WTAW - Interviews

The winner of the November 2023 election for Bryan ISD school board single member two seat, Julie Harlin, visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This podcast is a visit recorded November 3, 2023 with the president of the Baylor Scott & White Health-College Station region Jason Jennings, chief nursing officer Jana Elliott, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

An update has been provided by Baylor Scott & White Health (BSW) of its $90 million dollar investment in the College Station region, which includes Bryan and Brenham.

Region president Jason Jennings says medical clinics recently opened on the campus of the College Station hospital and in the Wellborn community.

The second medical office building on the campus of the College Station hospital is scheduled to open in January 2025.

And around Christmas, construction starts on an expansion of the hospital's emergency room. The 7,000 square foot addition will include 11 new exam rooms and two trauma bays.

Jennings says with these projects, BSW employment will increase by at least 200.

Chief nursing officer Jana Elliott reported that the College Station hospital was recognized by U.S. News & World Report for achieving a “High Performing” rating, which is the highest distinction a hospital can earn, in the following adult procedures and conditions: Back surgery (spinal fusion), COPD, Heart attack, Pneumonia, and Stroke.

Elliott also said the College Station region became the first healthcare system in the Brazos Valley to receive the Magnet® designation for nursing excellence.

Meantime, last April BSW announced that Jennings was moving. Jennings told WTAW News that he decided to "wake up and stay in this great community we call the Brazos Valley."

Additional information from Baylor Scott & White Health-College Station region:

Capital improvements throughout our College Station hospital and clinics, include:

Baylor Scott & White – College Station campus expansion projects:

Baylor Scott & White – Medical Plaza 600

·This building will be called Baylor Scott & White – Medical Plaza 600, or simply, The Plaza.

·This building will include spaces for clinic rooms, a sleep center, therapy services, lab and future growth, along with an ambulatory surgical center, a facility where surgeries that do not require a hospital stay are performed.

Imaging additions:

CT scanners: We are replacing a CT at the College Station hospital with a new CT scanner, which offers newer technology with faster speeds, allowing care teams to capture better quality images with reduced motion.

New MRI machine: We replaced the MRI at our University Drive clinic with a brand-new magnet. A new MRI unit allows us to have better image quality and resolution and newer, faster technology.
Nuclear medicine SPECT/CT scanner: We added a new nuclear medicine scanner at the College Station hospital.

In our clinics:

Baylor Scott & White Clinic – College Station Barron Road: Baylor Scott & White Clinic – Barron Road is a clinic for our podiatry services, where our medical professionals diagnose, evaluate and treat many conditions that affect the foot, toes and toenails.

Baylor Scott & White Clinic – College Station Wellborn: Baylor Scott & White Clinic – College Station Wellborn is a primary care clinic to meet the needs of the growing community in South College Station.

Upcoming initiatives:

Emergency department expansion: An emergency department expansion is slated to start construction this winter.

Awards:

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – College Station was recognized by U.S. News & World Report and was ranked “High Performing,” the highest distinction a hospital can earn, in the following adult procedures and conditions: Back surgery (spinal fusion), COPD, Heart attack, Pneumonia, and Stroke.

Late spring, Baylor Scott & White – College Station Region, which includes two hospitals and 16 clinics, became the first healthcare system in the Brazos Valley to receive the Magnet® designation.

Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19:

Knowing that each community includes members who are more vulnerable to these viruses—including infants, older adults and those with underlying conditions such as asthma or heart disease—it is important to take proactive steps to protect ourselves and our neighbors.

For most Texans, flu vaccines are free and are available at clinics, pharmacies and other convenient locations. Remember that it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body.

Like the flu vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying. Staying up to date with the recommended number of doses and boosters, when eligible, can increase protection.

An for care is virtual care on the MyBSWHealth app, which you can download by texting BETTER to 88408. The app and virtual care are open to all – users need not have been a patient of Baylor Scott & White prior to using this service, as a medical record is established once users begin the process.

United Way of the Brazos Valley president Peggi Goss and the director of UWBV partner agency Sexual Assault Resource Center of the Brazos Valley (SARC) Lindsey LeBlanc visit with WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Topics includes recruiting volunteers for the next round of training to become SARC advocates.

November 13 is the deadline to apply.

Three weeks of virtual training begins November 27.

Click HERE to be directed to SARC's volunteer advocate application webpage.

