WTAW - Interviews

Multiple fire departments were south of Kurten Monday night (July 7) at the scene of a fire at a crude oil off loading terminal.  Brazos County emergency management coordinator Jason Ware said there was an evacuation of a half mile around the site of fires in the cab of a semi and four crude oil tanks next to the semi. Ware said firefighters kept a full load of 6,700 gallons of crude oil from gett...

This podcast contains comments from the July 8, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. Retired state representative Kyle Kacal of College Station was sworn in Tuesday (July 8) as acting Brazos County Judge. After 85th district court judge Kyle Hawthorne administered two oaths, Kacal took his seat and said "what an honor that has been bestowed on me by Judge (Duane) Peters and his family. I want to...

Amber Mastrobattista, Pride Community Center Board Member, visits with WTAW's Chelsea Reber about upcoming workshops hosted by Aggie Allies and Pride Community Center's upcoming fundraising gala.

This podcast contains comments from the July 1, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. Brazos County commissioners hear about upcoming changes in how elections are conducted. Elections administrator Trudy Hancock reviewed at this week's meeting (July 1), the impact of state lawmakers enacting Senate Bill 2753, which she says "will fundamentally change the timeline that Texas has used since 1987."...

This podcast contains comments during the June 26, 2025 College Station city council from parks and recreation director Kelsey Heiden. The College Station city council receives annual review of operations in the city's parks and recreation department. Director Kelsey Heiden says they recently finished an inspection of all 56 parks in College Station. She said data is being collected for the depart...

This podcast contains comments from the July 1, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. In 2017, new air conditioning was part of Brazos County's conversion of the former tax office building across the street from the courthouse to the new elections office and employee health clinic. This week (July 1), county commissioners approved spending $230,000 dollars to replace equipment and inspect the bui...

Lina Adams of the Destination Bryan tourism office visits with WTAW's Bill Oliver about downtown Bryan's First Friday activities being rescheduled to July 11th due to the July 4th holiday. She also previews the July 4th fireworks and drone show on the RELLIS campus where the agency and WTAW are co-sponsors.

Meagan Brown, Division Manager of Customer Solutions at BTU, visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia about Lake Bryan, power consumption numbers, takeaways from the legislative session, power sources, future challenges, BTU's 2026 budget, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 College Station city council meeting. The College Station city council approves rezoning land at Old Wellborn Road and Graham Road North for the future construction of an outdoor entertainment venue. Documents provided by the developer shows what is nicknamed "The Range" will have a driving range, eight pickleball courts and a courtyard with 12...

This podcast contains comments from the June 17, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. Brazos County commissioners have entered a dispute among property owners in a subdivision west of Easterwood Airport. Twice during June, homeowners in Oak Hills were able to stop the owner of an adjacent RV park from replatting property that he owns in the subdivision. During the commission's June 17th meeting,...

Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the recent legislative session, water rights, using local companies, Texas A&M's new chancellor, upcoming events, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 College Station city council meeting. The process of drilling more water wells continues in Bryan and College Station. The College Station city council at its last meeting (June 26) awarded a $3.5 million dollar contract for the next phase of drilling three more water wells. This portion of an overall $69 million dollar project involves clearin...

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 Texas board of criminal justice meeting in Bryan. June's meeting of the state prison board in Bryan included a presentation from the parole division of the Texas department of criminal justice. Bryan district parole officer Shawn Noorlun introduced parolee Matthew Kelley of Caldwell. The chairman of the state prison board, Eric Nichols of Austi...

This podcast is a visit with the organizer of the Kurten fireworks show and community fundraiser Shane Savage and WTAW's Bill Oliver. The 22nd annual Kurten fourth of July fireworks show and fundraiser is the second year a Bryan area businessowner is in charge of the event. Shane Savage says this year, they invested in higher grade fireworks and more activities that precede the fireworks show. Las...

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 Texas board of criminal justice meeting that was held in Bryan. The board controlling the state prison system held its June meeting in Bryan. Action items included moving ahead with adding air conditioning 12,000 inmate beds at ten prisons. The list includes $8.4 million dollars for air conditioning inmate cells at the Luther Unit in Grimes Cou...

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 College Station city council meeting. College Station city council members are told that state law does not allow pet ashes in city cemetery columbariums. The update during the council's June 26th meeting came two weeks after a woman asked the council to reinterpret the city ordinance. On June 14th, Lisa Burton wanted to place in her mother's c...

This podcast contains comments from interim Brazos County Judge and retired state representative Kyle Kacal, visiting with WTAW's Bill Oliver on June 29, 2025. Brazos County judge Duane Peters, who will miss his fifth consecutive meeting Tuesday (July 1) due to undisclosed health issues, has appointed someone to serve in his absence. Getting the call last Saturday (June 28) was retired state repre...

This podcast contains comments from the June 27, 2025 College Station city council meeting. The College Station city council supports the initial concept from staff to add amenities at Wolf Pen Creek Park. The presentation from parks and recreation director Kelsey Heiden included amphitheater seating, a shaded area behind the seating, a pavilion/shelter area, an updated restroom, a dedicated area...

This podcast contains comments from the June 24, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. The Brazos County sheriff's and all four constable offices are getting $18 million dollars of new technology. That's the cost of a ten year contract that was unanimously approved at this week's (June 24) county commission meeting. The purchase includes tasers, in car and body cameras, drones, accessories, train...

This podcast contains comments from the June 26, 2025 College Station city council meeting and the June 24, 2025 Bryan city council meeting. A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit that reduces the amount of water being exported out of Brazos and Robertson counties. In June 2024, the Texas A&M system, joined later by the cities of College Station and Bryan and Brazos County, filed the suit...

Kelsey Heiden, Parks and Recreation Director, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about improving Wolf Pen Creek Park, the annual report given to council this week, Texas Independence Park, city swimming pools, the recreation feasibility study, the "I Heart America" celebration, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the June 4, 2025 Bryan city council meeting. A three time candidate for the Bryan city council who ran following his opposition for moving the municipal golf course and turning that land into Midtown Park has died. Patrick Giammalva was a regular public speaker during council meetings the last eight years. He ran for Bryan mayor in 2019 and Bryan council in 2022...

Bryan Firefighter Chris Lamb visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about summer weather, firework safety, heat safety, hydration advice, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs on Thursday, June 26, 2025.

This podcast contains comments from the June 12, 2025 College Station city council meeting. Concerts could be coming to the Northgate promenade. That's after the College Station city council approved an agreement giving money to the Arts Center of the Brazos Valley if ACBV is successful in receiving a grant that the city is not eligible to apply for. Assistant tourism director Jeremiah Cook said g...

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the proposed water agreement with the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District, a report on Wolf Pen Creek, the upcoming city council agenda, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.