WTAW - Interviews

The community engagement manager for the Destination Bryan tourism office, Chris Ortegon, visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about January's First Friday in downtown Bryan, a review of 2023 hotel activity in Bryan, and a preview of 2024 activity.

Branch Manager Derika Bailey visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about a new exhibit, library card access, Canopy, upcoming book club meetings, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

In October 2023, Brazos County commissioners agreed to let the sheriff's office hire an outside recruiting company to fill vacancies for corrections officers.

Following the two month contract, chief deputy for corrections Kevin Stuart tells WTAW News that what was between 22 and 25 vacancies are now down to 14.

Stuart also credits commissioners for providing more money to hire and retain corrections officers.

Stuart says they continue to look for highly intelligent applicants who are good communicators.

It's also a training ground for the sheriff's office, noting that current sheriff Wayne Dicky was the former jail administrator and retired sheriff Chris Kirk began as a detention officer.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about celebrating the New Year in Downtown Bryan, development, affordable housing, First Friday, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Layne's Chicken Fingers chief executive officer Garrett Reed, chief operating officer Samir Wattar, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

2024 marks 30 years in business for a fast food restaurant that originated in College Station and is now in a nationwide expansion.

Layne's Chicken Fingers chief executive officer and College Station native Garrett Reed and chief operating officer Samir Wattar visited with WTAW's Bill Oliver about the evolution of the company, which is now based in the north Dallas suburb of Frisco, and its place in the QSR (quick service restaurant) business.

Additional information from Layne's Chicken Fingers corporate office:

Layne’s, the Soon-to-be Famous chicken concept with 13 restaurants open and another 113 franchises sold, is making great bounds toward its goal of having 50 units open and 200 franchises sold by 2025.

This year alone (2023), it opened four new restaurants, acquired the original three in College Station, Texas, and signed multiple deals — including one that sold out all of Nashville — that account for a total of 48 restaurants awarded.

Not only did the concept expand outside of its home state of Texas for the first time this year (2023), but Layne's opened its first-ever drive-thru-only model which has become one of the top-performing restaurants.

Not only was it a great year for sales, but Layne's seems to have put their finger on the labor wars issue: hiring teenagers and helping them develop into managers and eventually, owners of Layne's locations.

This podcast contains comments from Texas A&M president Mark Welsh's statewide news conference on December 13, 2023.

Before Texas A&M went on Christmas break, president Mark Welsh posted an update on his website that included updates on projects that he either initiated or inherited.

As to the latter, Welsh said A&M will be in compliance with the new state law on January 1 (senate bill 17) that prohibits offices of diversity, equity, and inclusion...or D-E-I.Welsh also wrote that those with questions about federal and state laws to reach out to their supervisor or contact A&M's division of risk, ethics, and compliance.

The same day he issued his update, he was asked by a reporter during a statewide news conference about that topic.

Another topic that Welsh wrote in his update that was brought up during a statewide news conference, was his study of A&M's capacity to meet its mission.Welsh wrote that A&M's space allocation study was split into two parts. Welsh said as a survey unfolded, it became apparent that some areas simply needed more time to review and propose alternative plans to accommodate different units and their respective teams.

Part one, which includes proposed solutions for student study space on West Campus, has shared with the president’s cabinet and deans for comment. Welsh anticipated receiving part two before the end of December. And before the start of the holiday break, Welsh planned to finalize who would participate in his capacity and student experience studies. Participants were nominated by Welsh's cabinet, deans, and unidentified faculty, staff, and student groups.

Welsh finished his website post by thanking the university community for its efforts to bring great momentum. And Welsh wrote that he is excited to see what the new year will bring.

A topic that Welsh brought up during a statewide news conference that was not in his online message, dealt with the ongoing war in the Middle East.

This podcast contains comments from the December 11, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

Since September 2021, the city of College Station has a tourism committee that works with the city manager and the city's tourism office.

Board members represent hotels, attractions, and other local tourism businesses.

While many city advisory bodies includes councilmembers and hold meetings that are open to the public, the College Station tourism board does neither.

There was a discussion during December's College Station council meeting about providing more information the tourism board's activity to the council as well as the public.

Councilwoman Linda Harvell brought her past experience of directing four tourism agencies whose boards included council members.

Harvell, Elizabeth Cunha, and Dennis Maloney all supported having a councilmember on the tourism committee.

