WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the April 1, 2024 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

The first review by Bryan ISD school board members of forming the budget for the 2024-2025 school year includes the possibility of not filling or restructuring positions.

Board members and administrators said that's because the governor is waiting for approval of his private voucher plan before releasing $4.5 billion dollars in state money.

Board member Ruthie Waller says as bad as it will be in Bryan ISD, it is not as bad as other public school districts facing campus closures due to the lack of state money.

Superintendent Ginger Carrabine said no layoffs are planned in Bryan ISD. But there is the possibility of not filling vacancies created by retirements and restructuring other positions.

Carrabine also says an outside consultant hired by the district has been meeting with campus administrators and will be meeting with board members later this month about next year's budget.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the April 1, 2024 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

United Way of the Brazos Valley president Peggi (Goss) Ondrasek and the executive director of UWBV partner agency Scotty's House child advocacy center, Cary Baker, visit with WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This podcast contains comments from the March 28, 2024 College Station city council meeting.

The Bryan/College Station Salvation Army is promoting a capital campaign. 

The College Station city council learned about the "Pathway of Hope" campaign during Thursday night's (March 28) meeting.

The campaign is to create what is being called the "Center of Hope" on the Salvation Army campus in Bryan. 

A member of the campaign committee, former Texas A&M president Bowen Loftin, said transitional housing would be built for eight to ten families, along with a new food pantry and youth service center, and remodeling the family service center.

Commanding officer Captain Luis Villanueva said this will not result in duplicating services with other local non profit agencies.

No requests were made to the College Station council.

Staff from Legends Event Center visit with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about this weekend's Easter Market, an upcoming City of Bryan open house, how to rent space at Legends Event Center, and more during their appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about Texas A&M's The Big Event, a state science fair, the livestock show and auction, planning and zoning commission plans, comprehensive plan updates, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Texas state comptroller Glenn Hegar, visiting with WTAW's Bill Oliver.
Over the last several years, the Texas state comptroller has produced a video series which highlights the economic impact of a variety of industry sectors. 

On Tuesday (March 26), the "Good For Texas" series brought Glenn Hegar to the George H.W. Bush library and museum to kick off episodes about the state's three presidential libraries.

Hegar, who is a Texas A&M graduate, says the state's presidential libraries "show our state's outsized impact on the American presidency and history, support the Texas economy and serve as magnets for civic-minded visitors, scholars, and special events.

The comptroller's office determined that in 2023, the Bush 41 complex, which includes the George and Barbara Bush Foundation and A&M's Bush school of government, generated 1,102 direct and indirect jobs, a gross domestic product of $113.2 million dollars, and disposable personal income of $62.1 million dollars.

Hegar said the Bush 41 complex also provides "the historical significance of the years of the president serving this country", "the first lady's contribution", "and then also with the programs of students coming here to fulfill one of the purposes as the president said is, civil service is a noble calling."

The comptroller also took his first tour of the new pavilion building that contains the still wrapped 41-41 locomotive and a Marine One helicopter, which will open this June. Hegar said the addition will be "another anchor and a reason for people to come to the Bryan/College Station area to tour the library and the museum is pretty phenomenal."

Additional information from the Texas comptroller's office:

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is highlighting the state’s presidential libraries, which provide a unique perspective into U.S. and world events, through his Good for Texas Tour series. Today, Hegar is visiting the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which is dedicated to the legacy of the 41st president and offers a comprehensive exploration of Bush’s leadership during pivotal moments in history such as Operation Desert Storm, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

“Texas is home to three presidential libraries at sites chosen by the presidents to preserve their records, stories and legacies,” Hegar said. “Part archive and part museum, these landmarks are local treasures with global impact, spurring curiosity, dialogue and healthy debate. Each site is a time capsule, providing glimpses of past conflicts and solutions — even shedding light on future opportunities. Texas’ presidential libraries show our state’s outsize impact on the American presidency and history, support the Texas economy and serve as magnets for civic-minded visitors, scholars and special events.

“I am honored to visit the Bush Library, with permanent exhibits that explore the influences and challenges that shaped the president's life, including his service as a fighter pilot in World War II and his many roles in public service: congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, vice president and, ultimately, president.”

During his Good for Texas Tour: Presidential Libraries Edition, Hegar is spotlighting information his office has gathered on the presidential libraries. Texas is home to more presidential libraries than any other state.  

The Bush Library and Museum opened in 1997 on the campus of Texas A&M University, with a construction cost of $43 million ($81.7 million in 2023 dollars). In 2007, the exhibit space received an $8.7 million renovation ($12.7 million in 2023 dollars). Now at 81,706 square feet, the library holds 44 million pages of records; 2 million still photos; 10,000 videotapes; 61,271 library artifacts; and 800 hours of audio. 

Construction is underway for a 29,000-square-foot building that will house the Union Pacific 4141 locomotive, a new café and the Marine One helicopter used during Bush’s presidency. These additions are valued at $38 million.

Considering this construction activity and ongoing maintenance, combined with retail sales, the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is estimated to have contributed $113.2 million to the Texas economy in 2023, with a total employment — direct and indirect — of about 1,100. More than 101,000 patrons visited the library in 2023.

Dr. Susan Ballabina, Chief of Staff for Texas A&M's President, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the new athletic director, hiring a new Chief Compliance Officer, job searches for academic hires, space allocation, summer events at Kyle Field, future events at Reed Arena and other university facilities, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Cary Baker, Executive Director of Scotty's House, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about child abuse statistics, prevention, and upcoming community events.

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County district attorney Jarvis Parsons and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Brazos County commissioners sign off on allowing three departments to receive a combined $1 million dollars in new grant money that was authorized by the legislature during the 2023 regular session.

Senate Bill 22, which passed the senate and house without opposition, gives the district attorney and county attorney's offices $275,000 dollars each towards paying assistant prosecutors, investigators, and victim assistance coordinators.

Click HERE to read and download Senate Bill 22.

District attorney Jarvis Parsons says the additional money will go to current employees.

County attorney Earl Gray says his preference is giving a one time bonus to current employees.

Senate Bill 22 gave the Brazos County sheriff's office $500,000 dollars and the authority to spend the money on more than just employee pay.

Sheriff Wayne Dicky says because county commissioners set sheriff's employee pay above the cap in SB 22, the grant money will go towards other things.

Dicky said equipment will be purchased for communications and surveillance, along with vehicles for the crime scene and the new human trafficking departments, and a safety project will be done at one of the jail dormitories.

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County county attorney Earl Gray and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Brazos County commissioners sign off on allowing three departments to receive a combined $1 million dollars in new grant money that was authorized by the legislature during the 2023 regular session.

Senate Bill 22, which passed the senate and house without opposition, gives the district attorney and county attorney's offices $275,000 dollars each towards paying assistant prosecutors, investigators, and victim assistance coordinators.

Click HERE to read and download Senate Bill 22.

District attorney Jarvis Parsons says the additional money will go to current employees.

County attorney Earl Gray says his preference is giving a one time bonus to current employees.

Senate Bill 22 gave the Brazos County sheriff's office $500,000 dollars and the authority to spend the money on more than just employee pay.

Sheriff Wayne Dicky says because county commissioners set sheriff's employee pay above the cap in SB 22, the grant money will go towards other things.

Dicky said equipment will be purchased for communications and surveillance, along with vehicles for the crime scene and the new human trafficking departments, and a safety project will be done at one of the jail dormitories.