A snapshot of the Wildfire Pre-Attack Plan iPhone app.

The Bryan Fire Department and the Texas A&M Forest Service have unveiled a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).

This follows Bryan firefighters responding to almost 100 wildfires during the record-breaking 2011 fire season.

This includes a free smartphone app. For those with an iPhone, go to the App Store and in the search bar, type “Bryan Pre-Attack Plan”.

Officials of both agencies are scheduled to make a joint presentation during the next Bryan City Council workshop, Tuesday afternoon at 3:30.

William Bouse visits with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.

Additional information is courtesy of the Bryan Fire Department and the A&M Forest Service:

The Bryan Fire Department joined forces with Texas A&M Forest Service in late 2012 and spent months identifying wildfire risks and strategies to reduce those risks. The resulting product is the department’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a national model for hazard mitigation.

But Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor said it was important for his department to expand on the typical CWPP template. The chief felt compelled, he said, to make sure his firefighters were equipped for tactical wildfire response. BFD firefighters typically respond to a high volume of medical calls and single-structure fires, which require different response tactics than a wildfire that can burn hundreds of acres and multiple buildings in a single day.

To address those needs, McGregor put his firefighters through a wildland training course and, with Texas A&M Forest Service, began crafting the first collaborative “Wildfire Pre-Attack Plan” in Texas. The pocket guide delves into specific tactics, outlining water sources, home construction materials and vegetation types for individual Bryan neighborhoods, particularly those that present high risks.

“We owe it to our residents to ensure that we have the tools we need to protect them and their homes when the next wildfire ignites,” McGregor said. “This process has provided us an excellent resource for our responders as well as mutual aid firefighters who may not be familiar with Bryan.”

The post Bryan Fire Department & Texas Forest Service Unveil Wildfire Response Plan appeared first on WTAW.

Of the local Scout leaders voting at their annual meeting in Texas, more than 60 percent supported the proposal.

Under the proposal drafted by the Scouts’ governing board, gay adults will remain barred from serving as Scout leaders.

The outcome is unlikely to end a bitter debate over the Scouts’ membership policy.

Some conservative churches that sponsor Scout units wanted to continue excluding gay youths, in some cases threatening to defect if the ban were lifted. More liberal Scout leaders _ while supporting the proposal to accept gay youth _ have made clear they want the ban on gay adults lifted as well.

The post Boy Scouts Approve Plan To Accept Openly Gay Boys appeared first on WTAW.

Click HERE to read posts from the City of Moore, Oklahoma Facebook page.

Photo from the Moore OK Facebook page inviting local businessowners to display signs showing they are open.

MOORE, Okla. (AP) _ A band of thunderstorms battered the Oklahoma City area Thursday, slowing cleanup operations in the suburb where a tornado killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes this week.

The first of the funerals, for a 9-year-old girl killed at a Moore elementary school that took a direct hit in Monday’s storm, took place Thursday morning. A family photo showed the girl, Antonia Candelaria, beaming with a big smile and wearing a white sun hat.

Early estimates indicate the tornado caused more than $2 billion of damage in Moore. Whole subdivisions in the fast-growing community of 56,000 people were destroyed.

Antonia’s relatives and friends huddled under umbrellas in a downpour as they hurried into a chapel for her funeral. Mournful country music played in the chapel that was adorned with photos of the smiling girl.

Two elementary schools were hit _ one was leveled _ by Monday’s tornado. Antonia was one of seven children who perished at the Plaza Towers Elementary School, a one story building with barely a wall left standing. Altogether, 10 children were killed in the storm, including two infants.

The medical examiner reported that six of the children who died at Plaza Towers suffocated after being buried under a mass of bricks, steel and other materials as the building collapsed. A seventh child who died there, 8-year-old Kyle Davis, was killed instantly by an object _ perhaps a large piece of stone or a beam _ that fell on the back of his neck.

Thursday’s thunderstorms produced hail, heavy rain and high winds in the morning. A flash flood warning was also in effect. The National Weather Service said more severe storms were forecast for late afternoon and at night, and that more tornados were a possibility.

The weather was hampering cleanup and recovery efforts that had just begun to accelerate now that all of the missing have been accounted for. Residents were
only formally allowed back into the damage zone on Wednesday afternoon, where they picked through enormous piles of debris.

Shayne Patteson was among them, moving around the ruins of his three-bedroom home. All that was left was the tiny area where his wife hunkered down under a mattress to protect their three children when a tornado packing winds of at least 200 mph slammed through his neighborhood.

Patteson vowed to rebuild, likely in the same place, but said next time he will have an underground storm shelter.

“That is the first thing that will be going into the design of the house, is the storm shelter and the garage,” he said as he looked around piles of bricks and plywood where their home once stood.

Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis said Wednesday he would propose an ordinance in the next couple of days to require all new homes to have storm shelters.