Maloney later said he could not argue with mayor John Nichols belief that open meetings of the tourism committee would lose their effectiveness because members would not be as candid with their remarks as they would when they meet privately with city staff.

There was a council majority to Nichols suggestion that tourism committee activity would be brought up twice a year during council workshops and a third time during budget deliberations.

College Station's tourism committee was created after the council decided to part ways with a former convention and tourism agency that also included the city of Bryan, Brazos County, and Texas A&M. Last known as Experience Bryan/College Station, that agency did have a board that included elected officials and held public meetings.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials about the composition of the College Station city council's tourism committee.

Councilman Paul Torres visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his priorities, recent shootings, staying involved in the community, the council's dynamic, getting districts one and two more engaged, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the December 11, 2023 Texas A and M faculty senate meeting.

Since the first week of August, a Texas A and M task force created by president Mark Welsh has been working on multiple issues related to academic freedom.

December's meeting of the A and M faculty senate included an update by task force member Heather Lench, who is the senior associate vice president in the faculty affairs office.

One of the outcomes is creating an academic freedom council, which president Welsh said in a December 13th web post would be composed of faculty members, at least one librarian, and one research scientist.

Other recommendations from the task force includes what happens when the faculty affairs office receives a complaint against a faculty member and what happens when faculty members are harassed or threatened.

President Welsh posted on his website on December 13th that he is reviewing the task force's proposed official statement reaffirming A and M's commitment to academic freedom.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the December 11, 2023 Texas A and M faculty senate meeting.

Click HERE to be directed to the academic task force website.

Click HERE to read and download academic task force reports through December 1, 2023.

This podcast is an interview with Bryan/College Station Salvation Army captain Luis Villanueva and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The Bryan-College Station Salvation Army is making its final push to reach its red kettle campaign goal.

Captain Luis Villanueva said as of Thursday night (December 21), they were at $165,000.

Volunteer bell ringers will be working Friday and Saturday.And Villanueva says on Christmas Eve, "we may two or three of our faithful workers" ringing bells "just to have a last push".

The virtual red kettle will remain open through December. Donate online at salvationarmybcs.org.

Almost one-fourth of the goal...more than $44,000 dollars...was raised during a four hour period on December 9. Villanueva says the results of the challenge event from the Salvation Army's national commander was the most in Texas and third highest in the United States.

News release from the Bryan/College Station Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army of Bryan/College Station recently participated in a national bell-ringing challenge to raise the most money in a four-hour period, in one location, ringing against The Salvation Army national leader, Commissioner Kenneth Hodder.

Results were released today, and the Bryan/College Station unit finished third nationally and was the top placing Texas location, raising more than $44,000.The national leader of The Salvation Army issued a special bell ringing challenge to communities around the country on December 9, to engage donors and supporters, and raise much needed funds to support year-round Salvation Army services. Captain Luis Villanueva at The Salvation Army of Bryan/College Station coordinated a dynamic team of ringers supported by Advisory Board members, both cities’ Mayors, volunteers, and church members.

“We put together a great team of ringers who volunteered to ring from 10 AM-2 PM on Saturday, December 9 at the Walmart on Briarcrest,” said Captain Villanueva. “So many people stopped by to put some money in the kettle and encourage our ringers. We had a wonderful time ringing and in just four hours we raised a grand total of $44,661.81! We found out today that we raised the most from more than 20 Texas locations and placed number three in the nation! Thank you to everyone who supported, either by donating or by ringing the bell.”

The iconic Red Kettle Campaign is the organization’s primary annual fundraising campaign and this year the local unit has a goal of $200,000.

With only two days of ringing remaining, The Salvation Army is hoping the community will continue to give at the kettle and help them reach their budgeted goal.“Every dollar given at the red kettle stays right here in Brazos County to help families and individuals in need throughout the coming year,” said Villanueva. “The 2024 bell ringing campaign will end on Saturday this week and we still have volunteer shifts available. "

"We’d love to have every kettle covered and you can go to www.registertoring.com and select a time to ring on Friday or Saturday. You’ll be Doing the Most Good and helping us reach our fundraising goal.”

For more information or to make a donation please call The Salvation Army at 979-361-0618, visit us at 2506 Cavitt St. or go to www.salvationarmybcs.org.

Thank you for supporting The Salvation Army this Christmas.