This podcast is a visit with the president of the Brazos Valley chapter of the University of Texas alumni group Texas Exes, Walter Hinkle, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Volunteers at the annual cleaning of Texas A&M's bonfire memorial gateway portals includes for the first time, alumni from the University of Texas.

The president of the Brazos Valley chapter of the Texas Exes, Walter Hinkle, says they will be cleaning the portal of Michael Ebanks, who was one of the 12 Aggies who died in the Bonfire collapse.

Hinkle says Ebanks father was active in the local U-T alumni chapter until his unexpected death in September.

Hinkle says the Exes participation is also meant to carry on the spirit of U-T’s display of support at the two schools’ first football game following the tragedy.

Hinkle said the idea came from the treasurer of the local Exes chapter, Amy Vance, who works at A&M.

The cleaning is organized by the staff at A&M's art galleries.
News release from Texas A&M:

As the 24th annual remembrance of the collapse of Aggie Bonfire approaches Nov. 18, preparations are being made for the evening’s ceremony, which includes cleaning the memorial site.

The cleaning will take place on Friday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., in two-hour shifts.

The Bonfire Memorial sits on the northeast side of campus, on the exact site where the stack collapsed at 2:42 a.m. on Nov. 18, 1999, killing 12 Aggies. Each fallen student is represented with a gateway structure which visitors can step into and symbolically fill the void left behind.

Texas A&M University Art Galleries staff spearheads the annual cleaning of the memorial and is being joined by volunteers including staff from the Division of Academic and Strategic Collaborations and members of Company D-1 from the Corps of Cadets. As of this writing, around 60 volunteers have signed up.

This year — for the first time — the volunteer roster includes alumni of the University of Texas, the Aggies’ longstanding athletic rival. Around 10 members of the Brazos Valley chapter of Texas Exes, UT’s alumni group, will participate in tomorrow’s service event.

“Rivalries don’t matter when it comes to selfless service and loss,” said Amanda Neel, collections manager for the galleries. “The Texas Exes’ participation in this year’s cleaning shows how greatly the collapse of the Bonfire affected not only the A&M community, but Texas as a whole.”

Walter Hinkle, president of the local Texas Exes chapter, says his group’s participation for the first time this year seems like a blessing of fate.

“We will be cleaning the portal of Michael Ebanks, son of the late Jerry Ebanks and his wife, Bulinda,” Hinkle said. “Jerry received his master’s degree at UT and was an active member of the Brazos Valley Texas Exes chapter.” Jerry Ebanks passed away unexpectedly on Sept 2.

“When we found out about the cleaning, we were very excited; we had no idea something like that was done every year. What an awesome opportunity to pay respect to the university and our friend Jerry and his son,” Hinkle said.

He added while it’s at a much smaller scale, the Texas Exes’ care of the memorial is meant also to carry on the spirit of UT’s display of support at the two schools’ first game following the tragedy.

Amy Vance, Texas Exes treasurer, plans to serve at the cleaning event; she works at A&M as the director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Workforce Development, College of Engineering.

“I happened to learn of the clean-up through a work email and suggested to the other officers that we participate,” Vance said. “We feel this is a way to show our respect to those who died and to demonstrate that, even as rivals, we can come together as a community for a greater good. I’m glad that we, as alumni of the University of Texas, can be a part of preserving the memories of those who died at the Bonfire. It is something that tied our two institutions together.”

There are around 110,000 members of the Texas Exes and, according to Vance, 120 members locally on the group’s active roster, and likely hundreds more in the Brazos Valley area.

Learn more about the Bonfire clean-up and volunteer at uart.tamu.edu/bonfire.
And read about Bonfire remembrance at bonfire.tamu.edu.

This podcast is a visit with the first judge of Brazos County's new 472nd district court, Jerrell Wise, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Brazos County officially has a fourth district court judge.

Jerrell Wise was sworn in to preside over the 472nd district court by former Brazos County district judge and now justice on the Texas 10th court of appeals Steve Smith.

After taking the oath and putting on his judicial robe, the presiding judge of Brazos County district courts Kyle Hawthorne presented Wise with a stack of papers transferring cases from the 85th, 272nd, and 361st courts.

Wise thanked Brazos County state representatives John Raney and Kyle Kacal for including in the legislation creating the 472nd, language that most cases will involve civil matters.

