WTAW - Interviews

State Representative Kyle Kacal of College Station visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about current legislative action, the potential vote on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment, Paxton's accusation of Dade Phelan, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative John Raney of Bryan visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about legislative action, the possible impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, infighting in the legislature, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 25, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

The city of College Station is entering its seventh year in developing the last leg of a multimillion dollar sewer line expansion along the city limits with Bryan. A nearly two hour discussion at Thursday's city council meeting provided an update on three options.

The city council decided to drop one of the options, locating a sewer trunkline along Pin Oak Creek and Burton Creek in south Bryan, a route that was opposed by residents of Bryan's Garden Acres and Beverley Estates neighborhoods. The council's decision was based on the recommendation from special projects director Jennifer Cain.

One of two options that remains on the table is also opposed by south Bryan residents in Beverley Estates along Rosemary and neighboring streets. That is a gravity fed sewer line that goes downhill without the use of a sewer lift station.

Cain said gravity only sewer lines was the professional recommendation over the use of lift stations.

She also said the city of College Station has 17 lift stations and is in the process of removing three of them with gravity only sewer lines.

Staff and some council members also had opposing views with homeowners about the impact the sewer line construction would have on historic oak trees.

Councilman William Wright brought up that the city could proceed with whatever option without regard to public opinion...noting that is the practice of privately owned utilities.

City manager Bryan Woods and mayor John Nichols said there is no date to return with a recommendation for council action. Nichols did not expect the subject to return in June due to previously scheduled issues.

Click HERE to read and download a summary of the history of the College Station northeast sewer trunk line, provided by the city of College Station.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 25, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

Councilman Kevin Boriskie visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his experience on the planning and zoning commission, what he looks at differently as a councilman, his thoughts on the current Texas legislature, College Station's sewer line project, future development in Bryan, rental property integrity, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with BTU (Bryan Texas Utilities) public information officer Meagan Brown and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

There are 18,000 new guests at Lake Bryan.Meagan Brown at BTU (Bryan Texas Utilities), which owns Lake Bryan, says Texas Parks and Wildlife stocked the lake this week with 18,000 fingerling Lone Star bass.

The bass joins several other species that includes crappie, catfish, and a few tilapia and redfish.

The fish stocking precedes the Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer.

Brown reminds visitors that there is a second gate that will allow visitors to go to the restaurant without paying an entry fee.

And a check of the Lake Bryan website showed all camping spaces have been reserved for Friday through next Monday.

Camping reservations can be made online, along with renting kayaks and paddleboards.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the EMS agreement with the City of College Station, progress in Midtown Park, the current economic climate, the impact of increasing property valuations, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 15, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

College Station is finishing its third year of a stand alone tourism office. That is after the city council decided to break away from a joint operation with Bryan and Brazos County.

During the council's May 15th meeting, members gave multiple suggestions to the director of the tourism office. That was after director Jeremiah Cook made a 15 minute presentation.

Click HERE to read and download tourism office presentation materials from the May 15, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

Councilman Bob Yancy, who in a prior life worked at the city of College Station's marketing office, called for the tourism office to "pound the phones, work the phones, make those cold calls. Cold calls lead to appointments, appointments lead to proposals, (and) proposals lead to business."

Councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha asked about the city's ability to access Texas A&M facilities through a preferred access agreement that was signed ten years ago. A&M agreed to discount rental rates in exchange of A&M receiving a projected $14 million dollars in hotel occupancy tax revenue over a 30 year period to help pay for expanding Kyle Field. When Cunha asked Cook if he "has seen an increased improvement in the preferred access access", Cook said "it's something that we are definitely in conversation about". Cook also said the city "is working with A&M to see what events are best for you all (A&M)", adding that partnership is "ten times more valuable than us (the city) just saying we need space, we need space, we need space."

Councilwoman Linda Harvell pointed out her 30 year professional career in tourism, which included leadership positions with convention and tourism bureaus in Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Denver, and Palm Springs California. She said College Station is missing out on attracting leisure travelers who can fill hotel rooms on Sunday nights through Thursday nights.

Councilman Dennis Maloney wanted more activities and more promotion of the Northgate district.

Councilman William Wright wanted marketing materials to promote the city, pointing out that 75 percent of images used in marketing materials by the tourism office promote A&M.

Mayor John Nichols finished the discussion by telling Cook he "certainly stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest, and I think you did get some good feedback." Nichols also said "I think everybody (on the council) could agree that when you start a new organization, you gotta set priorities. You can't be everybody to everything."

Mike Reilly, former Vice President for News at Berkshire Hathaway Media and Executive Editor of the Omaha World-Herald, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his background in newspapers, the future of news operations, where future journalism graduates will find jobs, how journalists can protect the public from AI hoaxes, where people get their news, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 15, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

The College Station city council tries again to reach an agreement with the city of Bryan regarding fire and ambulance services.

The council during its May 15th meeting approved a proposal puts in writing, what has been the practice in recent years.

Click HERE to read and download what was approved at the May 15, 2023 College Station city council meeting.

There will be an automatic response for the most serious fire and medical emergencies and one city can request mutual aid from the other city for the least serious calls.

College Station ambulances, which in recent years has made more runs into Bryan, will get a higher reimbursement rate.

Whichever city ambulance service crosses the border more often, will collect $550 dollars per run from the other city.

The College Station council was told that the Bryan council will consider the agreement on June 13.

That is the same rate that College Station asked for nearly two years ago. The last offer Bryan made to College Station was $240 dollars.

The proposed agreement also addresses hazardous materials calls, where neither city will charge the other for personnel time.

The only charge will be to reimburse the other city for supplies.

Either city can terminate the new agreement with a 30 day notice.

Donnis Baggett, Executive Vice President of Texas Press Association, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about The Eagle and the Waco Tribune-Herald reducing their print editions, where Texans are getting their news, the future of news, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.