WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from Texas A&M student government representatives during the April 11, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Those speakers are rules and regulations committee chairman Corbitt Armstrong, current student senate speaker Marcus Glass, student body president Andrew Applewhite, vice president of municipal affairs Ben Crockett, and incoming student senate speaker Ava Blackburn. That is followed by comments from College Station assistant city manager Jennifer Prochazka, speaking with WTAW's Scott DeLucia on The Infomaniacs the morning of April 12, 2024.

Five leaders of Texas A&M's student government call on the College Station city council to delay the June first enforcement of the city's ordinance restricting rental housing to no more than four unrelated residents. 

There was no response from council members during the April 11th meeting because state law does not allow comments regarding an item not on their agenda.

There was also no reply from city staff during the council meeting.

The following morning during a visit on WTAW's The Infomaniacs, assistant city manager Jennifer Prochazka spoke about the efforts of city staff and Texas A&M's resurrected office of off-campus housing to educate students and parents about the city ordinance that has been in place since 1939 but has not been strictly enforced in recent years.

On Monday (April 15), a city spokesman told WTAW News that the agenda for the council's April 25th meeting will include a proposed ordinance change making no more than four a civil offense instead of a misdemeanor criminal offense.

This podcast is a visit with United Way of the Brazos Valley president Peggi Goss Ondrasek, John Paci of UWBV partner agency Catholic Charities of Central Texas, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Salvation Army Captain Luis Villanueva visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the annual Doing the Most Good banquet during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a recording of the first news conference after a stolen semi struck the driver's license office in Brenham, TX on April 12, 2024. Speakers are Texas department of public safety (DPS)  regional director Gerald Brown, DPS Sgt. Justin Ruiz, state senator Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham, and Brenham mayor Atwood Kenjura.

One person was killed and 14 were injured after a man in a stolen semi drove into the Brenham driver's license office building Friday morning (April 12).

Texas department of public safety Sgt. Justin Ruiz says six people were taken to hospitals in Houston, Bryan, and Brenham. Eight others were treated at the scene.

Ruiz said no one inside the building escaped injury, and investigators were determining how many of the 15 people were customers and how many were employees.

The name of the person who died will be released after family members are notified.

The man driving the stolen semi was identified as 42 year old Clenard Parker of Chappell Hill. He was removed from the semi and taken to the Washington County jail.

Ruiz said a Washington County sheriff's deputy spotted the stolen semi and started a pursuit that was joined by other law enforcement officers.

The semi jumped the Highway 290 feeder road and entered the building through the door leading into the driver's license waiting area.

Ruiz said Parker on Thursday (April 11) had been denied a renewal of his commercial driver's license. The reason was not disclosed.

The Texas Rangers is the lead investigating agency.

Jennifer Prochazka, Assistant City Manager, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the Lincoln Avenue project, raised medians, enforcement starting of the no-more-than-four unrelated ordinance, a Amazon meet and greet, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the College Station fire department's ceremony officially placing a new fire engine into service on April 11, 2024.

For the first time since 2018, the College Station fire department places a new engine into service.

A traditional "push-in" ceremony took place Thursday afternoon (April 11) at CSFD station six at University and Tarrow.

Fire chief Richard Mann said the replacement process started in the summer of 2021 to replace a 2004 model.

The new engine is expected to serve the next 15 years and respond to an estimated 25,000 calls.

The $1.2 million dollar engine will serve as the lead vehicle to respond to hazardous materials incidents in the seven county region.

The engine, which weighs a little over 60,000 pounds, carries a 750 gallon water tank and a 1,500 gallon per minute pump that is capable of delivering water or firefighting foam.

The chief invited residents to fire station six to check out the new engine.

The "push-in" ceremony recognizes the early days of firefighting when returning to the fire station after a call, horses were separated from pulling fire equipment and firefighters pushed the equipment inside the building.

This podcast contains comments from the April 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council ends the more than seven year old rule restricting the public comment portion of council meetings to only agenda items.

The council during Tuesday's meeting (April 9) unanimously expanded the public comment portion of the council's regularly scheduled second monthly meeting.

The change, drafted in part by councilmen James Edge and Jared Salvato, allows up to 30 minutes of public comments on items of "city business or affairs that are in the scope of the council's authority and legislative functions."

Speakers will be required to register by nine a.m. the day of the meeting.

And this period of public comments would take place after all other business before the Bryan council. Mayor Bobby Gutierrez says that is to reduce the waiting time for those asked by the council to speak on agenda items.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the April 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the ordinance that was approved during the April 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

Staff members from Bryan's Parks and Recreation department visit with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about youth summer camps, available summer jobs, and more during their appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the April 8, 2024 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting from A&M's associate vice president for university health services Dr. Nancy Fahrenwald.

A four year study has started at Texas A&M and its sister schools in the A&M system to improve the mental health of college students. 

A&M's associate vice president for university health services outlined what is taking place during an appearance at Monday's (April 8) A&M faculty senate meeting.

Dr. Nancy Fahrenwald talked about the partnership with the Jed Foundation, which is considered to be the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health.

Fahrenwald said the model used by the foundation that was created by the parents of a son who committed suicide while in college, is a comprehensive approach to promoting mental health and creating sustainable change.

At A&M, 12,000 students and 12,000 faculty and staff members have been asked to complete what Fahrenwald called a "healthy minds" survey.

Presentation materials shared by Fahrenwald said four critical elements for successful outcomes are (1) support and engagement from senior leadership, (2) commitment to long term strategic planning for sustainability, (3) a shared vision that student well being is everyone's responsibility and linked to student and institutional success, and (4) diverse voices from various campus partners participating in the process.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials shared during the April 8, 2024 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about hearing from citizens during council meetings, rezoning and expansion, the new municipal court presiding judge, big truck regulations, a changed alcohol ordinance in Downtown Bryan, medians, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.