WTAW - Interviews

State Representative Trey Wharton of Huntsville (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the legislative deadline, how the House Speaker handled this session, insurance legislation, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Monica Martinez and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

There is a new purpose for Bryan ISD's former warehouse near Bonham and Sadberry schools. 

It is the new collection and distribution location for the volunteer "Teacher Closet" project. 

Director Monica Martinez, who is a fulltime teacher, says supplies are given to a variety of school employees who show their ID badge.

In addition to teachers, supplies have been given to custodians, paraprofessionals, principals, and aides.

Martinez says 350 recipients the last two and a half years have come to their original location, which were three donated storage units.

Recipients have come from not only Bryan and College Station, but from rural schools like Snook and Mumford to as far away as Tomball and San Antonio.

Martinez says everyone is invited to a chamber of commerce ribbon cutting at the new location Saturday morning (May 17) from 10 a.m. until noon. Donations will be accepted and distribution to school employees will be done during the reception.

The range of donated supplies includes permanent markers, pencils, pencil sharpeners, glue, lined paper, construction paper, card stock, notebooks, composition notebooks, clipboards, calendars, bulletin boards, and bulletin board decorations.

Bryan Councilman James Edge visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his trip to Washington D.C., his past trips while working for former Congressman Bill Flores, current politics, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about legislation deadlines, impact fees, medical marijuana, eliminating the STAAR Test, public school funding, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 12, 2025 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting.

This is the first summer break that employees at Texas A&M and other state agencies are banned from professional work in countries that the governor has listed in an executive order (GA-48) as "foreign adversaries".

There were no university administrators at Monday's faculty senate meeting (May 12) to address concerns from faculty who wanted to visit family in targeted countries.

A university spokesperson tells WTAW News that "Following guidance from The Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University has taken steps to ensure full compliance with GA-48, “Hardening State Government Against Foreign Threats.” We are in the process of finalizing our implementation plan by the end of the month and will have it fully enacted by July 1. As one piece of this effort, employees report their personal travel to certain foreign countries through a secure, online system and confirm their planned compliance with the order. More comprehensive information will be shared as that implementation plan is finalized."

At the faculty senate meeting, assistant instructional professor David Bapst said the governor's ban includes countries that he knows of A&M faculty have family, such as China, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

Bapst said one colleague told him that they were surprised about the university's compliance requirements. According to Bapst, employees must certify that they "will not participate in any university agency activity, access university agency software platform or networks, nor travel with any university agency related data, equipment, or property."

Bapst says that means not checking among other things, university e-mail accounts and/or making Zoom calls, for as long as three months, as affected employees are not getting paid during the summer break.

This podcast contains comments from the May 13, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

The week after Brazos County judge Duane Peters finished the May 6th commission meeting responding to opponents of the future east loop highway, then adjourning the meeting, the May 13th meeting began with opponents responding to Peters statement.

The county judge was not present to hear the more than 40 minutes of comments from ten speakers.

Click HERE to be directed to the Brazos County YouTube archived video of the May 13, 2025 meeting. Public comments begin at the 8:20 mark of the archived video.

Click HERE to be directed to the "No East Loop" YouTube video that the organization says is a rebuttal to the county judge's statement.

At the end of Tuesday's meeting, the audience applauded commissioner Fred Brown's call for a public hearing.

According to information presented at the county's May 6th public meeting updating the work of the commission's consultant, the comment period on the east loop highway ends May 23rd. Comments can be sent by e-mail to [email protected].

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 6, 2025 east loop public meeting.

Click HERE to be directed to Brazos County's website about the east loop highway.

Original story, May 7, 2025:

Brazos County judge Duane Peters brought up at the end of Tuesday's meeting (May 6), what he called "false accusations" from opponents of the future highway to the east of College Station and Bryan.

Peters used a slide presentation to show the commission brought up the loop in July of 2022, which was followed by the November 2022 bond election where 67 percent of voters approved Proposition A, which included money for the loop and six other highway projects.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 6, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Peters said the election results "were a clear mandate of the people", and "it's the responsibility of this court to respect the will of the people."

