WTAW - Interviews

Pat McIntyre, College Station Utilities Energy Coordinator, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the recent cold weather, how to save energy during the winter months, home solar panels, working with BTU, the upcoming Home and Garden Expo, and more during his visit on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Trey Wharton (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his background and experience, fighting for rural issues, his first week during the legislative session, his visit with House Speaker Dustin Burrows, his committee preferences, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with the city of Bryan's animal services supervisor Ashley Bishop and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

One Bryan resident files 13 complaints alleging the abuse of a dog. That's followed by international criticism directed at the city of Bryan.The city of Bryan issued a response on its social media and website on Wednesday (January 22).

The city's animal services supervisor Ashley Bishop says the owners of the 75 pound dog named "Blue" have done everything required by state and local law.Bishop also says the owners have done everything city officials have asked.

The city response also addressed what was described as "misinformation". Bishop says claims that Blue was being choked by a seat belt are not true. Animal control assisted the dog's owners to untangle Blue's collar from the dog's tether.

Bishop says the Bryan animal center has fielded calls from around the state, around the country, and from Canada about Blue.

Click HERE to be directed to the statement issued on the city of Bryan's website that was posted January 22, 2025:

The City of Bryan takes the safety and well-being of all animals in our community very seriously. We deeply understand the concerns raised about the recent social media post regarding a dog named “Blue,” and we share your passion for ensuring that all animals in Bryan are treated with care, respect, and compassion.

Since August 2023, our Animal Services team has visited the property 13 times to assess the dog’s condition, provide resources, and work with the owner to ensure compliance with Texas state law and City of Bryan ordinances. Each visit confirmed that the dog had access to food, water, and shelter as required by law. 

To further enhance the dog’s comfort, a kennel was provided to allow “Blue” to be kept indoors during inclement weather—providing resources is a step we regularly take to support pet owners in improving their animals’ living conditions. Our Animal Control team believes in education before citations and throughout this process, the dog’s owner has been cooperative and responsive to our team’s recommendations.

We want to address some misinformation surrounding this situation. For example, claims that a seatbelt was used as a collar and was so tight that it was causing choking are inaccurate. Our findings confirm that the dog’s collar became entangled with his tether which was changed out, and in the video, you can see the dog’s owner actively assisting City of Bryan Animal Control to safely release the dog. 

While it’s natural to feel concerned when seeing such a video, it’s important to remember that initial reports may not always capture the full story. Raising concerns is vital to protecting animals, but we encourage everyone to approach such situations with compassion and a commitment to understanding the facts.

We are all on the same page when it comes to animal welfare and we want to reassure you that we are not turning a blind eye to this situation or any other animal welfare issue. 

Our team will continue to monitor this situation and respond promptly to all concerns. It is also important to note that Animal Services is bound by state and local laws, which require specific conditions to be met before further action can be taken. At this time, those conditions have not been met.

We also encourage respectful dialogue and responsible actions. Sharing personal addresses or suggesting illegal activities, such as stealing animals, can escalate tensions and potentially harm the very animals we all want to protect.

To report concerns responsibly or for further questions, please contact us directly at 979-361-3888. 

To directly support animal welfare in our community, we invite you to donate, foster, or volunteer with the Bryan Animal Center. If you’d like to see how Bryan Animal Control operates, you are also welcome to request a ride-along. Together, we can make Bryan a compassionate and safe place for all. 

Thank you for your vigilance and care for the animals in our community. Your commitment inspires us to do better every day.

This podcast is a recording of Texas state comptroller Glenn Hegar's comments at the Bryan/College Station chamber of commerce economic outlook conference on January 22, 2025.

Meagan Brown, BTU's Public Information Officer, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the opening of BTU's new administration building, this week's cold snap, winterization, service territories, utility bills, the Power Share program, small reactors, Lake Bryan, the Government in Action Youth Tour, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his first week of the legislative session, the new House speaker, interacting with constituents, committee appointments, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his committee assignments, transition in the House, President Trump's announcement about Stargate, Bitcoin reserve, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with College Station ISD communications director Austin Dunson and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

College Station and Bryan ISD school officials decided Tuesday afternoon to cancel classes Wednesday (January 22).

It was the second consecutive day classes were cancelled due to winter weather.

Both districts announced classes would resume on Thursday.

Both districts also announced enough days were built into the school calendar that there will be no makeup days. That includes CSISD's Pebble Creek elementary, which was closed two days in December after flooding inside the building.

The announcement from CSISD communications director Austin Dunson pointed out that a significant number of employees do not live in the district. Dunson told WTAW News employees drive up to 60 minutes each way. 

Dunson said they considered but decided against a later start time in CSISD. But a delayed start would not have alleviated the need to staff classrooms, bus routes, and lunchrooms, as many of those employees would have needed to report to work while road conditions may be unsafe.

College Station ISD statement issued January 21, 2025:

Due to icy road conditions in certain areas in and around the B/CS area, all CSISD schools will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

This decision was made out of an abundance of caution, considering a significant portion of our employees live outside of CSISD boundaries. 

With freezing temperatures expected tonight through late Wednesday morning, we are anticipating icy road conditions to make travel difficult for those employees traveling from outside the district, impacting our ability to adequately staff bus routes and classrooms.

A delayed start would not alleviate these challenges, as many of these employees would need to report to work while road conditions may be unsafe.

We will resume normal school operations on Thursday, Jan. 23. Please stay safe and warm!


Bryan ISD statement issued January 21, 2025:

In light of current winter weather alerts and potentially hazardous road conditions, out of an abundance of caution, all Bryan ISD schools and facilities will be closed on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. All Bryan ISD extracurricular activities will be canceled. 

Classes will resume on Thursday, January 23rd, following our regular schedule. Stay warm and safe!

Due to surplus minutes included in our daily schedule, we will not be required to make up this missed day of school.

This podcast contains comments from the January 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

The performance in the first full year of Brazos County's veteran services officer (VSO) was applauded by county commissioners.

VSO Pam Robertson said in 2024, the office served 4,849 veterans from Brazos and other counties. 

Robertson said there are 21,357 veterans in the Brazos Valley. Brazos County has 9,327 and there are 4,000 Texas A&M students.

Accomplishments during 2024 included the Brazos County office generated almost $1 million dollars a month in disability payments and more than $3.6 million dollars in retroactive pay to veterans.

That led newly elected county commissioner and retired Army general Bentley Nettles to tell Robertson "you set a pretty high standard for year one. What are you going to do year two?" Robertson replied "hopefully those numbers will double."

Robertson said they are hosting a veterans resource fair and claims clinic at the Brazos Center on February 17th.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials at the January 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

This podcast is WTAW's Bill Oliver visit with the director of Scotty's House child advocacy center, Cary Baker, and the president of United Way of the Brazos Valley, Peggi Ondrasek.

The Brazos Valley's advocacy center for abused children begins a year long celebration of its 30th anniversary on Thursday, January 23.

The Scotty's House anniversary kickoff will take place at their offices at 2424 Kent Street, which is across Villa Maria from Bryan Collegiate high school.

The event takes place from 4:30 until 6 p.m., with a special presentation scheduled at 5 p.m.
Scotty's House director Cary Baker visited during WTAW's weekly United Way of the Brazos Valley (UWBV) update with Bill Oliver.

This podcast also includes a reminder from UWBV president Peggi Ondrasek for non-profit agencies to apply for the next cycle of UWBV community impact grants.