WTAW - Interviews

This podcast is a visit with the executive director of the Bryan/College Station metropolitan planning organization Dan Rudge and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

More than $2 million dollars given by the Texas department of transportation (TxDOT) to the Bryan/College Station metropolitan planning organization (MPO) will be spent on two projects in the twin cities.

MPO executive director Dan Rudge says the organization's policy board approved a shared use path along East 29th Street from Carter Creek Parkway to Autumn Circle.

The other project is improving the intersection of George Bush and Timber and Bizzell.

Construction in Bryan is projected to start in May 2026 and in College Station as early as April of 2027.

Rudge said the cities are providing a 20 percent financial match.

Click HERE to read and download details of the East 29th Street project.

Click HERE to read and download the East 29th Street timeline.

Click HERE to read and download information about the intersection project at George Bush and Timber/Bizzell.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the proposed tax rate, other budget items, an upcoming report on the recreation center study, development in the midtown area, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Debbie Albert of the Texas A&M system Transportation Institute and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Before the Texas A&M football season opens, traffic patterns before and after home games have been reviewed.

Debbie Albert at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute listed the following gameday traffic changes during a presentation this month at the Bryan/College Station metropolitan planning organization's policy board meeting:

1. Bizzell & University: Postgame - Create dual right turns to help get traffic out of the Polo Rd area of campus

2. Bizzell & George Bush Drive: Postgame – limit the amount of westbound traffic through the intersection to help provide space for people leaving University Center Garage

3. Coke/Throckmorton/ Dexter & Bush: Postgame – prioritize traffic flow off campus by limiting vehicles coming onto campus

4. FM 2818 Traffic Signals: Pre and Postgame – City of College Station will operate the signals through their signal system rather than officers at the intersections.
Creates smoother, coordinated traffic flow. Use cameras to monitor traffic.

5. Penberthy widening (2 lanes in each direction): Pre and Postgame – use new pavement and contraflow lanes to help load and unload parking lots around Reed Arena

6. Other campus construction projects: Pre and Postgame – traffic flows are unchanged, plans updated for specific barricade/sign placement, if necessary

7. SH 105 east & SH 6 - Navasota: Expect pavement rehabilitation and left turn lane project completion prior to football season. Dual southbound lefts will be restored. Monitoring progress and will coordinate with TxDOT as necessary.

Albert also listed these tips:

• Choose parking that exits in the direction you want to go
• Make sure your parking pass is in your phone wallet
• If you are using your campus parking permit, update your permit barcode screenshot
• Give yourself plenty of time to get on campus
• Follow the signs and officer directions
• Sometimes the fastest way home is not the shortest distance
• Remember to pack your patience
• Downtown Bryan shuttle is an excellent option

Click HERE to read and download Debbie Albert's presentation materials at the August 2025 BCS/MPO policy board meeting.Click below to hear Debbie Albert's visit with WTAW'

THis podcast contains comments from the August 18, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

The College Station city council will take public comments August 28th about setting the proposed property tax rate for the 2026 fiscal year budget at the highest level without requiring a public vote.

The council can lower the rate but can not increase it.What received council consensus at their August 14th meeting is slightly less than last year, but two and a half cents higher than city staff's original recommendation.

During a special meeting of the council on August 12th, members were told Tuesday tgat the city's original property valuation had dropped by more than one BILLION dollars due to successful appeals.

On the 14th, fiscal services director Mary Ellen Leonard said there is still a significant amount of pending appeals to be finalized. That could further reduce College Station's valuation by another $1.8 to $2.2 billion dollars.

Leonard also told the council the city wide valuation number will be lowered another $200 million dollars due to a recently discovered state law that exempts the first $125,000 dollars of personal property.

Click HERE to read presentation materials from the August 14, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Click HERE to be directed to a city of College Station video blog with more information about the proposed fiscal year 2026 tax rate.

Kathleen Sanderson visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about changes to this year's tutoring program, how kids can participate, the Salvation Army's clothing closet, other outreach programs, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

College Station Councilman William Wright visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about his kids going back to school, repealing the overoccupancy ordinance, the proposed property tax rate, a future convention center, the Wolf Pen Creek area, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

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

The Bryan city council receives its third annual report from the operators of the city owned Legends Events Center.

General manager Jamie Cox says since opening in December of 2022, there have been 635,000 users.

Councilmembers were also told there have been 79 special events, 279 meetings and parties, almost 10,000 sports practices, and more than 850 games.

