WTAW - Interviews

Bryan Councilwoman Marca Ewers-Shurtleff visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about Mayor Bobby Gutierrez's trip to Washington D.C., new development, housing and commercial development on the west side of the city, upcoming events, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County State Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the budget articles he is overseeing, protecting the border, bitcoin, educational funding, the Texas A&M University System's search for a new chancellor, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Candilyn McLean, Program Manager for the Brazos Valley Clean Up Challenge, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber.

Dr. Susan Ballabina, Chief of Staff for Texas A&M's President, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the impact of President Trump's executive orders, President Welsh's connections with the government, the new At Ease podcast episode, Aggies in the state legislature, updates on open positions, The Big Event, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

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

A divided Brazos County commission approves moving ahead with soliciting proposals from companies interested in doing an employee compensation and benefits study.

The three to two vote was followed by comments from all five members of the commissioners court and several staff members.

Human resources director Jennifer Salazar said the study would involve more than pay and benefits. It would include reviewing job classifications and other HR items.

Commissioners Chuck Konderla and Wanda Watson supported the county moving away from pay raises based on longevity to raises based on performance.

County judge Duane Peters reminded members that elected officials have authority to determine raises of their employees.

Newly elected commissioners Fred Brown and Bentley Nettles voted against the study in part because of raises approved in recent years by past commissions to make those positions more competitive.

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Peggi Ondrasek, President/CEO of United Way of the Brazos Valley, and Liz Dickey from Health For All.

This podcast contains comments from the February 20, 2025 Blinn College trustees meeting.

Spring enrollment at Blinn College, with registration continuing for remaining four and eight week classes, is expected to exceed last spring.

An update during February's meeting of Blinn's board of trustees shows 15,822 students. That's compared with 15,953 in 2024, 15,685 in 2023, and 15,167 in 2022.

Compared with 2024's final spring numbers, 2025 spring enrollment is already higher at the RELLIS campus and the number of high school students taking dual credit classes.

Trustees and administrators were pleased with the number of Waller High School students who are enrolled, which is Blinn's newest location. In a related item, trustees awarded a contract to design Blinn's first academic building in Waller. Currently, Blinn is using space at Waller High School and Waller Middle School.

On the Bryan campus, where in 2015 there were more than 12,000 students, so far this spring the number is 3,982.

Vice chancellor Becky McBride said 36 public universities, including Texas A&M, have increased the number of freshman students.Since A&M has put a freeze on undergraduate enrollment for the next five to seven years, McBride says they have strategies to recruit students who are not admitted to A&M.With registration continuing for remaining spring classes, 

Blinn has 3,966 online students, 3,540 at RELLIS, 2,631 high school students, 1,509 at the home campus in Brenham, and about 200 at other locations.

Blinn trustees also received final enrollment numbers from the Christmas break minimester. That showed 2,152 students, which is 24 more compared to the year before.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the February 20, 2024 Blinn College trustees meeting.

College Station Councilman William Wright visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about a new legislative subcommittee, improving or redesigning the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre, being a Texas film city, future federal grants, the former Macy's store building, real estate decisions, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about education legislation, school funding, STAAR testing, his committee assignments, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the February 18, 2025 College Station ISD school board meeting.

February's meeting of the College Station ISD school board included the first discussion of developing the budget for the 2025-2026 school year.

Comments from superintendent Tim Harkrider included correcting the governor on how much state money CSISD receives. Harkrider said CSISD receives an average of $10,400 dollars per student, not $15,300 as the governor recently said. Harkrider said he would welcome the higher number, which would provide CSISD an additional $65 million dollars.

Dr. Harkrider also said administrators are considering applications for out of district transfers to generate more state money. He pointed out this would require parents to apply to register their children. If approved, those students would be assigned to a specific campus.

Associated with the idea of out of district transfers, is the consideration of changing campus boundaries of CSISD elementary, intermediate, and middle schools. Harkrider said administrators would be meeting with demographers starting in March. Any recommendations to change boundaries would come to the board this October or November. Any changes would not take effect until the 2026-2027 school year. And Harkrider emphasized they are not considering changing CSISD high school boundaries.