WTAW - Interviews

This podcast is a recording of Michael Earley's first news conference as Texas A&M head baseball coach, July 2, 2024.

This podcast is a recording of the introduction of Texas A&M's new head baseball coach.

Speakers are athletics director Trev Alberts, president Mark Welsh, and coach Michael Earley.

This podcast contains comments from the June 18, 2024 Blinn College trustees meeting.

June's meeting of the Blinn College trustees included learning spring enrollment on the Bryan campus fell to 4,728. 

That's almost one-third of the record high of 12,071 that took place in 2015. 

Administrators repeated from past discussions, one reason for the decrease is Texas A&M's decision to admit more freshmen. 

Chancellor Mary Hensley said Blinn could be losing more students as A&M strives to fill low enrollment programs with freshmen.

Trustees were also told that another obstacle affecting all Blinn campuses, are students dropping out due to low grades. Vice chancellor for academic affairs Marcelo Bussiki says there will be an emphasis this fall on retaining students.

There was no response to the idea from Blinn trustees chairman Jim Kolkhorst of Brenham to reduce the price of tuition as an incentive to keep students in school.

The chancellor and the longest serving member of the Blinn trustees, Charles Moser of Brenham, brought up the past history of Brazos County leaders wanting more input into the funding of Blinn's Bryan campus.

Blinn trustees also discussed at length, prior goals of the home campus in Brenham reaching 3,000 students. Spring enrollment in Brenham was 1,553.

Spring enrollment increases were reported at Blinn's RELLIS campus, high school students taking dual credit, and the number of online (distance education) students.

Spring 2024 enrollment at all Blinn locations was 15,953. That is up from 15,685 in spring 2023, 15,167 in spring 2022, and 15,505 in spring 2021. The spring 2020 enrollment, at the start of the pandemic, was 17,076.

This podcast is a visit with Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp has announced he will retire, effective June 30, 2025.

Sharp sent an e-mail stating in part that "soon it will be time for this Chancellor to disappear around the bend. I will move to Austin to spend more time with my daughter Victoria, son Spencer, and Diana’s and my grandchildren."

Sharp also said "While I am retiring from this job, I will find ways to continue to serve the great state I love."

He also said "I will never retire from work, and I look forward to telling you next year about the next phase of Diana’s and my life work. One thing is for certain, I will never be too busy or too old to help Texas A&M and the A&M System."

Sharp began his run as the A&M system's longest serving chancellor in September 2011.

The 1972 A&M graduate served as student body president. He later served in the Texas House the Texas Senate, the Texas Railroad Commission, and two terms as state comptroller. 

Click HERE to be directed to statements from Sharp and the A&M system, which are too long to be added to this podcast post.

This podcast is a visit with the owner of C.C. Creations Kenny Lawson and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The Bryan based national manufacturer of custom printed and embroidered shirts and caps and other promotional products hosts a delegation from Japan in their new production facility.

It was the first public viewing of C.C. Creations 210,000 square foot Legacy Campus.

Owner Kenny Lawson hosted the C-E-O and other executives of Tajima Industries, an 80 year old Japanese manufacturer of embroidery machines.

22 embroidery machines at the new C.C. Creations facililty is most of any Tajima customer.

Lawson, Tajima CEO Hidetoshi Kojima, and executives of both companies visited during the tour and a private meeting that followed about increasing the performance the computer and AI (artificial intelligence) operated machines.

The new C.C. Creations facility began production in March and employs almost 600.

Lawson says the interior temperature of the new production facility is 78 degrees. That compares with 117 degrees in their former location.Cooler temperatures and new equipment are also credited with reducing misprints by 66 percent.

Among C.C. Creations newest clients is lululemon, joining Buc-ee’s, Nike, and Whataburger.

News release from C.C. Creations:

With the launch of the 210,000 sq. ft. Legacy Campus Production Facility, C.C. Creations is proud to be recognized as the largest facility in the World to be using the highest number of Tajima’s AI-equipped embroidery machines. To continue strengthening this international partnership, Tajima CEO and fellow executive associates are travelling to Bryan, TX from Japan on Friday, June 28th.

With the desire to see the 22 new machines in action at C.C. Creation’s state-of-the-art facility, Tajima is also excited to visit with the C.C. Creations team and City of Bryan Mayor.