The director of the Destination Bryan tourism office, John Friebele, says in less than three years that Legends has generated an estimated economic impact of $30 million dollars and the city has collected more than $631,000 dollars in taxes.

Cox said Legends has almost met its capacity for using courts. That was followed by Bryan mayor Bobby Gutierrez brought up the possibility of adding courts "if it makes sense" and if it can generate revenue.

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

This podcast contains two interviews...with Brazos County juvenile services volunteer and mentor coordinator Cornelius Gray and with the CEO of the Arts Center of the Brazos Valley, Leslie Bowlin.

Since 2008, the Arts Center of the Brazos Valley (ACBV) has led a summertime arts project involving teenagers who are residents at the Brazos County juvenile services center.This summer's project was painting murals on skateboard ramps at Brian Bachmann Park in College Station.

Juvenile services volunteer and mentor coordinator Cornelius Gray has administered the project the last six years. He says 13 children between the ages from 14 to 16 spent two days a week for eight weeks at the park. He says for the children, this "definitely gives them a sense of pride knowing that they were part of creating art work in the community."

Arts Center CEO Leslie Bowlin, who started with the agency just as last year's project was being completed, said for "kids having a hard time expressing themselves", "this sorta gives them another outlet and they can go look at a mural and say Wow I wonder what the artist was thinking or what does this mean or how do I see it."

Bowlin hopes to expand the A.R.T (Art Reaching Teens) for Life program to the rest of ACBV's seven county service area.

News release from the Arts Center of the Brazos Valley:

This summer, a group of teens, led by artist LeAnn Hale of Purple Turtle Art Studio, brightened up the Brian Bachmann Community Park with a series of Roy Lichtenstein-inspired murals in the G. Hysmith Skate Park.

A.R.T. (Art Reaching Teens) for Life began in 2008 and is a hands-on, artist-mentored initiative that provides youth in juvenile services the foundation for making better life choices and an opportunity to give back to the community through public art. Projects require patience, teamwork, and time, culminating in a physical representation of their dedication.

A.R.T. for Life is organized by The Arts Center of Brazos Valley. This program is made possible through generous support from Brazos County, Brazos County Juvenile Service Department, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the City of College Station.

Those interested in supporting the program should contact [email protected] or call (979) 696-2787. More information about A.R.T. for Life may be found at https://www.acbv.org/a-r-t-for-life/.

This podcast contains comments from the July 24, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

The annual report from the landfill agency co owned by the cities of College Station and Bryan to the College Station city council included updates on multiple projects.

The deputy director of the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency (BVSWMA) brought up the expanding drilling of wells at Twin Oaks landfill by a third party energy company that captures landfill gas and converts it to natural gas. Samantha Best said that will generate almost $3 million dollars in revenue this year. Next year's projected revenue is $1 million due to uncertainty about the price following changes in federal policies.

Since beginning operation in December 2022, the Twin Oaks Renewables Gas Plant has sequestered enough carbon to offset 306,897 acres of U.S. forest, offset the equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions from 703,469 barrels of oil and 34,187,952 gallons of gasoline, and has produced enough energy to heat 8,908 homes.Best also brought up the permitting process that continues to expand Twin Oaks landfill.

She was also asked about possible uses for the former Rock Prairie Road landfill that closed in 2014. Best says they have to monitor the site for another 19 years and the options on what can go on the top of what she called "a waste mass" are very limited. She said buildings can not be constructed due to unstable soil and methane gas.Also at the Rock Prairie landfill, 

Best says BVSWMA has saved $700,000 dollars so far by planting a specialized grass that consumes a contaminated liquid called leachate from the closed dump instead of transporting it to a disposal site. And there are planning to plant that grass on more of the closed property.

And Best reminded the council that the next household hazardous waste collection event is Saturday, October 18 from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Texas A&M university services building on Harvey Road east of Veterans Park.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the July 24, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the August 14, 2025 meeting of the Texas A&M faculty senate.

Monday (August 11) WAS the final regular meeting of the Texas A&M faculty senate after more than 40 years as an independent body.

Faculty senates at public universities around Texas lost their independence as the result of legislation passed during the regular session. 

Senate Bill 37 was supported by all lawmakers representing the Brazos Valley.

Click HERE to read and download Senate Bill 37 from the 2025 session of the Texas Legislature.

Speaker Andrew Klein says the future of the faculty's involvement in shared governance with the university administration won't be known until the board of regents meets at the end of August.

Klein says there are some changes that can be easily made due to what state lawmakers passed during the regular session.

Klein thanked members of the faculty senate's executive committee and university administrators for their support during this transition.