WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the May 29, 2025 Texas A&M system board of regents business meeting.

The May 29, 2025 business meeting of the Texas A&M system board of regents was the first since the governor reappointed two members, named one new member, and reorganized board leadership.

For the first time in at least 15 years, board members publicly expressed their goals and expectations for the next two years.

About 30 minutes was taken by the board's new chairman, Bob Albritton of Fort Worth, the board's new vice chair, Jay Graham of Houston, newly appointed regent Kelley...

Jeremiah Cook, Assistant Director of Tourism, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about tourism statistics, summer sports events, a need for volunteers, a new brand book, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the most important legislation he is monitoring, Operation Safe Shield, the end of the session, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Seven highway projects associated with Brazos County voters passing a bond issue in November 2022 were part of an update at this week's commission meeting (May 27).

Click HERE to read and download the 38 page report that was presented at the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Most of John Polster's presentation dealt with the future east loop highway. He said the current proposed alignment would affect two homes and 81 parcels of land. Polster said they are considering options to reduce the amount of land that...

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the last days of the session, bills that are still being worked on, legislation he worked on during his freshman campaign, how to go about changing the governor's mind before he signs legislation, impact fees, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Meagan Brown, Division Manager of Customer Solutions at BTU, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about planning for demand based on weather, summer predictions, BTU's new location, payment options, the Power Share program, Lake Bryan, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners decline a $500,000 grant from the Texas General Land Office (GLO).

The grant, requiring no local match, was to pay for a drainage project on three streets in the Benchley community.

County staff told commissioners that road and bridge employees can start next week replacing culverts and repaving streets. The county's cost of materials was estimated at $50,000 dollars.

County engineer Prathana Banerji said this was basically an "everyday bread and butter type work that our guys are familiar doing".<...

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about impact fees, legislation that would impact the city's housing occupancy ordinance, the possible relocation of the Brazos Valley Bombers, upcoming events, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County State Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about wrapping up the legislative session, renaming part of SH 6, de-annexation, legislation that could impact College Station's housing occupancy ordinance, higher education legislation, tort reform, funding for Easterwood Airport, water issues, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council approves rezoning for a residential and commercial development across Highway 21 north of the RELLIS campus.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the project that was approved at the May 20, 2025 Bryan council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the additional information from the city of Bryan about the project. 

Developer Luke Marvel, who worked on The Barracks in College Station, has been pursuing council approval since July 2024. 

Marvel, who compared this project to...

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Sheree Boegner, the interim President and CEO of United Way of the Brazos Valley.

This podcast contains comments from the May 19, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

School hours are changing at most Bryan ISD campuses.Bryan ISD school board members at their last meeting (May 19) expressed no opposition to the administration's recommendation.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the BISD board's May 19, 2025 meeting.

BISD's new start and end times vary, depending if it is an elementary, intermediate, middle school, or high school campus. Times will not change at Bryan Collegiate and M.C. Harris.

Associate superintendent Barbara 
Ybarra emphasized that there is n...

Dr. Susan Ballabina, Chief of Staff for Texas A&M's President, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about graduation numbers, the future of the Qatar campus, bills that could impact higher education, the Board of Regents, recent survey results, the new chancellor, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is the 2025 Memorial Day program at College Station's Veterans Park.

The program was hosted by Aggieland American Legion Post 1938, College Station VFW post 12221, Marine Corps League Brazos Valley Detachment #1391, and the local chapter of Wreaths Across America.

The emcee was Legion commander Roy May Jr., Retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class, Texas A&M class of 2015 will give opening remarks.  May served in the 82nd Airborne and deployed to Iraq. He was also a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard” which guards the Tomb of the Unkno...

This podcast contains comments from the May 20, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council's May meeting included a proclamation for the 100th anniversary of Martin's BBQ.

Click HERE to read and download the proclamation issued at the May 20, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.

Accepting the proclamation were Steve and Betty Kapchinskie.

Grandson Steve Kapchinskie said the business opened as a 1925 version of a convenience store, where customers could fuel their vehicles and get groceries along with their barbecue

The land was purchased in 1924, the year before the fourth generation business...

This podcast is a visit with the commander of Aggieland American Legion Post #1938 Roy May Jr. and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This year's local observance of Memorial Day will be at Veterans Park near the Never Forget garden.This is the first patriotic event for the American Legion's new post in College Station.

The first commander of Aggieland legion post 1938 is Roy May Jr. His father is the Memorial Day program's featured speaker.

May said other organizations involved in the Memorial Day program are the VFW, the Marine Corps League, Wreaths Across America, and other...

Emily Fisher, Director of Public Works, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the street maintenance plan, Public Works Week, traffic signals, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the final stretch of the legislative session, public school funding, his legislation that has made it to the Governor's desk, water rights, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 20, 2025 College Station ISD school board meeting from assistant superintendent Josh Symank and four members of the CSISD board.

The College Station ISD school board awards a nearly $27 million dollar contract for stadium repairs, replacements, and additions at Consolidated and College Station High Schools.

Click HERE to read and download the memo associated with the contract that was approved at the May 20, 2025 College Station ISD school board meeting.



The contract, which comes just over a year after voters approved a bond issue for the project, is $3.5...

This podcast contains comments from the May 13, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Since February, one of the new members of the Brazos County commission has questioned the type of credit cards that are used by county employees. 

The latest conversation initiated by Fred Brown took place during the commission's May 13th meeting.

