Chace Murphy 06:51 am | AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ State Board of Education members have pressed the Texas education commissioner about whether high-stakes standardized testing is warping classroom teaching to ensure students spend more time preparing for the exams then actual learning. Texas Education Agency head Robert Scott responded to questions from board members Thursday…

Bill Oliver 10:50 pm | A longtime community leader has died. Attorney and banker Sam Sharp died Wednesday at the age of 80 following a battle with leukemia. Sharp’s civic involvement extended from dressing up as Uncle Sam when Bryan held Fourth of July parades to establishing the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, the…

Bill Oliver 10:36 pm | Residential parking of RV’s, boats, trailers, and other non-passenger vehicles in College Station will remain unchanged following a City Council public hearing Thursday night. The idea to restrict parking to residential backyards was turned down by a 5-2 consensus. The staff proposal, applying to areas not covered by deed restrictions such as homeowner associations, was…

Bill Oliver 08:24 pm | What does fewer employees at Texas A&M University mean for summer classes this year and in the future? It was one of the few questions asked of President Bowen Loftin at this week’s Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook Conference. Dr. Loftin says it’s a topic now being addressed with the…

Bill Oliver 07:43 pm | AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ University of Texas regents agreed Thursday to extend football coach Mack Brown’s contract by four years to 2020, a move school officials hope will assure long-term stability for a program eager to get back in the chase for national championships. Brown, who is paid $5.2 million…