WTAW - Interviews

This podcast is Bryan city manager Andrew Nelson's report to the city council on February 10, 2026.

Some of the report includes:

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
• The roadway work in BRAC is complete, with the narrow asphalt section replaced with a wider concrete roadway.
• The Stella Ranch Lift Station is complete and operational.
• The contractor has started drilling Well 23, located on the peninsula in Lake Bryan.
• The traffic signal construction at Highway 30 and Hardy Weedon has started.
• The Highway 6 sewer main contractor began the sewer main replacement work to accommodate the Highway 6 widening. The contractor has installed the water line through the Lowes property and is getting ready to cross Highway 6.
• Staff is negotiating a design contract for Williamson, Bomber, and Carson Drives.
• Staff is negotiating a design contract South College Phase 3 to complete South College to Downtown.
• Staff is negotiating a design contract for Waco Street widening.

PARKS AND POOLS UPDATES
• Staff continued work at Travis Major Field last week, including repairing the fences, removing poorly maintained, dilapidated, and unwanted structures, and general cleanup of the complex.
• Staff began removal of the existing structures at Ibarra Park for the 2-5 years old children’s playground area, with installation of the new playground scheduled for completion by April 30.
• The larger playgrounds for ages 5-12 years old will be replaced at Claude Scurry Park and Copperfield Park. Removal of existing structures is planned.

City of Bryan Travis Fields General Manager Travis Triola joined WTAW’s Scott DeLucia on The Infomaniacs on Thursday, February 12, 2026, to share updates on the new renovations, sports facilities, schedules, leagues, and more.

This podcast contains comments from the February 11, 2026 Bryan city council workshop meeting.

Bryan city council members have questions, but expressed no opposition, to the design of a mural that will be painted on the exterior of Clara B. Mounce library.

The mural is a project of the Bryan-College Station sister cities organization, which has relationships with cities in Germany, Mexico, Belgium, and Poland.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the February 10, 2026 Bryan city council workshop meeting.

The purpose of the mural, according to background information from the sister cities association, is to serve "as a contemporary artistic expression supporting a shared mission to engage, enlighten, empower, and inform all persons through lifelong access to knowledge and learning."

The sister cities board secretary, Chuck Martinez, shared the location of the mural, which is the exterior of the west side of Mounce library, recognizes Mrs. Mounce's belief "that travel is a means to understanding culture, history, and social interactions."

An artist from Germany was hired to design and paint the mural on the side of the library facing the railroad tracks.

Bryan and the four sister cities will be represented by what is described as animals "personifying human qualities"...which some compares to characters in the movie Zootopia.

A blue jay was selected for Bryan in part because they have qualities that parallel core functions of a library...those qualities being observant and share information.

A jaguar was selected for the sister city of Salamanca, Mexico in part because it is deeply rooted in Mexican culture, symbolizing strength and wisdom.

A deer was selected for the sister city of Bastogne, Belgium in part because it represents calmness, dignity, and a close connection to nature.

An owl was selected for the sister city of Torun, Poland in part because they embody intellectual curiosity, research, and the role of knowledge as a bridge between cultures.

And a crane was selected for the sister city of Greifswald, Germany...the home of the mural artist...in part because it is a characteristic bird of northern Germany reflecting Griefswald's close connection to nature and its maritime Baltic Sea environment.

Along with the animals, the mural will include five phrases representing each of the cities...the American phrase Learn Together, the Spanish phrase for curiosity and connection, the French phrase representing Belgium for inspire each other, the German phrase for discovering together, and the Polish phrase for exploring new paths.

The timeline for the sister cities mural is to have it completed in time for June's First Friday in downtown Bryan.

The undisclosed price for the mural will be paid from a city arts and culture development grant that is funded by hotel occupancy tax money.

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia to share updates on Zootopia-style mural ideas, ongoing parking challenges in Downtown Bryan, details on Travis Bryan Midtown Park, boilerplate contracts, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

This podcast contains comments from the chief facilities officer of the Texas A&M system, Brett McCully, during the February 5, 2026 meeting of the board of regents building committee.

