WTAW - Interviews

Bryan city councilman Jared Salvato visits with WTAW’s Tucker Young to discuss updates on  resuming construction at the Midtown Park entertainment venue and other features at the park, BTU’s new general manager, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

This podcast contains comments from the June 15, 2026 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

Bryan ISD school board members approve administrator recommendations to hire three new principals.

The unanimous votes at the end of Monday night's meeting (June 15) had no public comments from board members or administrators.

All three selections are promotions from assistant principal positions in BISD.

Whitney Foreman is the new principal at Rayburn Intermediate. She was most recently assistant principal at Houston Elementary.

Click HERE to read and download BISD's news release of Whitney Foreman.

Jacklyn Nacianceno is the new principal at Bonham Elementary. She was most recently assistant principal at Johnson Elementary.

Click HERE to read and download BISD's news release of Jacklyn Nacianceno.

Dee Darnell is the new principal at Jones Elementary. she was most recently an assistant principal at Jones.

Click HERE to read and download BISD's news release of Dee Darnell.

News releases from BISD did not say if the hirings were the result of retirements or other personnel actions.

This podcast contains comments from the June 9, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County's district attorney updates county commissioners on recent jury trials.

Jarvis Parsons report during the commission's June 9th meeting included convictions of one man for defrauding an elderly man and two men convicted of murder.

Parsons said 44 percent of murders in Brazos County in the last 13 years have involved drug related robberies.

In one of the murder convictions, Parsons said that jury demonstrated that every individual is worthy of life at the basic level. He also credited the work of two investigators who found a handprint on a cell phone which led to identifying the man who was convicted of the murder.

Kathleen Sanderson of the Bryan/College Station Salvation Army visits with WTAW's Tucker Young and Will Welch on The Infomaniacs June 15, 2026 about their collection of school supplies and fans and previews their June 25th "Behind The Red Shield" education event.

This podcast contains comments from the June 9, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.

Twice in one meeting, Brazos County commissioners take action on purchasing land.

At the commission's June 9th meeting, following a 3-1 vote to approve a sales agreement buying land in front of the sheriff's office and jail,commissioners returned from an executive session and unanimously voted to give the county judge authority to sign a letter of intent to purchase more property at an unidentified location for an undisclosed price and for an undisclosed purpose.

Responding to a WTAW News request for more information, a county spokeswoman said "The County is currently unable to identify the location of the property in question as it would have a detrimental effect on the County’s position in any negotiations. If any final action is to be taken in the future, that property would then be publicly identified as it is brought before the commissioners for a vote."

This podcast contains comments from the June 11, 2026 College Station city council meeting.

The College Station city council returns the responsibility for mowing and landscaping services to a locally owned company.

After a year of complaints about the performance of a Dallas based company, the council unanimously voted June 11 to bring back Green Teams, which had the contract for ten years.

Green Teams owner Tucker Gallagher said he was thrilled to be back.

The council agreed to increase the number of mowings from 18 to 27.

The contract price increased by $370,000 dollars to more than $1.4 million.City staff, which last year for the first time accepted bids from out of town companies, removed that provision in this round of bids.

Click HERE to read and download the contract that was approved at the June 11, 2026 College Station city council meeting.

Click HERE To read and download presentation materials at the June 11, 2026 College Station city council meeting.

This podcast is a visit with city of Navasota spokeswoman Taylor Hughes and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The city of Navasota has announced the return of the landmark LaSalle monument. 

City spokeswoman Taylor Hughes says this follows repairs after the granite base was struck by a small truck in December 2025.

The monument, which was unveiled in 1930, is located in the median of Washington Avenue east of downtown Navasota. 

The French explorer's trips to Texas in the 1680's ended when he was killed near Navasota. 

The monument was in storage during the six weeks it took to repair the base.

News release from the city of Navasota:

The City of Navasota is pleased to announce the return of the René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle monument to its prominent location along Washington Avenue following an extensive restoration process.
 
The monument was damaged in December 2025 when it was struck by a small truck, causing the granite base to shift and resulting in damage to the outer edges and corners of the structure. To ensure the monument could be restored properly, the City worked with Watson Monument Company of College Station to assess the damage and provide the necessary documentation for the insurance claim process.
 
During the last week of March 2026, Watson Monument Company carefully removed the La Salle statue from its damaged base and transported it to their College Station facility for safekeeping. The granite base was then shipped to a specialized restoration facility in Georgia, where skilled craftsmen completed intricate repairs to the damaged corners and edges.
 
The restoration process took more than six weeks to complete. Once repairs were finished, the granite base was returned to Texas and prepared for reinstallation. On June 10, 2026, the La Salle statue was returned to Navasota and reset on its restored base, returning the monument to its original appearance and condition.
 
A specialized adhesive was applied during today's installation and will require several days to fully cure. Watson Monument Company will return on Friday, June 12, to complete the final finishing touches on the monument.
The City of Navasota appreciates the patience of residents throughout the restoration process and is excited to once again showcase this historic landmark along Washington Avenue. To commemorate the monument's return and celebrate its historical significance to the community, there will be a special re-dedication ceremony scheduled for later this summer. Additional details will be announced as plans are finalized.

The city of College Station's marketing coordinator Grace Hallowell and the city's recreation supervisor of special events Jeep Wentsch preview upcoming events with WTAW's Tucker Young on The Infomaniacs June 12, 2026.

This podcast contains comments from the June 9, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

September 2024 will mark two years since the scheduled opening of the still to be completed construction of the Bryan Midtown Park entertainment complex.

The owner of the venue is promoting on its website, a November 2026 opening of what will include a movie theater, bowling, indoor and outdoor pickleball, a restaurant, a brewery, and an outdoor amphitheater and lawn area.

The Bryan city council at its June 9 meeting approved without discussion, a third amendment to an economic development agreement with the owner.

WTAW News has asked the city for a copy of the third amendment and when construction will resume.

The only information given during the council meeting was a reference to a promissory note requiring a guarantee from the owner by the close of business on June 19th. WTAW News has asked a city spokesman if this is a new promissory note or if this involves a $2 million dollar loan the council approved in 2024.

This podcast contains comments from the June 9, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.

A divided Brazos County commission approves the unbudgeted purchase of land in front of the sheriff's office and jail for future expansion.

The purchase price of almost $2.5 million dollars is $1 million more than the appraised value.

County judge Duane Peters, who was part of the three to one majority vote, said there was no room to negotiate the price.Peters also said the county was too late in two earlier attempts to buy the nearly seven acres at Highway 21 and Sandy Point Road.

Also approving the purchase were commissioners Bentley Nettles and Wanda Watson. Voting no was Fred Brown. Chuck Konderla was not at Tuesday's meeting (June 9).

The vote followed comments from two public speakers questioning the timing of the purchase and the price.

Click HERE to read and download the sales agreement that was approved at the June 9, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.