The city already has some. After a massive tornado tore a near-identical path in 1999, city authorities provided incentives such as federal grant dollars to help residents cover the costs of safe rooms. This time, though, Lewis thinks it is necessary to compel people to include them in all new construction.

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MOORE, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma City police have corrected a damage estimate from the tornado that swept through an Oklahoma City suburb.

At a news conference on Thursday, police spokesman Dexter Nelson misspoke when he said there were 1,200 homes damaged or destroyed by Monday’s storm.

The department later released a statement confirming the error, saying their current estimate was 12,000.

Since Wednesday, officials have offered different estimates for the damage in Moore and nearby Oklahoma City.

Michelann Ooten is deputy director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. She says her office is still working to compile a damage estimate.

Authorities have estimated the damage to cost around $2 billion.

The post Thunderstorms Return to Moore, Oklahoma appeared first on WTAW.

And this the first week for a temporary assistant manager. Rod Hogan, who retired after a 35 career with the city of Plano, will be working with College Station’s planning and zoning, public works, and utilities departments. Hogan is expected to be here through the end of the fiscal year, which is September 30th.

WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with Nancy Berry.

Rod Hogan visits with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.

The post CS Hires Temporary Assistance While Search Begins For New City Manager appeared first on WTAW.

College Station school board member Jeff Harris says he and CVB board chairman Hunter Goodwin quickly resolved concerns about holding future high school graduation ceremonies at Reed Arena.

Harris says he and Goodwin “jotted out a proposed solution on a notepad, (and) within an hour our respective staffs were communicating with each other and the attorneys were drafting documents to formalize the solution.”

Harris says “it’s a great example of good governance and how the local governments work together to keep from tripping over each other as we’re trying to move forward to make sure that each group knows what the other is doing so that we don’t inadvertenly create problems.”

A&M will be giving discounted rates for using on-campus facilities, including Reed Arena, in exchange for receiving hotel occupancy tax money towards the Kyle Field project.

WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with Jeff Harris.

The post CSISD & CVB Work Out Holding Future HS Graduations at Reed appeared first on WTAW.

Photo of A&M/UT library storage facility courtesy of A&M.

More than five years in the making, officials of the A&M and UT systems are holding a grand opening of a new building Friday morning.

A $6.3 million dollar joint library storage facility was built on the A&M Riverside campus west of Bryan.

A&M interim associate dean for administrative and faculty services Pixey Mosley says the seed was planted by former A&M library dean Fred Heath, who is now director of libraries at UT.

Mosley says 40 pallets of books from Evans Library at A&M are ready to be moved and she knows of similar preparations at ten other schools.

The capacity is one million books, using storage shelves that are 19 feet tall and three feet deep.

Mosley says this is the first time in decades there has been new construction on the Riverside campus, located off Highway 47 near Highway 21.

Friday morning’s program begins at 10:30 with remarks and ribbon cutting led by officials of both university systems followed by an open house and tour.

WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with A&M Libraries Dean David Carlson and interim associate dean Pixey Mosley.

Additional information courtesy of Texas A&M University:

The facility will enable the UT System and Texas A&M System libraries to store print books and journals using high density shelving, minimizing the physical requirements and costs of print storage.

Officials explained the new facility will help alleviate pressures as libraries continue to add volumes and related resources. The facility will keep the burden of storage costs off individual campuses in both systems.

To streamline collections, the collaborating institutions will implement a novel process of “sharing” a single copy of duplicated holdings in the new facility. The process will eliminate redundancy while making a “shared” copy available for research and study among users at multiple institutions.

Texas A&M University in College Station and The University of Texas at Austin have collaborated on projects in the past, including the Texas Digital Library and preservation storage in the High Density Repository on the J.J. Pickle Campus in Austin.

The Joint Library Facility represents a new degree of cooperation by incorporating the resource-in-common model for all materials in the facility and including general academic and medical campuses from both systems.

The post Grand Opening of Joint A&M and UT System Building appeared first on WTAW.

John Raney visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia

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Dale Picha at the City of Bryan says flashing yellow arrows are replacing green balls for drivers wanting to make left turns at four intersections.

The first signal will be activated on Thursday at the intersection of Briarcrest Drive and Country Club Drive.

The other locations are Briarcrest and Oak Ridge Drive, Briarcrest and Freedom Boulevard, and Briarcrest and Kent Street.

This work is part of a $5 million TxDOT project on Briarcrest Drive that also includes turn lanes, center median, sidewalks and new traffic signals at several intersections.

Picha says it’s the second year the flashing yellow arrows are being installed in Texas.

The flashing yellow arrows are in College Station at Harvey Mitchell Parkway and George Bush Drive.

Click HERE to read more information from the City of Bryan.

Dale Picha visits with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.