Wise will preside over his first trial November 13th in the old 85th district courtroom, which is where he tried his first case as a lawyer in Brazos County.

Wise served two years as the presiding judge of the city of Bryan's municipal court before he was appointed by the governor to serve as district judge through the end of 2024.

Wise told WTAW News that he intends to file in the March 2024 Republican primary for a full term.

This podcast is a recording of the swearing in of Jerrell Wise as the first judge of Brazos County's new 472nd district court on November 1, 2023.

Brazos County officially has a fourth district court judge.

Jerrell Wise was sworn in to preside over the 472nd district court by former Brazos County district judge and now justice on the Texas 10th court of appeals Steve Smith.

After taking the oath and putting on his judicial robe, the presiding judge of Brazos County district courts Kyle Hawthorne presented Wise with a stack of papers transferring cases from the 85th, 272nd, and 361st courts.

Wise thanked Brazos County state representatives John Raney and Kyle Kacal for including in the legislation creating the 472nd, language that most cases will involve civil matters.

Wise will preside over his first trial November 13th in the old 85th district courtroom, which is where he tried his first case as a lawyer in Brazos County.

Wise served two years as the presiding judge of the city of Bryan's municipal court before he was appointed by the governor to serve as district judge through the end of 2024.

Wise told WTAW News that he intends to file in the March 2024 Republican primary for a full term.

Caden Jones of the Destination Bryan tourism office visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about November's First Friday schedule, a look ahead to holiday events, and a review of the rescheduled Halloweentown in downtown Bryan event.

Lindsey Guindi, Director of Strategic Projects, and Zyreshia Jackson, Community and Development Specialist, visit with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about economic development, the Bryan Arts and Culture development grant, how to apply, upcoming workshops, and more during their appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Chris Kirk and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Ten days before the filing period begins for the March 2024 primary election, there is one fewer candidate seeking the state representative's seat covering most of Brazos County.

Retired Brazos County sheriff Chris Kirk has announced withdrawing from the house district 14 race.

Kirk says he made the decision after spending four days in the hospital after a severe reaction to medication following what was a successful hernia operation.

Kirk said he wanted to give an opportunity for others to decide whether to seek the Republican nomination for the HD 14 seat.

That seat becomes vacant next year after John Raney retires.

Kirk says he will wait until the filing period is over before deciding whether he will give an endorsement.

News release from Chris Kirk:

A little over 10 days ago, I underwent a surgical procedure to repair an incisional abdominal hernia. The surgery went as planned and was successful.

However, during recovery, I had a severe reaction to the medication provided that ultimately required emergency hospitalization.Thankfully, the follow-up tests indicate that there are no life-threatening side effects.

As I continue through the recovery process, I have had plenty of time to reflect on my priorities and the things that matter most to me and my family. It has become clear that my focus should be directed toward my family and my continued recovery.

Therefore, it is with a heavy heart, I am announcing my withdrawal from the race for Texas House of Representatives (HD 14). This decision was extremely difficult as I was truly excited about the possibility of serving you in the Texas Legislature. I love this county and our community.

Therefore, I could not in good conscience delay this decision any longer. It is my hope that we will elect a truly effective representative.

I would like to thank all who have taken a moment to affirm my candidacy and the many offers to assist me in the HD-14 race. Your support has been overwhelming and adds to my disappointment that I can’t follow through with our plans.

I would like to extend special thanks to former Senator Steve Ogden for his counsel and support, to Judge Travis Bryan III for serving as my campaign treasurer, and to Randy Horvath for agreeing to serve as my campaign manager.

The Lord has Blessed me with a wonderfully supportive family..... for that I am truly thankful. I especially want to thank my beautiful wife, Sheryl, for her unwavering love and support.

GOD Bless Texas!

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County elections administrator Trudy Hancock and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Brazos County's elections administrator discovers that residents living on one particular street who were supposed to vote in College Station ISD, were instead assigned to Navasota ISD.

Trudy Hancock says three people who participated in early voting were contacted and informed how to vote in the CSISD bond and school board elections.

Hancock says once the mistake was found, the corrections were made quickly in the elections computer software system. She says when others who live on that street vote, they will have the correct ballot.

As of October 31, early voting has generated 4,505 of Brazos County's 127,450 registered voters, which is a turnout of 3.5 percent.

Early voting in Brazos County continues through Friday, November 3, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at five voting centers.