The Texas A&M system board of regents approves spending an additional $16.5 million dollars for its new semiconductor institute on the RELLIS campus.

That brings the price tag of what is described as a world leading facility for semiconductor design, production, and innovation to $205 million dollars.

The system's chief facilities officer, Brett McCully, told the regents building committee that construction starts in March on the first phase of the project which includes a two story building.

McCully told the regents committee that completion is scheduled in January of 2028.

Click HERE to read and download background information on the RELLIS campus semiconductor institute building from the Texas A&M system.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials at the February 5, 2026 meeting of the board of regents building committee.

This podcast is a visit with Bryan police officer Seth Waller and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The city of Bryan has issued permits for alarm systems for 1,374 homes and 718 businesses.But last year, Bryan police responded to 418 alarms at locations that did not have a permit. And 224 of those 418 alarms were at a repeat location that did not have a permit.

That has led to a new effort by BPD to register alarms as required by the city.

Officer Seth Waller said they also want those who have a permit to update their contact information.

Click HERE to be directed to the Bryan police department's webpage about getting an alarm permit.

This podcast is a visit with the city of Bryan's historic preservation officer Allison Kay and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Downtown Bryan is now on the national register of historic places.

The city's historic preservation officer, Allison Kay, says this completes a process that started in March 2023.

According to a news release from the Texas Historical Commission, 91 of the district's 104 structures were described as having a sophisticated range of architectural styles dating back to 1880.

The national designation gives the owners of income producing properties the opportunity to receive federal tax benefits for what is described as sympathetic rehabilitation work.

News release from the Texas Historical Commission:

The Downtown Bryan Historic District in Brazos County was recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places with the assistance of the Texas Historical Commission (THC).

Noted for its historical significance, the new district joins other properties around the state with National Register status.Originally platted by the Houston & Texas Central Railroad (H&TC) in 1866, the 37-acre-district served as a vital regional hub for the agricultural and cotton industries. Bryan’s unique diamond-shaped street grid and dense commercial core reflect the importance of the railroads, which funneled the wealth of the Brazos Bottom farmlands into the city.

The district epitomizes the classic evolution of a Texas railroad town, from its early boom years through its adaptation to the mid-century highway system.

The district features 104 built resources, including 91 contributing buildings that showcase a sophisticated range of architectural styles. While most buildings reflect the practical American Commercial style, the area is also home to high-style examples of Queen Anne, Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Mid-Century Modern design.

The district includes some of Bryan’s most notable landmarks, including the 1902 Bryan Carnegie Library, the La Salle Hotel, and the Queen Theater. These masonry structures, largely built between 1880 and 1940, replaced earlier wood-frame buildings following a series of devastating fires in 1909.

The district stands today as a testament to generations of successful preservation efforts in Bryan, maintaining a historic low-rise scale and mixed-use character that originally blended commerce, government, and institutional life.

About the Texas Historical Commission:

The Texas Historical Commission is the state's official historic preservation agency. It preserves, operates, and manages 42 state historic sites, the Texas Heritage Trails Program, Texas Main Street Program, Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, and many more heritage tourism and historic preservation initiatives across the state. The Texas Historical Commission's mission is to protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. For more information, visit thc.texas.gov.

About the National Register of Historic Places:

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of cultural resources deemed worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a federal program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect the country's historic and archeological resources. The National Register includes more than 3,300 listings in Texas. Income-producing properties are also eligible for federal tax benefits for sympathetic rehabilitation work. To learn more about the National Register of Historic Places, visit thc.texas.gov/nrhp.

This podcast contains comments from Republican candidates for Brazos County county judge Mike Southerland and Kyle Kacal at the B/CS chamber forum on February 9, 2026.

This podcast contains comments from the Republican candidates for Brazos County commission precinct 4 at the B/CS chamber forum on February 9, 2026.

This podcast contains the comments of Democratic candidates for precinct 2 Brazos County commission Wanda Watson and Prentiss Madison Sr. at the B/CS chamber forum on February 9, 2026.