WTAW - Interviews

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County sheriff's deputy Nathan Dennis and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Since October 2023, the Brazos County sheriff's office has offered a service where homebound residents get a regularly scheduled phone call from a volunteer checking on their well being. 

Deputy Nathan Dennis says the "R-U-OK" program is now available for those 55 and older along with other homebound residents.

Dennis says for many residents and even some volunteers, this is their regular opportunity to visit with anyone.

The deputy also says this afford security for out of town relatives who are not able to regularly visit their parents and grandparents.

Local residents are also invited to become a volunteer to place the regularly scheduled phone calls from the sheriff's office.

For more information, call the sheriff's office at 979-775-7865 (RUOK) or send an e-mail to [email protected].

This podcast is a visit with College Station police officer David Simmons and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

College Station police spent part of Friday morning (April 4) dealing with a man who was arrested after barricading himself in a woman's fourplex unit off Southwest Parkway between Anderson and Bee Creek.

CSPD officer David Simmons says the man broke into the fourplex and threatened the woman with a knife.

The woman was able to escape after the man fell asleep.

Simmons says officers responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls around 6:45 a.m. That included officers who were wrapping up the night shift and those coming on the day shift.

The CSPD presence included the department's SWAT and hostage negotiation teams and the K-9 and drone units.

After contact could not be made with the man, officers entered the fourplex unit and found him inside a kitchen sink cabinet.

Caroline Ask, Solid Waste Manager, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about pool maintenance, the upcoming Household and Hazardous Waste Collection event, what is and is not accepted, move in and move out, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the bills he laid out this week, insurance legislation, the state budget, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Caden Jones of the Destination Bryan tourism office visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about events that includes the first ever baby shower for a bison that was born Wednesday (April 3).

This is part of a first ever bison baby shower that is being held April 12 at Lucky B Bison Ranch in Bryan.

Other topics includes a preview of April's First Friday in downtown Bryan, rescheduling the downtown Bryan street and art fair to April 27, and a review of the second Big Barn Dance songwriter and music festival.

This podcast contains comments from the March 27, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Hotel occupancy tax (HOT) money was approved at the last College Station city council meeting (March 27) to continue a financial contribution to the Texas 4-H roundup that will be held this summer at Texas A&M university.

The council's unanimous vote awarding the $50,000 dollar grant did not include David White. He abstained because he is the president of the Texas 4-H foundation. 

It was pointed out that the grant did not go to the foundation, but to Texas A&M AgriLife. City manager Bryan Woods also shared the process of how HOT grants are awarded.

Before the vote, White provided some details of the roundup and thanked past councils for financially supporting the event.

White also pointed out the economic impact the 3,000 participants has on local tourism during the middle of the week.

White also introduced 4-H representatives in the audience and had a Brazos County 4-H member, Carson Dodd, who is on the state 4-H council, share the 4-H pledge and the "four H's" of 4-H, which are head, heart, hands, and health.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the March 27, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Seth Waller, City of Bryan Police Department PIO, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the Blue Bunny Egg Hunt event, the summer junior citizen police academy class, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about House action this week, bills he has laid out, impact fees, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the April 2, 2025 Bryan/College Station metropolitan planning organization policy board meeting.

Off and on since 2018, there have been studies about improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing University to and from the Texas A&M campus.

The latest ideas were presented at Wednesday's meeting (April 2) of the Bryan/College Station metropolitan planning organization, or MPO.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the April 2, 2025 B/CS MPO meeting.

Presenting the report to the MPO, was Debbie Albert of the Texas A&M system's transportation institute.The study, funded by the Texas department of transportation, is considered a starting point.

The study calls for pedestrians going over University at Polo Road and Century Square, under University at Spence Street, under University at Nagle and Ireland Streets, and over University at College Main and Boyett.

The MPO's policy board also discussed separating pedestrians from vehicles at University and South College and at University and Agronomy Road.

After Albert's presentation, the MPO policy board gave the green light for their executive director to pursue a MPO study to prioritize which intersections should be modified along University between Texas Avenue and Agronomy Road, funding sources for at least $183 million dollars of construction, and how to do community engagement.

The MPO study would also look into pedestrian safety improvements along South College between University and Villa Maria. 

The MPO study is projected to start this October and take one year to complete.

This podcast contains comments from the April 1, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Water management in Brazos and Robertson counties is done by the Brazos Valley groundwater conservation district (BVGCD).

The district's general manager, Alan Day, presented a report to Brazos County commissioners Tuesday (April 1) of the district's activity from last year and what's ahead this year and beyond.

Click HERE to read and download Alan Day's presentation materials at the April 1, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

In the two counties, there are more than 7,300 water wells that have been registered or have permits. Day said landowners in Brazos and Robertson counties need to register their wells if they want to be protected from new wells.

Day also said at some point, water is going to be more expensive in Brazos and Robertson counties and there will be a cap on the amount of water that is available.That was part of the message related to the BVGCD board and Day working on plans for water consumption in the year 2080 which he called desired future conditions (DFC).

Day updated Brazos County commissioners on the status of three lawsuits involving water rights. On the calendar first, is a water rights lawsuit filed against BVGCD by the Texas A&M system. Day said that trial starts April 30th in Brazos County district court.

The report also included the district's educational efforts and changing the fee collection where it will take place in the current fiscal year instead of being late one year.