WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the March 10, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

More than one hour was spent at the March regular meeting of Bryan city council on a rezoning request.

In June 2022, a Bryan non profit agency received a conditional use permit to operate a professional office east of downtown Bryan for counseling services.

Made Well Ministries later expanded services on adjacent property that is inside Bryan's eastside historic district. Currently offered among other things are counseling, medical, and child care services and fitness classes.

In the summer of 2025, the city received concerns from homeowners in the historic district that Made Well was operating inside the district without proper zoning.

That led Made Well in October of 2025 to file a rezoning request to combine both properties into one planned development district (PDD).

In February 2026, the planning and zoning commission recommended approval of the PDD to the city council by a six to two margin.

And the council at its March regular meeting, tabled action until the April meeting on the P&Z recommendation by a 4-3 margin.

Making the motion to postpone, Marca Ewers-Shurtleff was among councilmembers who wanted supporters and opponents to work out their differences. She also expected the delay to result in the language of the zoning change will be exceeding clear to those who acquire the property in the future.

Seconding the motion, Jared Salvato attempted to balance the competing interests.

Also voting to delay action were Ray Arrington and Kevin Boriskie.

Voting against the delay were mayor Bobby Gutierrez and councilmen Paul Torres and James Edge.

Made Well owner Kasey Van Norman told the council that they are under contract to acquire a former law office where some services will be moved.

Van Norman also said contributing factors to increased noise and traffic congestion in the area are medians on Texas Avenue and East 29th, the enrollment at St. Joseph's school almost doubling in the last five years, and First Methodist Church acquiring a private academy.

If the council would deny the request, development services director Martin Zimmerman said they would be talking with the city manager about enforcement since Made Well would be out of compliance with zoning regulations.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download the staff report regarding Made Well's rezoning request.

Click HERE to read and download documents from rezoning opponents provided by the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download documents provided by the city of Bryan from rezoning supporters.

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County tax assessor-collector Melissa Leonard and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Employees at the Brazos County tax office fielded phone calls Wednesday (March 18) from property owners who say they have received text messages that tax assessor-collector Melissa Leonard says they did not send.

The text message refers to an upcoming auction of properties with delinquent taxes, something that Leonard says is not scheduled at this time.

Leonard says most of the calls they received came from people who owe back taxes.

She says those who owe 2025 taxes can pay them at the tax office. Paying delinquent taxes from 2024 and before should be arranged through the law firm the county hired to collect older back taxes.

Leonard said the tax office does not have residents phone numbers or e-mail addresses and could not send text messages.

News release from Brazos County:

Brazos County Tax Assessor/Collector Melissa Leonard says the tax office has received numerous calls this morning from concerned tax payers who have received text messages stating they owe back taxes and their homes are up for auction.

The tax office HAS NOT sent these messages, does not have residents phone numbers or email addresses and COULD NOT send these messages.

Please let the public know this is NOT coming from the Brazos County Tax Office.

College Station Mayor Pro Tem William Wright joined WTAW's Will Welch on The Infomaniacs on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, to discuss the city's economic development plan, water, the firefighter's union, upcoming city events, and more.

United Way of the Brazos Valley president Lizett Hawkins and the executive director of UWBV partner agency Faith Mission in Brenham Randy Wells visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver on March 17, 2026.

This podcast is a visit with Bethany Dennis at American Airlines and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Local fans of Texas A&M football have the opportunity to fly non stop to two road games in the 2026 season.

Bethany Dennis at American Airlines, who graduated from A&M in 2019, says reservations are available for direct flights from Easterwood Airport to and from Birmingham for the Alabama game and to and from Knoxville for the Tennessee game.

Dennis says decisions were made in part by tracking the final destinations of passengers flying out of Easterwood airport to American's hub at DFW airport.

The two round trips depart Easterwood on Friday and return on Sunday.

This is not the first time American has had direct flights from Easterwood to Texas A&M road games. Dennis said she flew to the Miami game in 2023 and there was a direct flight in 2025 to the Notre Dame game.

This podcast contains comments from the March 10, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.

The city of College Station asked Brazos County commissioners to not use city hall as a voting center for the primary runoff election's early voting period. 

County commissioners at their March 10th meeting decided to not move as offered by the city to the Meyer center on Dartmouth next to Wolf Pen Creek Park. 

And commissioner Fred Brown was unsuccessful in his request to move from College Station city hall to Texas A&M's memorial student center.

In the end, Brown was the lone no vote in a 3-1 decision as county judge Duane Peters and commissioners Chuck Konderla and Wanda Watson voted to keep the city hall location.

Early voting will take place from May 18th and 22nd in Brazos County between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at five locations.

The other sites are the elections office, Arena Hall, Galilee Baptist Church, and the College Station Utilities building on Graham Road.

This podcast contains comments from Bryan deputy city manager Hugh Walker at the March 10, 2026 city council workshop meeting.

It's been just over one year since Bryan firefighters had to move out of the station that is located across Texas Avenue from Davila middle school.

At the city council's March 10th meeting, unanimous approval was given to award a $309,900 dollar contract that deputy city manager Hugh Walker says will continue to renovate the station four building.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the March 10, 2026 Bryan council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the contract that was approved at the March 10, 2026 Bryan council meeting.

The contract replaces the heating and air conditioning system, including new duct work. The contract also includes new flooring, windows, and sheet rock in the living area and kitchen.

This follows the council previously spending $83,000 dollars to remove mold and asbestos at station four.

This also follows the council spending more than $260,000 dollars at the fire department's station two near Texas and Villa Maria to provide temporary heating and air conditioning. Walker told the council a contract to design a new HVAC system at station two could be considered at their April meeting.

This podcast is comments from Brazos County district attorney Jarvis Parsons at the March 10, 2026 county commission meeting.

Brazos County district attorney Jarvis Parsons tells county commissioners about the success of his first one-day version of his multi-week citizens prosecutors academy. 

Parsons said the North Bryan community center was packed for January's "D.A. In A Day" event.

Based on attendance and evaluation forms filled out by participants, Parsons told commissioners he has already scheduled another gathering.

Registration is underway for the June 13th session at College Station city hall. Contact the D.A.'s office for more information.

This podcast contains comments from the March 10, 2026 Bryan city council meeting and a portion of a March 13, 2026 interview on WTAW's The Infomaniacs with College Station deputy city manager Jeff Capps.

Traffic cameras that read license plates have and continued to be installed along state highways around Brazos County.

The Bryan city council at its March regular meeting unanimously approved adding cameras after police chief Dean Swartzlander fielded council questions and comments about how the cameras are used by the department.

Click HERE to read and download background information about traffic cameras reading license plates from the March 10, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the resolution approved by the Bryan council at its March 10, 2026 meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the amended agreement approved at the March 10, 2026 Bryan council meeting.

The subject of cameras that read license plates was also brought up during a visit by College Station deputy city manager and former police chief Jeff Capps on WTAW's The Infomaniacs.

Capps brought up the department's policies regarding data privacy and how the technology helps CSPD find criminals, particularly those who live out of town.

The cameras that read license plates have also been deployed by the Brazos County sheriff's office.

City of College Station Deputy City Manager Jeff Capps joined WTAW’s Scott DeLucia on The Infomaniacs on Friday, March 13, 2026, to talk about water conservation and supply, fire department union activities, traffic cameras used by the police department, and more.