Peters also said "It's not my position to say I'm going to overturn the election that was duly done by the citizens of Brazos County", adding "that would be totally inappropriate for this court or me to say we're going to toss out what you told us to do and do something totally different. Sorry."

After Peters said no to someone's request to speak, the meeting was adjourned.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his trip to Washington D.C., budget discussions, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County State Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about insurance legislation, water rights, this session compared to past sessions, STAAR testing, medical marijuana, school funding, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is with the director of the Health For All medical clinic, Liz Dickey, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The Health For All medical clinic in Bryan, which opened in 1987 to serve uninsured patients, has had to send lab tests to a third party for processing.That changes this week with the donation of 15 testing machines.

Health For All director Liz Dickey tells WTAW News that "this is a game changer".

Dickey said test results will be available in 15 minutes while patients are still at the clinic. Without their own testing equipment, results come back in 24 to 48 hours. That requires patients to return for further treatment.

Dickey says this also benefits the clinic's volunteer medical providers, who order an estimated 30,000 tests a year.

A grant from the international health organization Heart to Heart also provides staff training, mentoring, technical support, and 12 months of supplies.

News release from Heart to Heart International:

Heart to Heart International (HHI) announced today a point-of-care lab will be installed at Health For All in Bryan, Texas.

The HHI lab program aims to improve patient outcomes by implementing timely and accurate treatment protocols. Many Americans delay medical care due to cost and transportation barriers. HHI addresses these challenges by installing point-of-care laboratories in clinics allowing for quick, on-the-spot testing and results, enhancing diagnoses and patient outcomes. This testing is especially crucial for diagnosing and managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

Health For All Executive Director Liz Dickey stated: “This new point-of-care lab will allow us to diagnose and treat patients more quickly and effectively—right here on site. For our uninsured patients, this means faster answers, fewer barriers, and better health outcomes. We’re so grateful to Heart to Heart International for helping us bring this level of care to our community."

HHI Senior Vice President of Programs Tenagashaw (Tena) Tiruneh had this to say: “This partnership embodies our commitment to the goals of our laboratory program and supports our mission of improving access to equitable healthcare in medically under-resourced communities.”

HHI with support from BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) will equip this health center with modern lab equipment, staff training, mentoring, technical support, and supplies and reagents for the first 12 months. All installed equipment becomes the clinic’s permanent property.

With the installation of a point-of-care lab at a free health clinic, patients don’t have to make additional arrangements for transportation or pay extra fees for lab testing. This approach effectively reduces barriers! Provides frequent testing at a patient’s health clinic promoting a higher level of engagement between the patients and their healthcare providers. and increases the likelihood of patients following clinical and treatment advice. Lab tests performed at the time of clinic visits allow for more efficient workflow processes, expeditious decision-making and a better treatment plan. Immediate availability of results allows patients to be treated and on their way to recovery.

HHI Director of the Laboratory Program Heidi Schutz added: “Heart to Heart International is excited for this opportunity to partner with Health for All as we continue to break down barriers to equitable access to healthcare in under-resourced communities by installing point-of-care laboratories in free and charitable clinics. With our POC Lab Program, Health for All will gain the instrumentation, reagents and supplies, training, and mentoring needed to enable them in providing rapid, accurate laboratory results to aid in diagnosis and treatment decisions for their patients all within the same visit.”

To learn more about HHI's Laboratory Program, visit: Point of Care Laboratories - Support Heart to Heart International. For additional programs aimed at improving health access locally and globally please visit: hearttoheart.org

Heart to Heart International is a nonprofit international health organization with its headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas. Since its inception in 1992, HHI has delivered medical aid and supplies worth $3.2 billion to more than 130 countries, including within the United States. HHI responds to natural disasters both domestically and internationally by supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers. The organization is a 4-star Charity Navigator charity, a BBB Accredited charity and is on the "Philanthropy 400." To learn more, visit hearttoheart.org.

This podcast contains comments from the May 5, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

After seven meetings of a nearly 50 member committee of the Bryan ISD school board, the focus of the body has moved from strategic planning into promoting a future bond election.

BISD deputy superintendent Brian Merrell reported the transition at the last school board meeting (May 5).

This Thursday (May 15) is the last regularly scheduled committee meeting. But Merrell said the group would continue into June if needed.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 5, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.