WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the August 19, 2025 College Station ISD school board meeting.

College Station ISD school board members decide not to change the district's grievance policy.

Chief of staff Sara Goolsby told board members at their August regular meeting that the district had the option to not comply with a new state law.

Senate Bill 12 gives parents 60 days to file a grievance instead of 15 and allows parents to contact the central office without confronting the campus administration.

Board members wanted to keep the shorter grievance period and to start the grievance process at the campus level.

Click HERE to read and download a memo summarizing the CSISD board's decision at their August 19, 2025 meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the August 19, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

For the first time in ten years, rental prices are going up at the Brazos Center.

Recommendations from Brazos Center manager Joanna Spencer were unanimously approved at the August 19th county commission meeting.

Spencer says the prices on contracts already signed for future events will be honored.

New prices will begin in 2026, with another increase planned in 2029 and again in 2032.

Spencer says the increase is to generate revenue to pay for operating expenses.

Spencer says the Brazos Center will be priced similar to community centers and will remain well below other venues.

Click HERE to read and download what was approved at the August 19, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber.

This podcast contains comments from the August 19, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

In 2022, Brazos County commissioners created a public defender's office to represent adults who cannot afford a lawyer.A state grant helped pay for the initial staff of ten people.

Commissioners at this week's meeting (August 19) accepted more state grant money to continue paying a share of keeping the original staff, and to establish new divisions dealing with juveniles, those with mental health issues, and address appeals.

The four to one vote expanding the public defender's office followed one hour of discussion. Most of that involved adding the juvenile division.

Brazos County currently contracts for indigent juvenile court cases with a private legal firm that is owned by Patrick Gendron. Gendron and Brazos County's chief public defender, Nathan Wood, disagreed on the effectiveness of the current contract and the need for the new division. And Brazos County district judge David Hilburn said there will always be a need for the county to provide private attorneys to represent juveniles who cannot afford a lawyer.

Brazos County district court administrative judge Kyle Hawthorne shared his experience representing indigent clients in addressing the need for more defense attorneys that in part can be provided by an expanded public defender's office.

Click HERE to read and download the grant that extends partial funding of the original positions of the Brazos County public defender's office.

Click HERE to read and download the grant that adds funding for the new juvenile and appellate divisions of the Brazos County public defender's office.

Click HERE to read and download the grant that adds funding for the new mental health appellate division of the Brazos County public defender's office.

This podcast contains comments from the August 19, 2025 Blinn College board of trustees meeting.

On the eve of the new academic year starting at Blinn College, board of trustees members are given an update on the impact of new state laws and procedures.
Executive vice chancellor Leighton Schubert said during the August regular meeting of the trustees that almost all fulltime faculty members who have taught remotely are required to return to campus. And locations have been found for an undisclosed number of returning faculty members.

Schubert also brought up rules by the Texas coordinating board of higher education that reduces the amount of state money going to Blinn and the remaining 49 community colleges.

Chancellor Mary Hensley, who described state funding of community colleges as a "revolving number", said that has resulted in being "extremely conservative" with Blinn's finances.

Schubert also says Blinn administrators have also been working on complying with the new state law where trustees for the first time controls the activity of what used to be an independent faculty senate.

College Station Fire Chief Richard Mann visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the students returning, the amount of equipment dispatched for a car accident, planning for a new fire station, fire truck manufacturers, challenges of vertical development, hiring and recruiting more firefighters, eating at the firehouse, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the August 19, 2025 College Station ISD school board.

College Station ISD school board members adopt a new policy to comply with a new state law regulating the operation of school libraries.

The unanimous vote at the August CSISD board meeting included not creating a library advisory committee.

The new state law requires the advisory committee if the CSISD board receives a petition from at least 50 parents.

According to a memo given to CSISD board members, complying with Senate Bill 13 without a library advisory committee "allows librarians to determine collections but provides for public viewing, parent notifications of student checkouts and now requires board approval of all purchases."

Click HERE to read and download the school library memo given to CSISD board members.

Click HERE to read and download the school library policy approved at the August 19, 2025 CSISD board meeting.

Click HERE to read and download Senate Bill 13 that was passed during the 2025 legislative session.

Bryan Councilman Kevin Boriskie visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about progress on the budget, tax rates, the success of Legends Event Center, Midtown Lake, Downtown Bryan gameday shuttles, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about passing the redistricting plan, other states' plans for redistricting, remaining business in the second special session, added agenda items, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the August 12, 2025 Bryan city council workshop meeting.

The August workshop meeting of the Bryan city council included a staff presentation about a proposed promotion associated with the city's sponsorship of free shuttle bus service between downtown Bryan and Texas A&M home football games.

Deputy city manager Joey Dunn said the "Gameday on Main" concept could be expanded to all A&M games as well as other times for visitors to take advantage of downtown Bryan businesses.

The promotion could also include adding video screens and additional seating in the city's Palace Theater and involve other downtown businesses.

No action was taken and no council members voiced opposition to the idea.

Click HERE to read and downtown presentation materials from the August 12, 2025 Bryan city council workshop meeting.