WTAW - Interviews

This podcast, recorded January 8, 2026, is with local businessowner Doug French and WTAW's Bill Oliver. A local businessowner is renovating a downtown Bryan building which was his great-great-grandfather's men's clothing store. Doug French of Stylecraft Builders and Tenant First property management group continues to search for memorabilia and historical information that is associated with the W.F...

This podcast contains comments from Brazos County county attorney Earl Gray during the January 6, 2026 county commission meeting. Brazos County commissioners get a report from the county attorney about that is available to those charged with misdemeanor crimes that are associated with a person's mental illness. Earl Gray says this applies to offenders with a diagnosed mental illness that affected...

This podcast contains comments from the January 8, 2026 College Station city council meeting. The College Station city council's first regular meeting of 2026 included approval of nearly $33 million dollars of changes to the city budget. 21 budget amendments presented by director of fiscal services Mary Ellen Leonard includes two projects approved by voters in a November 2022 bond issue. Savings o...

This podcast contains comments from the January 8, 2026 College Station city council meeting. The College Station city council approves spending nearly $4 million dollars for new main sewer lines that are located along the Rudder Freeway construction zone and the Lick Creek hike and bike trail. Click HERE to read and download background information about the project that was approved at the Januar...

Phebe Simmons of United Way of the Brazos Valley (UWBV) partner agency Family Promise of Bryan/College Station and UWBV president Lizett Hawkins visit with WTAW's Bill Oliver on January 12, 2026.

This podcast contains comments from the January 6, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. Registration is underway for the 30th annual Walk Across Texas fitness event sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife extension. A proclamation that was read at the January 6th county commission meeting was accepted by Brazos County extension agent Flora Williams. She has coordinated the local participation for 14...

This podcast contains comments from the January 8, 2026 College Station city council meeting. The College Station winner of "The Voice" season 28, Aiden Ross, will be recognized at a public reception hosted by the city of College Station. Mayor John Nichols made the announcement at the end of Thursday night's (January 8) city council meeting. The reception will be Tuesday, January 20, at 6 p.m. in...

This podcast is a visit with Texas A&M philosophy professor Dr. Martin Peterson and WTAW's Bill Oliver that was recorded January 8, 2026. When spring semester classes start Monday at Texas A&M, at least one educator will be affected by a new board of regents teaching ban. https://wtaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/BOR121825SystemPolicy08-01_Revised.pdf Philosophy professor Martin Peterson...

This podcast contains comments from the January 6, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. Two public speakers at the first Brazos County commission meeting of 2026 talked about the March primary election. The chairwoman of the Brazos County Democratic Party, MiChal (Michelle) Hall, promoted attending the elections office testing of equipment next Tuesday (January 13) at 5:30 p.m. at the elections...

The city of College Station's assistant city manager Jeff Kersten talks about the city budget and future capital projects, and public communications director Colin Killian previews upcoming city events during their visit with Scott DeLucia on WTAW's The Infomaniacs on Friday, January 9, 2026. 

This podcast contains comments from the July 16, 2025 College Station city council budget workshop. The College Station city council's first budget amendment of the 2026 fiscal year was approved at Thursday's regular meeting (January 8).The list includes spending $350,000 dollars from the city's hotel occupancy tax fund towards new statues in the Northgate district. First discussed last July durin...

This podcast contains comments from the January 6, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. A shoutout to the sexual assault resource center of the Brazos Valley (SARC) was given at this week's Brazos County commission meeting. District attorney Jarvis Parsons brought up the assistance of SARC volunteers during a sexual assault trial that took place last month. Parsons described SARC volunteer advoc...

Bryan Parks & Recreation Coordinator Maddie Green visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia to promote upcoming spring programs and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs on Thursday, January 8, 2026. 

This podcast is a visit with Glen Brewer of the Bryan/College Station chamber of commerce and WTAW's Will Welch. Tickets are now available for the 2026 Bryan/College Station chamber of commerce economic outlook conference. A major change this year is starting the annual event at 11 a.m. instead of during breakfast hours.  Chamber president Glen Brewer said that was the result of rave reviews follo...

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County Judge Duane Peters and WTAW's Bill Oliver. Brazos County judge Duane Peters is back at work following a six month medical leave. Peters thanked his family, his medical team, those who prayed and encouraged him during and after his hospitalization, and county staff. Peters spent Wednesday afternoon (January 7) signing the paperwork where he officially retu...

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia to discuss the agenda for tomorrow night’s city council meeting, the College Station Police Department’s expanded mental health response through grant funding and lease updates, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. 

This podcast contains comments from the January 6, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. The multi-week citizen prosecutor's academy hosted by the Brazos County district attorney's office, for the first time, is being condensed into a one day event. At the January 6th county commission meeting, Jarvis Parsons gave the invitation to register for attending "D-A In A Day". The event is the last Satu...

This podcast contains comments from the January 6, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. Fire chiefs in the Brazos County districts outside of Bryan and College Station are talking about reinstating a burn ban.  Emergency management coordinator Jason Ware's report to county commissioners at the end of  Tuesday's meeting (January 6) included a request to landowners who are considering outdoor burn...

This podcast contains comments from a city of College Station blog post with police officer David Simmons and the city's marketing coordinator Grace Hallowell. The College Station police department's online crime map showed seven burglaries during December. An end of the year message on the city's blog from officer David Simmons says vehicle burglaries have been on the rise. And Simmons suggestion...

United Way of the Brazos Valley (UWBV) president Lizett Hawkins visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about the resumption of the workplace campaign following the holiday break, promoting a January 17th chili cookoff at Yesterday's Bar and Grill in Bryan where UWBV is a beneficiary, and announcing a UWBV "Sneaker Soiree" fundraiser will be held February 28th at The Kimbell cultural event center in downto...

This podcast contains comments from the December 4, 2025 Blinn College board of trustees meeting. January marks another milestone as Blinn College builds a new campus in Waller. Blinn trustees at their December meeting, awarded a $68 million dollar contract to begin construction of the first academic building. The academic building is planned as an approximately 82,000-square-foot, three-story str...

This podcast contains comments from the December 16, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. 2026 means two new members to the board of the Brazos Central Appraisal District (BCAD).  A new selection process enacted by state lawmakers was explained to county commissioners at their December 16th meeting by BCAD's chief appraiser. Horton said this was the first time that state lawmakers did not let lo...

This podcast contains comments from the December 18, 2025 Bryan planning and zoning commission. The December 18th meeting of the Bryan planning and zoning commission was the last for two longtime members. Michael Beckendorf served two terms, from 2006 through 2014 and 2018 through 2025. Jody Rodriguez served from 2017 through 2025. Beckendorf and Rodriguez made comments, as did P&Z vice chairm...

This podcast is a visit with Unlimited Potential of the Brazos Valley executive director Amanda Cross and WTAW's Bill Oliver. The non profit agency Unlimited Potential of the Brazos Valley (UPBV) announces receiving a $160,000 dollar challenge grant to help pay for transitional housing for those aging out of the foster care system. UPBV executive director Amanda Cross says the local match included...

This podcast is a visit with Lina Adams of the Destination Bryan tourism office and WTAW's Bill Oliver. Topics includes a preview of First Friday in downtown Bryan on January 2nd, a review of 2025 holiday activities, and looking ahead to travel and tourism in Bryan during 2026.