WTAW - Interviews

Matthew Ellis, Senior Planner, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the University Drive and Texas Avenue, now known as Northeast Gateway, redevelopment area plan, what the next 10 years looks like, mobility, pedestrian improvements, mixed use structures, middle housing, an upcoming public meeting, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County 4-H Officers Olivia Davis and Caitlin Smith visit with WTAW's The Infomaniacs about the 52nd annual Cake Show and Auction.

This podcast is a visit with Bob Colwell of the Texas department of transportation district office in Bryan and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

If you have an opinion about the future route of Interstate 14, you can share it with the Texas department of transportation (TxDOT).

Bob Colwell at the TxDOT district office in Bryan says an online survey is available through August 11th.

Promoters of I-14 and connecting routes have given the nickname "forts to ports" highway going from Texas to Georgia to connect military installations, the gulf coast, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Click HERE to be directed to the TxDOT website about I-14, which includes a survey at the bottom of the webpage.

Caden Jones of the Destination Bryan tourism office visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about August's First Friday activities in downtown Bryan.

This podcast contains comments from the July 31, 2023 meeting of the Bryan commerce and development board, which is composed of members of the Bryan city council.

An international firearms manufacturer has selected Bryan to consolidate five manufacturing plants, locate its headquarters, and build a training facility.

The Bryan city council, acting as the city's commerce and development board, approved giving 204 acres of land on Mumford Road.

In exchange, Strategic Armory Corps will add $20 million dollars in value to the property and hire 70 people at a minimum salary of $55,000 dollars a year.

The first phase is moving the headquarters and manufacturing to Bryan.

The second phase is adding a campus that will encompass training, events, and education facilities.

News release from the city of Bryan:

Strategic Armory Corps, Inc. (SAC) has selected Bryan, Texas as the location to build and operate its world headquarters, manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution facility on approximately 204 acres located on Mumford Road.

The property is currently owned by Bryan Commerce and Development, Inc. (BCD). BCD approved a performance-based economic development agreement with SAC at their meeting on July 31.

The agreement puts the 204-acre property back on the tax rolls after not being included since 1998. The property appraised for more than $1.3 million, this year, by the Brazos Central Appraisal District.

SAC has two phases planned for the project.

Phase II includes building and operating a world-class BASE Armalite campus that will serve as a unique destination, and will encompass training, events, and education facilities.SAC’s companies create highly-respected products and services that are designed to meet the expectations of military, law enforcement, and commercial groups around the world. It is anticipated that Phase II of the project could serve to bolster our national security through training and educational activities.

“The City of Bryan is excited to welcome this world-renowned corporation that will provide sustainable economic impact as well as an avenue to assist in ensuring our military and law enforcement personnel have the tools they need to keep America safe,” said Mayor Bobby Gutierrez.

“Having all our state-of-the-art infrastructure now on Texan soil is the realization of a personal dream. Bryan welcomed us with open arms, and we are very grateful for this moment. It is an honor for the Strategic Armory Corps to produce the world's best tactical equipment in Texas, a milestone for our brands Armalite, Surgeon, McMillan, and AWC, which have global distribution,” said SAC President of the Board and Owner Jose Augusto Schincariol.

Per the 10-year agreement, Phase I construction must start within 18 months after all parties have signed the agreement and be substantially completed within 12 months.

Phase II (BASE Armalite) construction must commence within 24 months after Phase I is completed and be substantially completed within 18 months.

After 5 years of operations, SAC will maintain 70 full-time jobs with an average salary of at least $55,000.

City Secretary Mary Lynne Stratta visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about recruiting citizens to serve on commissions, committees and boards, legislation affecting the city's authority, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with the director of the Texas A&M Center for Nursing Excellence Dr. Stacey Mitchell and WTAW's Ian Curtis.

The Texas A&M Center for Nursing Excellence has launched a telehealth clinic designed to give follow-up care to victims of sexual trauma and violence.

Center director Dr. Stacey Mitchell says the ACTS clinic (Assessment and Care for Trauma Survivors clinic) will connect patients to nurse practitioners virtually.

Mitchell also said "To have telehealth as an option, to be able to talk to a provider on your phone, on your tablet, on a computer, anywhere you are gives so much flexibility to our patients."

