WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the March 11, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners approve a burn ban at Tuesday's meeting (March 11).

The 30 day ban can be cancelled early if it rains. County judge Duane Peters noted "a lot of times that happens, if we pass one (burn ban) we get the rain in the next day or two, so it would be a good thing."

The commission's unanimous vote follows a report from emergency management coordinator Jason Ware that the drought index is on the high side in the north and east portions of the county.

Ware also said two of the four county's rural fire chiefs asked for the ban, one supports it, and one asked to continue monitoring conditions.

Commissioners were also told there were no wildfires in Brazos County the prior seven days, something Ware attributed to last week's request to not do outdoor burning.

The burn ban applies in Brazos County outside of city limits.

Click HERE to read and download the burn ban approved at the March 11, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the March 4, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County residents who have requested copies of 100,000 pages of records from the November 2024 election will not have to spend as much money to get that information.

That’s because county commissioners agree to buy software to remove names of 92,000 voters.

Commissioners were told the price for the public to get that information using the software will be around $40 dollars. 

If elections office workers had to manually remove the names, several citizens requesting that information were looking at a “very conservative” cost of $750 dollars.

The commission’s general counsel, Bruce Erratt, says the removal of the names and other information is required by the attorney general’s and the secretary of state’s offices.

Elections administrator Trudy Hancock said citizens requested cast vote records, or CVR’s, which reflect the selections a voter made on their ballot.

The software purchase, costing $12,875 dollars, will allow the public to have access to CVR’s and ballots within 60 days.

Click HERE to read and download the Brazos County document justifying the purchase of the software.

Click HERE to read and download the document received by Brazos County from the company selling the software.

Click HERE to read and download the amended contract for Brazos County to purchase the additional software.

This podcast contains interviews with College Station fire department captain Stuart Marrs and the chef at Harvey Washbangers restaurant and laundromat Michael Lair.

A 25 year business in College Station is gone following a fire. 

College Station firefighters responded around 5:30 Monday morning (March 10) to Harvey Washbangers, a combination restaurant and laundromat off Texas between Harvey and Holleman. 

Captain Stuart Marrs says there were no casualties and investigators are looking for a cause.

Marrs says the firefighters who arrived saw the roof had collapsed and the exterior walls had bowed out and collapsed.

There was no fire damage to businesses next to Washbangers. Marrs says that is because there is a ten foot gap between the buildings and water was sprayed in the gap to keep heat from the fire away from the other building. 

Marrs says neighborhood residents may have noticed a drop in water pressure due to all the fire hydrants that were being used.

Washbangers chef Michael Lair, whose father owns the business, said his phone has been blowing up from concerned customers.

Lair says his primary concern is for the 35 employees who are out of work. He said "If there is anybody that is looking to hire people, I have great people."

Four hours after the firefighters arrived, Lair also said "this community is incredible" and "I know God's in charge and He's got a plan for this. I have no idea what it is but we'll figure that out when we get there."

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Kat Gammon from United Way of the Brazos Valley and Rebekah Nobles from Easter Seals of Greater Houston.

This podcast contains comments from the March 4, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners are asked to consider a policy calling for the live removal of honeybee colonies.

Chris Barnes, who with his wife have 60 honeybee colonies around Brazos County, was among public speakers at this week's commission meeting (March 4).

Barnes, who referred to the insects as "livestock", said since last June there has been the loss of 1.25 million colonies, with some producers losing nearly everything.

He asked for live removal instead of contacting a pest control company or county employees destroying colonies.

Barnes said there would be one exception, and that is when bees are attacking someone.

Because Barnes spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, by state law commissioners were not allowed to respond.

The website of the Brazos Valley Beekeepers Association includes how to contact someone who does live removals. The organization also has a meeting scheduled for the evening of March 18th at Bryan High School.

This podcast is with the chairman of the Brazos County Historical Commission, Henry Mayo, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The grounds of what is now the federal women's prison in Bryan was established in 1899 as Allen Academy. 

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 8), the Brazos County historical commission will dedicate a marker that replaces one that was installed in 1978 but disappeared in 2014. 

Commission chairman Henry Mayo says only the title of the marker has changed, which reflects the site of Allen's military academy that began during World War One.

The public is invited to the dedication program, which starts at 1 p.m.

The location of the program is 1000 E. 22nd Street in Bryan.

The program hosts are the Brazos County Historical Commission and the Allen Military Academy alumni/cadets group AMA Remembered.

Jennifer Nations, Water Resource Coordinator, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about water tasting, fixing leaks, making coffee, rebates, landscaping, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his week in Austin, the Texas insurance industry, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Caden Jones of the Destination Bryan tourism office and WTAW's Bill Oliver. The conversation includes a preview of the March 2025 First Friday in downtown Bryan, the return of the Big Barn Dance festival March 27-29, and a look ahead to April's downtown Bryan street and art festival on April 5.

Jeanelle Johnson, City of Bryan Emergency Management Coordinator, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about her background, her role, the next SKYWARN training, the STEAR program, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.