WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from Texas A&M associate provost of faculty advocacy Claire Katz at the June 9, 2025 A&M faculty senate meeting.

October 2024 began the work of the first person at Texas A&M to take on the new role of Associate Provost of Faculty Advocacy.

Dr. Claire Katz shared her first eight months on the job at the June meeting of the A&M faculty senate.

Katz, who joined the A&M faculty in 2006, says she has visited with some of the university's more than 4,000 faculty members. That includes visiting most of A&M remote campus locations.

Her general observations included assisting faculty members understand how the university works and supporting for and by deans, department heads, and other faculty administrators.

Katz also said she is not a lawyer, she is not a therapist, and she is not a magician who can solve all problems.

She also said she has had to tell faculty members to be careful about what they tell her. That's because there are circumstances where is required to report those conversations for possible consequences.

Click HERE to read and download Claire Katz's presentation materials at the June 9, 2025 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting.

State Representative Paul Dyson visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his first legislative session, the committees he serves on, his response to Bryan ISD board member David Stasny's comments about public school funding, impact fees, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

The penalty for College Station residents who leave out their trash containers near the street too long is changing.

The city council voted five to one at their last meeting (June 12) to support a staff recommendation to impose a fee of $25.50 that is added to a customer's utility bill.

Councilman David White, who said he has been late moving his trash containers away from the curb, voted no because he wanted a workshop discussion on the ramifications of adding the fee.

The council's vote also reflected extending the time for a customer to move containers away from curbs from 12 to 24 hours.

The civil fine is already in place in the Northgate district, where customers have until nine a.m. to move their trash containers.

The new fee replaces residential customers facing going to municipal court for taking too long to move containers away from curbs.


Click HERE to read and download the ordinance that was approved at the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the June 10, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

There will be a fourth year that Brazos County commissioners hire someone to write grant applications.

The contract is part of the budget that was approved before two new commissioners were elected last November.

One of the new commissioners, Fred Brown, questioned how $48,000 dollars was spent during the first year before being part of a unanimous vote during the commission's last meeting (June 10).

County auditor Katie Conner gave some examples of what the grant writer has done.

Then the grant writer told commissioner Chuck Konderla he has generated almost $3.8 million dollars, with more applications being considered.

Staff told commissioners that they plan to request the expenditure again for the next county budget.

Click HERE to read and download the contract that was approved at the June 10, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the original contract.

This podcast contains comments from the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

The lone speaker during the public comment portion of last Thursday's College Station city council meeting (June 12) asked that the city cemetery ordinance be re-interpreted.

Lisa Burton wants to place in her mother's columbarium, the ashes of her late mother's cat.

Burton says while the city ordinance says "cemeteries are set apart for the interment of human remains", she says the ordinance can be interpreted to say columbariums are not restricted to only the internment of human remains...that the phrase "set apart" does not mean "restricted to".

Burton said friends told her to add the cat's ashes without notifying city officials, but Burton said "that's not the way I believe things should be done."

She also told the council that "the city can not make me a promise beyond 100 percent that there are not animal/pet ashes already with their owners in any of the cemeteries here."

Five and a half hours after Burton's comments, just before the council ended its public business at midnight, councilman David White asked for more information about the city cemetery ordinance with the possibility of discussing this at a future workshop.

Click HERE to read and download the city of College Station ordinance regarding cemeteries, as taken from the city website on June 12, 2025.

Spokeswoman Kathleen Sanderson visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about a school supplies drive, work the ministry team is doing this summer, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the June 12, 2025 College Station city council and the June 10, 2025 Brazos County commisson meetings.

The College Station city council and the Brazos County commission agree to give more time for FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies to complete an expansion of their pharmaceutical complex in the biocorridor.

Amendments to economic development agreements increase the value of the project from $300 to $330 million dollars.

Originally scheduled to be completed in January 2025, FUJI now has until the end of 2028 to finish the 138,000 square foot addition for the manufacturing of vaccines and gene therapies.

The agreement calls on FUJI adding 150 employees earning an average annual salary of $80,000 dollars.

In exchange, FUJI will receive during a ten year period, property tax refunds from College Station and Brazos County of a maximum $4,881,903 dollars.

Click HERE to read and download the amended agreement approved at the June 10, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the amended agreement approved at the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting.

Jeff Kersten, Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the City of College Station, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about areas that he covers, trash collection, the deal with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, planning the future budget, new water wells and addressing water issues, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Allison Harrell of Bryan Broadcasting Events and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

You're invited to this Saturday's (June 14) Brazos Valley Family Expo.

There is no admission charge to take advantage of more than 60 booths highlighting family focused services, shopping, and community resources.

The event, at The Brazos Center in Bryan from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., also includes a children's play area, fun and interactive performances, and free face painting.

Food trucks will also be onsite serving lunch, snacks, and sweet treats for purchase.

News release from Bryan Broadcasting Events:

The Brazos Valley Family Expo, presented by Metronet and organized by Bryan Broadcasting Events, is back and bigger than ever!

Join us Saturday, June 14th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, in Bryan. 

This free, family-friendly event features a full day of fun and discovery for all ages.

What to Expect:

The Brazos Valley Family Expo will showcase over 60 booths highlighting family-focused services, shopping, and community resources. 

Families can enjoy a lively KidsZone play area, fun and interactive performances, and free face painting provided by College Station ISD Art Club students. 

Onsite food trucks will also be serving up lunch, snacks, and sweet treats for purchase.

Whether you're discovering local businesses, finding new activities for your kids, or just looking for a fun way to spend a summer day, the Brazos Valley Family Expo is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community.

Admission is free for all ages, and free parking is available at The Brazos Center.

Allison Harrell with Bryan Broadcasting Events says “The response to last year’s inaugural Brazos Valley Family Expo was incredible, and we’re thrilled to bring it back for another year”. “It’s a great way to connect local families with businesses, resources, and activities they’ll love—all at one fun, free event.”

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners continue to negotiate with two companies over issues in the expansion of the juvenile detention center that began in 2018.

Formal action was taken to extend what is called a "tolling agreement", which county judge Duane Peters and the commission's general counsel Bruce Erratt says allow talks to continue without any of the parties filing a lawsuit.

Negotiations over mechanical, plumbing, and electrical issues began in December 2023. Erratt said what began as a three page list of issues is now about half of one page.

The agreement to continue was extended to the end of this year.

Erratt pointed out this has nothing to do with toll roads.

Click HERE to read and download the extension that was approved at the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.