Dr..Mitchell says the virtual clinic is open to victims across the state, and the center is planning on partnering with hospitals statewide to ensure victims are provided with adequate care.

"We want to make sure this information gets to our rural hospitals so that patients do not have to feel like they have to drive someplace for a doctor's appointment," Mitchell said. "They can have it right there in their own home or wherever they are the most comfortable."

Click here to request appointments through the Texas A&M forensic nursing website.

News release from the Texas A&M school of nursing:

A clinic developed by the Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing will help survivors of trauma and violence receive important follow-up care virtually. The Texas A&M Assessment and Care for Trauma Survivors (ACTS) Clinic connects patients with advanced practice registered nurses using telemedicine technology.

Operating in the Texas A&M University School of Nursing, the center is a federally and state-funded initiative that was created in 2019 to advance forensic nursing education, outreach and research.

The ACTS Clinic, which is accepting patients immediately, serves Texas residents 18 and older who have experienced sexual assault. Using any connected device, patients communicate with providers in real time without having to visit a physical location. Nurse practitioners with expertise in forensic health care help patients with additional assessments, treatment plans, laboratory and radiology testing, and specialty referrals.

“We know that survivors of trauma and violence often don’t seek the follow-up care that is essential to their health and recovery,” said Stacey Mitchell, director of the center and a clinical professor. “Their reasons are varied and valid, but our hope is that virtual appointments with specialized providers can help remove some of the barriers that come with coordinating this type of care. It’s vital we meet our patients where they are.”

The ACTS Clinic is staffed by Denise Carlton. The Texas A&M School of Medicine’s Dr. Anna Lichorad serves as medical director.

The center is a leader in leveraging telemedicine to improve forensic health care. Its innovative Tex-TRAC program virtually connects rural hospitals and medical centers in Texas with sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) to provide expert forensic exams.

Patients can check provider availability and request an appointment with the ACTS Clinic at forensic-nursing.tamu.edu/actsclinic.

This podcast is the August 2, 2023 news conference with Texas A&M interim president Mark Welsh and local reporters.

Texas A&M interim president Mark Welsh first visit with reporters took place Wednesday in the flag room of the memorial student center.

Topics during the more than 30 minute news conference included the call from the chancellor on July 21 to become acting president and his visit with the board of regents before they approved naming Welsh interim president on July 30.

Welsh, who was in his seventh year as dean of the A&M Bush School, announced naming as interim dean Frank Ashley, who is a veteran A&M university and system administrator.

Welsh also said the search process will not be interrupted for multiple openings for dean and department head positions.

Much of the news conference dealt with the aftermath of the failed hiring of Kathleen McElroy to lead A&M's journalism department and the two week suspension last March of professor Joy Alonzo after she was censured by the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the indoor tennis center at Midtown Park, the firearms manufacturing company coming to Bryan, the Hometown Reunion event, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the July 31, 2023 special meeting of the Bryan city council, followed by a visit with Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Three years in the making, the Bryan city council approves a 30 year interlocal agreement (ILA) with Texas A&M that will bring an indoor tennis center to Midtown Park.

Click HERE to read background information from a July 31, 2023 special meeting of the Bryan city council.Click HERE to read and download the interlocal agreement that was approved during the July 31, 2023 Bryan council special meeting.

The two story building would hold six tennis courts that could also accommodate 12 pickleball courts and six volleyball courts.

The ILA calls for A&M paying the city up to $675,000 dollars a year to operate and maintain the center that would be located between Big Shots and the Legends Events Center.

A financial analysis of the tennis center cites a cost of $17.5 million dollars to build and equip the facility.The center is projected to generate a net profit in its first year of almost $37,000 dollars, climbing to almost $58,000 dollars in its fifth year of operation.

The center is projected to produce an economic impact of almost $3 million dollars in its first year, climbing to $4.4 million in its fifth year.

Part of the economic impact formula is additional hotel room nights. The center is projected to generate 7,333 additional room nights in year one, climbing to 9,630 room nights in year five.

Click HERE to read and download the financial analysis of the tennis center that was presented during the July 31, 2023 Bryan council special meeting.

After the ILA is signed, construction is expected to be completed in two years.