WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the October 16, 2023 meeting of the Texas A&M faculty senate.

Two weeks after Texas A&M's interim president returned the provost's position to number two in authority, the provost is asked about the elevated role by members of the university's faculty senate.

Provost Alan Sams, who was hired by former president Katherine Banks, says he has a range of experiences that is equivalent to most of the provosts he knows at land grant universities of similar stature and size to A&M.

Sams served nine months as interim provost when he was given the job on a permanent basis in May.

Sams also told the faculty senate that the reorganization of the provost's office that came with the announcement by Mark Welsh should be completed next month.

This podcast is a visit with Rusty Warncke of the city of College Station's capital projects office and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

College Station residents are asked for their opinion about adding youth ballfields and the future development of Southeast Park.Online surveys are now available on both topics.

And residents can participate in separate meetings that are hosted by the city's parks and capital projects departments.

Project manager Rusty Warncke of the city's capital projects office says staff will be forwarding public opinions to the city council.

The subject of adding youth ballfields is the result of the city learning that soil quality issues prevented the construction of fields at what was the Texas Independence Ballpark complex.

That property, off Rock Prairie Road west of Fitch, is now called Southeast Park. Warncke says the council is seeking public input on what should be located on that park property.

The meeting about youth ballfields is Wednesday, October 25.

The meeting about developing Southeast Park is Monday, October 30.

Both meetings are at College Station city hall, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Neither meeting includes a formal presentation. Warncke says residents can come and go and visit with city staff.

Click HERE to be directed to the city of College Station's survey regarding the addition of youth ballfields.

Click HERE to be directed to the city of College Station's survey regarding the development of Southeast Park.

This podcast contains comments from the October 23, 2023 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

Bryan ISD school board members and administrators recognize a statewide honor for a Stephen F. Austin middle school teacher.

Naveen Cunha is BISD's first secondary teacher of the year from the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Cunha, who is a robotics teacher and leads SFA's STEM academy, was chosen from 370,000 secondary educators in Texas.

Speakers included Cunha, SFA principal Kim Giesenschlag, and board members Leo Gonzalez and Mark McCall.

This podcast is a visit with United Way of the Brazos Valley president Peggi Goss, the Brazos Valley region coordinator for UWBV partner agency Texas Ramp Project Roy Harrington, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Steven Maldonado, Assistant Director of Water Services, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about the Lick Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion, its environmentally friendly features, training high school students to become a water or wastewater operator, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Scott Smith, Chief Information Security Officer, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about cybersecurity month, strong passwords, turning on MFA, recognizing and reporting phishing, updating software, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about a joint meeting with the College Station ISD school board, concerns from opponents of the no-more-than-four ordinance, a new Housing Action Plan Steering Committee, voting to amend the land use regulations in the Wellborn neighborhood, studying the feasibility of a recreation center, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the October 12, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

The 11 public speakers during last week's College Station city council meeting (October 12) shared their opinion about the city's lack of affordable housing.

Most of the speakers were Texas A&M students who wanted to repeal the ban on more than four unrelated occupants living under the same roof, particularly in the historic district south of the university's campus.

The council also heard that 1,100 requests for on-campus housing were turned down due to a lack of rooms.

The last public speaker, a fifth generation College Station resident, brought up the gentrification of minority neighborhoods near campus due to rising property values caused by new student housing.

Because the topic was not on the meeting agenda, by state law the council was not allowed to respond to the public speakers.

This podcast contains comments from the October 12, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

The College Station city council updates land use regulations in the Wellborn neighborhood.It is the first change since the city annexed the area ten years ago.

Click HERE to read and download pages 1-55 of the updated Wellborn area plan approved during the October 12, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download pages 56-109 of the updated Wellborn area plan approved during the October 12, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials shown during the October 12, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

The four to two vote followed public opposition to TxDOT's plans to widen Wellborn Road from Fitch to Greens Prairie with a center median and a hike and bike trail.

