18. Feature Serious, Bravo Brazos Valley-Art Hickle Salute

Bryan City Council Supports Removing Metal Benches At The Bryan And Oakwood City Cemeteries

The Bryan city council supports removing metal benches at the Bryan and Oakwood city cemeteries. Parks and recreation director Mike Riggens told councilmembers that staff brought issues to the city’s cemetery advisory board. The board at its April 22nd meeting recommended to amend the ordinance to immediately not allow benches to be installed beginning in Block 27 and beyond unless the benches are constructed of natural stone. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the June 9, 2026 Bryan city council meeting. The recommendation also sought amending the city ordinance to establish a “sunset” date on all existing benches not constructed of natural stone to be removed, effective six months after the council approved the ordinance change. Formal council action was not taken at the June 9th meeting, but no councilmembers opposed the recommendations. Riggens told councilmembers that the metal benches requires more time to mow and do other landscape maintenance, there are safety concerns caused by the wind blowing lightweight benches into neighboring gravestones and those visiting neighboring gravesites, and there have been benches that have been placed on or near adjacent gravesites. Riggens also said benches that are removed will be placed in a storage building. Riggens also said the changes do not apply at Grandview cemetery, which is not operated by the city. Councilman Ray Arrington said this will affect his family because there has been a metal bench at his mother’s gravesite since 1951. Arrington added “we’ll do whatever the council says to do (and) we’ll definitely follow the ordinance.” Click below to hear comments from the June 9, 2026 Bryan city council meeting. Listen to “Bryan city council supports removing metal benches at Bryan and Oakwood city cemeteries” on Spreaker.

Brazos County’s New Veteran Services Officer Updates County Commissioners And WTAW Listeners

Brazos County’s new veteran services officer updates county commissioners on activities. Kale Murray, who was promoted in March 2026, was hired in 2024 to run the Brazos County VSO branch office at Texas A&M to work with 4,000 Aggie veterans. Since his promotion, Murray hired an assistant VSO, Diana Mills. And at the commission meeting, Murray presented longtime administrative assistant Ben Holmes with an award from the Texas Veterans Commission. On June 18, Kale Murray visited with WTAW’s Tucker Young on The Infomaniacs about what is done in the Brazos County veterans service office. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the June 9, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. Click below to hear Kale Murray’s presentation to Brazos County commissioners on June 9, 2026. Listen to “Brazos County's new veteran services officer updates county commissioners” on Spreaker. Click below to hear Kale Murray’s visit with WTAW’s Tucker Young on The Infomaniacs June 18, 2026. Listen to “Brazos County Veteran Services Officer Kale Murray visits The Infomaniacs June 18, 2026” on Spreaker.

Bryan Police Undercover Drug Investigation Leads To Arrests And The Seizure Of More Than $65,000 Dollars Of Marijuana

At two locations, Bryan police make arrests Tuesday night (June 18) on drug charges. At one location, a BPD officer was joined by a DPS special agent in charging a Navasota man with possessing more than 14 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $65,000 dollars. 34 year old Gerald Johnson Jr. is also accused of evading arrest and possessing a vape device containing THC. BPD’s arrest report says undercover officers followed a vehicle driven by Johnson from Bryan to Austin and back to Bryan. The arrest followed a traffic stop for an undisclosed reason. At a second location, a search warrant led to finding just over one pound of marijuana. The arrest report says the search followed officers witnessing multiple drug sales that resulted in the arrest of 29 year old Terrol Wesley of Bryan. A BPD spokesman tells WTAW News that the two arrests are related to the same investigation. Online records show Johnson went to the Brazos County jail for the 26th time in 17 years and Wesley for the 14th time in 11 years. Johnson is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $65,000 dollars and Wesley was released after posting a $30,000 dollar bond.