Tajima, headquartered in Japan, has become the global leading manufacturer of embroidery machinery since 1944. More recently, they have launched a first of its kind technology that provides the highest quality of service, introduces next-level capabilities and maximizes production management. The TMEZ-KC “EZ” model possesses cutting-edge artificial intelligence innovation that adjusts randomly according to the material thickness while being embroidered, ensuring precision and quality. With Direct Command Switches now located in front of each head, all main functions of the control panel can be easily manipulated, enhancing efficiency and capacity. Additionally, the smaller curved pressor foot reduces flagging during caps and thicker garments, resulting in increased quality standards. Additionally, the EZ includes automated software that reports real time efficiency from each machine, tracks production orders and gives employees feedback.

C.C. Creations has 22 Tajima TMEZ-KC machines which provides 156 embroidery heads.

This podcast is a visit with Bryan TX mayor Bobby Gutierrez and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

At the beginning of June, a group of Brazos County leaders spent a week in Japan on an economic development trip.

On Friday (June 28), some of those officials welcomed the leadership of a Japanese manufacturer.

The CEO of embroidery machine company Tajima Industries checked out 22 machines that are part of the new C.C. Creations facility in Bryan.

Joining the tour at C.C. Creations, one of the nation’s industry-leading apparel and promotional companies, was Bryan mayor Bobby Gutierrez.

News release from C.C. Creations:

With the launch of the 210,000 sq. ft. Legacy Campus Production Facility, C.C. Creations is proud to be recognized as the largest facility in the World to be using the highest number of Tajima’s AI-equipped embroidery machines. To continue strengthening this international partnership, Tajima CEO and fellow executive associates are travelling to Bryan, TX from Japan on Friday, June 28th.

With the desire to see the 22 new machines in action at C.C. Creation’s state-of-the-art facility, Tajima is also excited to visit with the C.C. Creations team and City of Bryan Mayor.

Tajima, headquartered in Japan, has become the global leading manufacturer of embroidery machinery since 1944. More recently, they have launched a first of its kind technology that provides the highest quality of service, introduces next-level capabilities and maximizes production management. The TMEZ-KC “EZ” model possesses cutting-edge artificial intelligence innovation that adjusts randomly according to the material thickness while being embroidered, ensuring precision and quality. With Direct Command Switches now located in front of each head, all main functions of the control panel can be easily manipulated, enhancing efficiency and capacity. Additionally, the smaller curved pressor foot reduces flagging during caps and thicker garments, resulting in increased quality standards. Additionally, the EZ includes automated software that reports real time efficiency from each machine, tracks production orders and gives employees feedback.

C.C. Creations has 22 Tajima TMEZ-KC machines which provides 156 embroidery heads.

College Station Fire Chief Richard Mann visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about the new fire station, the next city budget, emergency calls due to heat issues, recruiting new firefighters, firework safety, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Meagan Brown, BTU's Public Information Officer, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about ERCOT's summer predictions, energy tips, the upcoming BTU Board and Bryan City Council meeting, PowerShare, Lake Bryan, BTU's new facility, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a recording of the first news conference of the new head baseball coach at the University of Texas, former Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle.

Schlossnagle's prepared remarks followed by responses to questions from reporters were recorded from the University of Texas athletics website at https://texassports.com/showcase/embed.aspx?Live=747

Jim Schlossnagle was introduced Wednesday morning (June 26) as the new head baseball coach at the University of Texas. 

He told reporters he made his decision on Tuesday, and said he understands the reaction from the Texas A&M fan base to his decision.

He said more than once that the decision could not have been done any other way.

During his prepared remarks, Schlossnagle said "There's a lot of decisions in life that you don't get to choose the timing. You don't get to meet with your team as you would like. And for that, I am sorry."

In response to a reporter's question, Schlossnagle said "I have a career too. I have a personal life as well. I have goals. And I just simply felt like, no negative at Texas A&M. Just the positives of the alignment and frankly my relationship with (U-T athletic director) Chris" (Del Conte) that "I just know that I can trust Chris" and "as hard as that decision was, I could not walk away from that."

Schlossnagle said in his prepared remarks that "I need a great leader." "And Chris is the best leader that I've ever known." "And although it was super, super hard and emotional to make this decision because of my love for the players at Texas A&M, I simply could not pass up this opportunity."

He also said it was important to bring to U-T, associate head coach Nolan Cain, pitching coach Max Weiner, and hitting coach Michael Early.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about tomorrow's city council meeting, Amazon Prime Air, health insurance, washed out culverts, infrastructure projects, landscaping, affordable housing, upcoming events, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.