The post Flashing Yellow Arrows on Briarcrest Starting Thursday appeared first on WTAW.

The group will arrive at Texas Roadhouse on University between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m. Local law enforcement officers will be presenting a check from donations received during the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser earlier this year.

Following the check presentation, the runners depart from Texas Roadhouse along University, turn on Spring Loop, continue to Tarrow/East 29th, and finish in the parking lot of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments offices.

On Thursday, the runners will be in Brenham, Conroe, and Huntsville. On Friday, they will head toward their final destination, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), where they will be joined by other groups from around the state. UTA is the site of the Special Olympics State Summer Games, which will start on Friday.

For more information about Special Olympics Texas and/or the Law Enforcement Torch Run, visit www.sotx.org or call 1-800-876-JOIN (5646).

The post Special Olympics Torch Run in B/CS Today appeared first on WTAW.

Police reported the 18 wheeler on Old College attempted a left turn onto South College. When the semi swung out to the right the pole was struck, causing the power outage.

A diesel fuel tank was ruptured, causing a leak. The College Station Fire Department hazardous materials team assisted in getting the remaining diesel pumped out of the damaged tank.

Traffic was rerouted until the fuel was transferred and a tire was fixed to move the semi from the scene.

No one was injured. Police say the driver, from Duncan Oklahoma, was ticketed for failing to maintain a single lane.

The post Bryan Power Outage After Semi Hits Power Pole appeared first on WTAW.

Jason Bienski visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia

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Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia

The post State Senator Charles Schwertner on WTAW appeared first on WTAW.

Bill Flores visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia

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A 36 member committee came up with two proposals following six meetings from February through April.

No board action was taken Tuesday. That’s not expected until August.

Click HERE to read the background information presented at Tuesday night’s board meeting.

The majority of board discussion and questions was over a new natatorium, which was suggested to be voted separately from an $84.6 million dollar package of new construction, renovations and expansions, and various purchases.

Two natatorium options were given; a 50 meter by 25 yard pool that would cost $32 million and a 25 by 25 facility estimated to cost $25 million.

Administrators were asked to research a variety of options.  Board President Valerie Jochen wanted to know the impact of closing the current natatorium if a new one is built.

Comments from Valerie Jochen.

Board Secretary Jeff Harris was concerned about the operating cost of a new natatorium while looking for money to give pay raises.

Comments from Jeff Harris.

Board member Carol Barrett wanted to know the interest of the College Station city council.

Comments from Carol Barrett.

Superintendent Eddie Coulson recommended the school district operate the facility.

Comments from Eddie Coulson.

The $84.6 million dollar package of proposed projects includes:

$20 million for a ninth elementary school at a location not announced,

$18 million for a new support services building next to the district’s transportation center, then $3 million to renovate the vacated area to meeting space,

$15.5 million to expanding Timber Academy into a center for alternative learning,

$12.1 million in deferred maintenance,

$5 million for technology purchases,

$3.9 million for safety upgrades,

$3 million for bus and vehicle purchases,

$2.5 million to buy land for future schools, and

$1.6 million to continue renovations at Consolidated High School.

While the board took no action on what voters will be considering in November, there was action during Tuesday’s meeting to select a Construction Manager-At Risk as the construction delivery method for any potential new construction or renovations. Joeris General Contractors was selected from three finalists and nine firms that submitted a request for proposal.

The post CS School Board Hears Recommended November Bond Package appeared first on WTAW.

Dr. Eric Wilke holding a ground beef taco he purchased from Coco Loco before holding a news conference.

The Health Authority for the Brazos County Health Department identified a College Station restaurant as the source of E.coli infections.

Dr. Eric Wilke said Tuesday “there was a reasonable high probability” five confirmed cases and five probable cases were linked to contaminated ground beef served at the Coco Loco restaurant on George Bush Drive.

Then Wilke ate a ground beef taco from the restaurant, invited reporters to meet him there for lunch tomorrow, and saying he had no problem taking his family.

Wilke said it was not a distribution problem with the meat supplier. It is not known if the cause was due to improper temperature, improper cooking, or cross-contamination.

Wilke said the restaurant passed inspections before and after the infection period, which was between April 15 and April 17. They have been following accepted methods for thawing of meats. The business was not closed and no fines were issued.

Inspectors say the restaurant has implemented a glove only policy and will keep a log for holding and cooking temperatures for meat.

Wilke says inspectors will double the number of appearances from an average of two to three times a year to four to five visits.

Of the five confirmed cases of E.coli infection, two brothers, ages 18 months and 4 years, were hospitalized in Houston. The older brother has returned home. 

Wilke said what happened at the restaurant can happen at home. Noting the approaching Memorial Day weekend, Wilke reminds food handlers to wash their hands after touching raw meat and don’t undercook meat.

Dr. Eric Wilke visits with reporters May 21 2013.

