIN)—Jerry Patterson, Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board, today announced a change in policy that allows the surviving spouse of any Texas veteran killed in action an additional full 50 basis point discount on a home loan. The benefit - which allows Texas veterans to borrow up to $325,...more
24th Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup Sept. 25
August 26, 2010(AUSTIN)—The 24th Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup will be held Saturday, Sept. 25 at 28 sites along the Texas coast. "Any day is a good day to go the beach, but Adopt-A-Beach Cleanups are something special," said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. "Come on down for a fun...more
17th Annual Border Energy Forum to be held in Chihuahua, Chih.
August 18, 2010(AUSTIN)—Government and private sector leaders from the U.S.-Mexico border region will gather in Chihuahua, capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, for the 17th annual Border Energy Forum on September 30 and October 1. This year's forum - always held in a border state - will focus on ...more
Home loans for Texas veterans hit an all-time low: 4.3%
August 17, 2010(AUSTIN, TX)—Home loans for Texas veterans hit a record low rate today of just 4.3 percent for a 30-year, fixed rate, announced Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. “This is great news for Texas veterans,” Patterson said. “Rates this low help those who served buy homes now and ...more
Valley benefits fair Oct. 16 for Texas veterans
August 16, 2010(AUSTIN)—A free "come and go" benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at the McAllen Convention Center, 700 Convention Center Blvd., McAllen. The fair, targeting all Rio Grande Valley veterans, is one of several throughout the state. Officia...more
Corpus Christi benefits fair Oct. 30 for Texas veterans
August 13, 2010(AUSTIN)—A free "come and go" benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center's Corpus Christi Room, 402 Harbor Drive, Corpus Christi. The fair, targeting all Coastal Bend veterans, is one of several throughout t...more
Coppell seventh-grader’s essay to be published in Texas Historian
August 12, 2010(AUSTIN)—Coppell Middle School student Ashley Dark already won a weekend get away for her family - including airline tickets and hotel accommodations - with her winning entry into the 2010 Save Texas History Texas Travels Essay Contest, sponsored by the Texas General Land Office. Now, her essay ab...more
Work begins on Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery
July 23, 2010(AUSTIN)—Work began today on turning 54 acres of donated land into hallowed ground as hundreds of veterans joined Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and numerous state, federal and local elected officials to break ground for the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. Now an open field off Inte...more