WTAW - Interviews

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Lizett Hawkins, President/CEO, and Jennifer L'Herault, Manager of Programs and Outreach, about Book Bash events, Ride2Health, Brazos Valley Gives, Pizza for a Purpose, and more.

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Danny Morrison from Epicures Catering about the 42nd annual Thanksgiving in the Brazos Valley.

Captain Luis Villanueva visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the upcoming Red Kettle season, how to sign up to ring the bell, the after school program, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners hold a workshop to prepare for hiring a consultant that will compose a master plan of county services that will be needed in the next 20 to 25 years.

Following the presentation from the county's project manager Trevor Lansdown, he collected suggestions from each commissioner.

Once a consultant is hired, commissioners told the master plan will take 12 to 18 months to complete.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the October 6, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

Bryan ISD school board members spend money from the 2020 bond issue to replace doorknobs with door levers at four elementary schools.

BISD's construction services director Bobby Griffin told board members during their October 6th meeting that they received three bids after approaching 180 potential vendors.

The $156,000 dollar purchase of door levers was to comply with the American With Disabilities Act. 

Griffin said the cost was more than $14,000 dollars under the projected budget.

That item took most of the six minutes that the BISD board met in public before spending 90 minutes in executive session discussing undisclosed legal, personnel, and student matters. No action was taken following the executive session.

This podcast contains comments from the October 9, 2025 College Station city council meeting, mayor John Nichols visit with Scott DeLucia on WTAW's The Infomaniacs on October 15, 2025, and councilwoman Melissa McIlhaney's visit on The Infomaniacs October 17, 2025.

As of October 9th, the College Station city council has held 19 regular meetings so far this year. 

While the public portion doesn't start any sooner than six p.m., five of the 19 meetings have gone past midnight and two of the last three have ended just after or just before one a.m. 

At the end of the council's October 9th meeting...just before one in the morning...a few minutes was taken discussing what could be done to reduce time.

The discussion was initiated by councilwoman Melissa McIlhaney, who said "I don't really feel that on top of things, especially past midnight."

Mayor John Nichols, who said his goal is to adjourn regular meetings by nine p.m., said he would visit with the city manager about possible options. 

Three of this year's 19 College Station council meetings ended before nine p.m., five more ended by 10 p.m., and six ended between 10 and midnight.

The topic was also discussed by the mayor during his October 15th visit on WTAW's The Infomaniacs and councilwoman Melissa McIlhaney's visit on The Infomaniacs on October 17th.

According to city of College Station blog posts, here are the times regularly scheduled city council meetings adjourned:

10/9/25 at 12:51 a.m.
9/25/25 at 11:54 p.m.
9/11/25 at 1:03 a.m.
8/28/25 at 9:54 p.m.
8/14/25 at 8:59 p.m.
7/24/25 at 10:07 p.m.
7/10/25 at 11:00 p.m.
6/26/25 at 9:15 p.m.
6/12/25 at 1:50 a.m.
5/22/25 at 8:56 p.m.
5/8/25 at 11:02 p.m.
4/24/25 at 9:13 p.m.
4/10/25 at 10:01 p.m.
3/27/25 at 9:47 p.m.
3/13/25 at 7:01 p.m.
2/27/25 at 12:40 a.m.
2/13/25 at 10:48 p.m.
1/23/25 at 9:49 p.m.
1/9/25 at 12:27 a.m.

This podcast contains comments from the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners approve contracts that provides a total of $775,000 dollars in state grant money to help pay some employees in the county attorney and sheriff's offices.

The sheriff's office will receive $500,000 dollars and the county attorney's office $275,000 dollars.

It is the first time the agreements were approved by new commissioners Fred Brown and Bentley Nettles.

Brown, who served in the Texas House, reminded everyone that continued state funding is not guaranteed.Nettles, who is a lawyer, hoped the state money will help attract prosecutors to the county attorney's office.

Brazos County county attorney Earl Gray hopes state lawmakers will consider expanding grant money beyond assistant county attorneys, investigators and victim assistance coordinators. Gray says he has eight other employees who are not eligible.

Brazos County sheriff Wayne Dicky, who attended the meeting, passed when asked to speak about the grants.

Click HERE to read and download the $275,000 dollar state grant for the county attorney's office that was approved at the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the $500,000 dollar state grant for the sheriff's office that was approved at the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners approve contracts with seven organizations that provides services to county residents.

While there was a unanimous vote at Tuesday's meeting (October 14), concerns were expressed by commissioner Fred Brown.

The first year commissioner said "I hate spending taxpayer dollars on things that, if you individually believe in these different things, then give to them. But it shouldn't be the county's responsibility to always open up our piggybank and give to different organizations."

Wanda Watson disagreed, saying these organizations "serve the whole county" and "what they offer to the county also helps us with the growth of the county."

Bentley Nettles pointed out these contracts were not just direct donations, but agreements where these organizations will be reviewed for their performance.

The largest amount of money in the group is Brazos County 9-1-1 receiving $1.4 million dollars. That is followed by the Brazos Transit District at $400,800 dollars.

Commissioners also approved $25,000 dollars for the Salvation Army, $12,000 for the Arts Center of the Brazos Valley, $8,300 to the Brazos County Historical Commission, and $5,000 to the Brazos Valley Thin Blue Line organization.

Click HERE to be directed to the Brazos County website location for details on each contract that was approved at the October 14, 2025 county commission meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the September 30, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

A Bryan man has filed a second federal lawsuit against Brazos County after the district attorney's office filed two criminal cases on charges of failing to register as a sex offender.

This was discussed during the county commission's September 30th meeting.

The commission's general counsel, Bruce Erratt, says the first lawsuit that sought monetary damages was dismissed.The second federal lawsuit is asking that the DA's office is barred from prosecuting the criminal cases.

Erratt's recommendation to use the same lawyer in the second federal lawsuit was approved.

Click HERE to read and download the agreement that was approved at the September 30, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

The discussion prior to the unanimous vote focused about the lawyer, who was selected by the Texas Association of Counties, being based in Beaumont and not Brazos County.

Commissioner Bentley Nettles, who is a lawyer, supported using the same lawyer because of their familiarity with both federal lawsuits.

Nettles comments came in response to commissioner Fred Brown wanting a lawyer whose practice is based in Brazos County. Erratt said there are Brazos County lawyers who are qualified to handle federal lawsuits.

The plaintiff in the federal lawsuits, 31 year old Johnathan Arthurton, is awaiting trials on charges of failing to register as a sex offender in 2023 and in 2024. Arthurton is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $110,000 dollars.

This podcast contains comments from Brazos County district atttorney Jarvis Parsons and the head of the Brazos County public defenders office Nathan Wood during the October 14, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

The Brazos County commission's October 14th meeting was the first where members received regular updates from elected and appointed department heads.

The initial speakers were district attorney Jarvis Parsons and the head of the public defender's office, Nathan Wood.