The post CS Restaurant the Source of E.coli Infections appeared first on WTAW.

DPS says Isiah Samuel, Jr., 47, of Crockett was towing a tanker southwards on FM 1119, five miles south of Centerville, when he hit a curve a little too fast.

The truck left the road and flipped.

Samuel was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The post Fatal Crash in Leon County appeared first on WTAW.

Donate online using the button to the right.

The devastation caused by the Oklahoma tornados is historic. We’ve had lots of questions about how you can give back.

Because of that we along with KBTX Media and The Eagle have opened the “Brazos Valley Media Giving Back” fund. 100% of the money donated will be given organizations working to help the recovery of Moore, OK and the surrounding areas.

TO DONATE: All you have to do is visit or call any Bryan College Station branch of The Bank and Trust and tell them you want to give to “Brazos Valley Media Giving Back” or click the button above to make a donation online.

We’re continually amazed by the generosity of this community and it’s our honor to be a part of it.

Here’s a link to find branches of The Bank and Trust: http://www.banktbt.com/

The post Donate to Help Oklahoma appeared first on WTAW.

The Bryan High School Chapter of the National Honor Society is hosting their annual Spring Blood Drive this Thursday, May 23, and Friday, May 24. The Drive will be held at Bryan High School in Gymnasium 3 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm.

Typically this Blood Drive is for students, faculty, staff and extended relatives; however, given recent travesties in Oklahoma, the National Honor Society has chosen to open the Blood Drive to the local community.

All local community members are invited to donate this Thursday or Friday between 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. You can register for an available appointment online at www.giveblood.org using the sponsor code: L429. Walk-in donations are also welcome!

Upon arrival at Bryan High School, donors must sign in at the front office before being directed to the blood drive.

All donors must be 16 years old and weigh at least 122 pounds (with parental consent) or be at least 17 years old and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds. All donors are advised to get a good night’s sleep, eat regular meals and drink plenty of fluids before donating.

The post Bryan High Blood Drive Opens Community Wide appeared first on WTAW.

During Monday night’s meeting, there were relatively few comments before the board unanimously approved the 7,000 square foot project.

The cost was pared down from $2.5 million to $1.8 million dollars.

This includes a 4,000 square foot multipurpose room along with space for new dressing rooms, locker rooms, restrooms, and coaches offices.

Board members spent more time discussing proposed outdoor buildings that will be considered later this summer.

David Stasny asked the consulting engineer why the price tag on new restrooms by the softball field is $312,500 dollars. Stasny was told ” it is ridiculous to look at these numbers, but that is what they cost.”

David Stasny’s question and the consulting engineer’s answer.

Stasny questioned the $62,500 cost of a concession building serving baseball, softball, and football.

Maritza Hoffman was among board members supporting the restrooms and concession building.

Comments from Maritza Hoffman.

Two new press boxes would run $130,000 apiece, a baseball artificial infield another $130,000, and a practice softball field $75,000.

The consultant and administrators were directed to look for more savings to get the price tag of all the athletic improvements within the $2.5 million dollars remaining in bond funds reserved for that purpose.

The post Rudder High Fieldhouse Expansion Approved, Outdoor Additions Discussed by BISD Board appeared first on WTAW.

But that’s not stopping the building owners from continuing their renovation.

Cliff Collard of Arsenal Tattoo says the makeover of the former Texaco station at 26th and Sims should be completed in 45 days…or the end of June. But it won’t be until mid-July until a newly created P&Z subcommittee reveals its findings about possible changes to all downtown land uses.

Commissioner Bobby Gutierrez voted against the delay, but he supported creating a subcommittee of four other members, who with city staff will look at all land uses.

Downtown businessowner Rene Lawrence, who supports Arsenal’s move, called for banning payday loan offices.

Citizen comments for and against the request.

P&Z member Scott Hickle made the motion to create the subcommittee. He said “We have received a ton of documents from a lot of folks on both sides of this issue. Also the city council has directed this commission to come back with some sort of solution that they can look at in regards to current zoning regulations. And to do a proper job of that and not rush to judgment it’s my belief that we need to take a little bit more of a look at this rather than try to come up with some sort of a solution tonight.”

Scott Hickle makes the motion to table request & form subcommittee.

Joining Hickle on the P&Z study subcommittee are Leo Gonzalez, Nancy Hardeman, and Prentiss Madison.

Comments from Nancy Hardeman & Bobby Gutierrez.

Collard and his wife are also opening an art studio in the same building.

The latest delay follows P&Z rejecting the Collard’s request in January then the city council sending the Collard’s appeal back to P&Z last month.

WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with applicant Cliff Collard.

Click HERE to read the city staff report that was part of the P&Z meeting.

The post Another Delay for Proposed Tattoo Business in Downtown Bryan appeared first on WTAW.