Brown asked purchasing agent Charles Wendt about converting to a card that offers rewards. Wendt said options are being investigated to provide the best deal.

Brown also repeated his desire for the county to stop issuing Diners Club cards. Wendt repeated c...

Derika Bailey, Larry J. Ringer Library Branch Manager, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about what she is reading, the summer reading program, upcoming events, summer activities, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the end of the session, negotiations about public school funding, the budget, what the rest of his week looks like, impact fees, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 20, 2025 College Station ISD school board meeting.

The College Station ISD school board decides to add ten minutes to the end of the school day starting this August.

The six to one vote at Tuesday's meeting (May 20) followed more than 35 minutes of comments about the timing of the decision and the potential impact on elementary school students.

The reason for the additional time is to align the class periods at Consolidated and College Station High Schools in order for students from both campuses to take classes when phase...

Brazos County State Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the senate's version of public school funding, the comments from the College Station ISD superintendent, the future of the STAAR test, the possibility of a special session, the Texas Lottery, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 8, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

The three newest members of the College Station city council heard their first annual update of local street conditions.

Public works director Emily Fisher explained how street conditions are determined.According to the methodology the city uses, Fisher said the city-wide overall condition is excellent.

Fisher also explained the funding sources of more than $10 million dollars that was spent in the last year to maintain 368 miles of city streets. 

The mileage does not include streets that are state highways, which i...

This podcast contains comments from the May 8, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Blue signs around Bryan/College Station directing motorists to local attractions have been in place since 2012.

College Station councilman William Wright wondered at the end of the last meeting about the value of the current wayfinding signs.

Mayor John Nichols and city manager Bryan Woods brought up options for the council to consider.

The signs were a project of the former convention and visitors bureau, of which the city of College Station was a member, before it was eliminated in...

This podcast contains comments from the floor of the Texas Senate on May 19, 2025.

Those wanting to build a high speed passenger train through the Brazos Valley between Houston and Dallas will face more requirements as part of state legislation that is waiting for the governor's consideration.

That's after the state senate on Monday (May 20) passed House bill 2003 by a 22 to nine margin.

Presenting the legislation was senator Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham. On the senate floor, Kolkhorst asked "Who owns the project? At this point, no one's really is even certain."

Kolkhorst also...

This podcast contains comments from the May 6 and May 13, 2025 Brazos County commission meetings.

May meetings of the Brazos County commission have included proclamations for law enforcement and corrections officers and nurses.

Click HERE to read and download the proclamation for National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Click HERE to read and download the proclamation for National Correctional Officers and Employees Week.

Click HERE to read and download the proclamation for National Nurses Recognition Week.

This podcast contains comments from the May 8, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

A new public pool inspection ordinance is in effect in College Station.

This is after the College Station city council approved the regulations at its May 8th meeting.

The inspections, requested and to be conducted by the Brazos County health district (BCHD), affects new pools and the estimated 250 in operation by homeowners associations, apartment complexes, and hotels.

The health district's request to inspect public pools in Bryan was turned down by those council members in February.

Click HERE...

On this week's United Way of the Brazos Valley update, WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Peggi Ondrasek, UWBV President/CEO, and Houston Carson from Lions Pride Sports.

This podcast includes comments from city of College Station communications director Colin Killian's May 16, 2025 visit on WTAW's The Infomaniacs and comments from the May 8, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

You are invited to three upcoming events hosted by the city of College Station.

Monday (May 19) evening is the unveiling of the city's new pictorial history book. 

The 160 page, hardbound coffee-table style book that was composed by city employees includes more than 200 images. 

The public unveiling, which is from 6-8 p.m. at the Visit College Station building on Texas Avenue near city ha...

College Station Councilman Scott Shafer visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his background, his role at Texas A&M University, Midtown development, the former Macy's store building, the possibility of a recreation center and a convention center, the no-more-than-four unrelated ordinance, impact fees, Hensel Park, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the legislative deadline, how the House Speaker handled this session, insurance legislation, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Monica Martinez and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

There is a new purpose for Bryan ISD's former warehouse near Bonham and Sadberry schools. 

It is the new collection and distribution location for the volunteer "Teacher Closet" project. 

Director Monica Martinez, who is a fulltime teacher, says supplies are given to a variety of school employees who show their ID badge.

In addition to teachers, supplies have been given to custodians, paraprofessionals, principals, and aides.

Martinez says 350 recipients the last two and a half years have come to...

Bryan Councilman James Edge visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his trip to Washington D.C., his past trips while working for former Congressman Bill Flores, current politics, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about legislation deadlines, impact fees, medical marijuana, eliminating the STAAR Test, public school funding, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 12, 2025 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting.

This is the first summer break that employees at Texas A&M and other state agencies are banned from professional work in countries that the governor has listed in an executive order (GA-48) as "foreign adversaries".

There were no university administrators at Monday's faculty senate meeting (May 12) to address concerns from faculty who wanted to visit family in targeted countries.

A university spokesperson tells WTAW News that "Following guidance from The Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University has...

This podcast contains comments from the May 13, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

The week after Brazos County judge Duane Peters finished the May 6th commission meeting responding to opponents of the future east loop highway, then adjourning the meeting, the May 13th meeting began with opponents responding to Peters statement.

The county judge was not present to hear the more than 40 minutes of comments from ten speakers.

Click HERE to be directed to the Brazos County YouTube archived video of the May 13, 2025 meeting. Public comments begin at the 8:20 mark of the archived video.

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College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his trip to Washington D.C., budget discussions, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.