Mayor John Nichols brought up more than once that TxDOT's plans were not part of the city's Wellborn neighborhood update.

Three property owners talked about TxDOT taking a substantial portion of their land for the project.

One property owner said he has 2,000 petition signatures opposing TxDOT's plans.

Councilmen William Wright and Dennis Maloney said they would sign the petition, but repeated that was separate from the city's land use update for the Wellborn area.

Also voting for the city's land use update were Nichols and Elizabeth Cunha.

Voting no, were Bob Yancy and Linda Harvell.

Mark Smith was absent from the meeting.

This podcast is a visit with United Way of the Brazos Valley president Peggi Goss and WTAW's Bill Oliver about the fifth Brazos Valley Gives Day, which is Tuesday, October 17.

News release from Brazos Valley Gives:

The Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley announces Brazos Valley Gives is Tuesday, October 17.

The Community Foundation’s fifth annual Brazos Valley Gives Day includes 167 nonprofits that are taking part in the community-wide day of giving.

Donors simply log on to brazosvalleygives.org and make a gift to a participating nonprofit of their choice on Tuesday, October 17, from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

For those donors who prefer dropping off their gift, the Bryan-College Station Eagle drive-thru will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The drive-thru is located at 1729 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan.

In addition, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce [314 South Austin Street in Brenham] and the Caldwell Civic Center [103 West Highway 21] will both be open for drop-off donations from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Businesses and organizations are invited to drop-off their donations at the Bryan, Brenham or Caldwell drop-off donation sites and capture the moment with a “big-check” presentation and photo opportunity for use on social media!

This year, Amarillo National Bank, David Gardner Jewelers, and Tom Light Legacy are presenting Brazos Valley Gives to our community.

Ray of Hope is the 5th Anniversary Sponsor.

Bryan Broadcasting, KBTX, The Eagle, Insite, Brenham Banner Press, Navasota Examiner, Burleson County Tribune, KORA and Lamar Advertising, the Bryan/College Station and Washington County Chambers of Commerce are partnering with Brazos Valley Gives to ensure the community is aware and ready for the big day, which supports 167 nonprofits from across all seven of our 7-county region.

Participating nonprofits are also eligible to win over $55,000 in incentive prizes donated from businesses and individuals.

In addition, over 180 individuals and organizations have volunteered to “CHAMPION” the efforts of their favorite nonprofit giving campaign. These individuals are hosting an online Brazos Valley Gives peer fundraiser to support their favorite participating nonprofit on brazosvalleygives.org.

“Our fifth annual giving day is empowering donors across our region to give where they live.

Brazos Valley Gives is strengthening our nonprofits, bringing the community together as one,” stated Julie Porter, Co-Chair.

Brazos Valley Gives is 18 hours of online giving that brings the region together on one day and as one community to raise critical funding and awareness for nonprofit organizations throughout the Brazos Valley.

Powered by the Community Foundation, Brazos Valley Gives provides citizens and businesses an easy platform to support the mission and “good works” of local nonprofit organizations that serve the Brazos Valley.

Nonprofits from throughout the Brazos Valley—7 of the 7 counties—are participating as well.

Brazos Valley Gives empowers individual donors and business leaders to come together to support causes close to their hearts—and, on this day, everyone can be a philanthropist.

This day of giving where you live is being powered by the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, and all donations will pass-thru directly to the donor’s charity(ies) of choice.

The goal for Brazos Valley Gives is $1,250,000.

The big day begins on Tuesday, October 17 at 5:00 a.m. and will continue all day until 11:00 p.m.

Please visit brazosvalleygives.org to see a list of the nonprofit participants or for more information send an email to [email protected].

If you are a local citizen or business interested in helping with Brazos Valley Gives in the future, please call Patricia Gerling, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley at (979) 589-4305.

Let’s all join in as we strengthen nonprofits, empower donors and build community throughout our beloved Brazos Valley. We give where we live!