Kevin O’Connor Kommentary January 24

The sole finalist for Texas A&UM system chancellor is Texas state comptroller Glenn Hegar. That follows a unanimous vote of the board of regents during a special meeting Friday morning (March 7). The only comments preceding the vote was chairman Bill Mahomes thanking those involved in the selection process.   Mahomes only comment to the media following the meeting was to refer to a system news release.   News release from the Texas A&M system: The Texas A&M University System’s Board of Regents on Friday selected Comptroller Glenn Hegar ’93 as the sole finalist to be chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. Hegar, a Republican, has served in the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate before first being elected comptroller in 2014. He won re-election in 2018 and 2022. Monday’s vote by the Board of Regents was unanimous. “The Board is confident that Glenn Hegar is ready to usher in the next era of excellence at The Texas A&M University System,” said Bill Mahomes, chairman of the Board of Regents. “Hegar grasps the unique breadth and depth of the System’s impact on every corner of Texas through its eight state agencies and 11 universities. We, as members of the Board of Regents, are eager to see what he will accomplish.” Under state law, there is a 21-day comment period before the Board can finalize their selection. If given final board approval, Hegar would succeed Chancellor John Sharp, the longest serving chancellor in the history of the Texas A&M System. Sharp has announced he is stepping down as chancellor on June 30 after almost 14 years. Hegar, who grew up in Hockley, is a sixth-generation Texan who grew up farming land that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. He is a 1993 graduate of Texas A&M University and a graduate of St. Mary’s University, where he earned a Master of Arts and his law degree. At the University of Arkansas, he earned his Master of Laws. Hegar and his wife, Dara, have three children, Claire, Julia and Jonah. Mahomes added: “The Board members were pleased to see its search for chancellor yield so much interest and so many qualified candidates. We thank everyone who was involved in this extensive search and selection process.”

Brazos County commissioners are asked to consider a policy calling for the live removal of honeybee colonies. Chris Barnes, who with his wife have 60 honeybee colonies around Brazos County, was among public speakers at this week’s commission meeting (March 4). Barnes, who referred to the insects as “livestock”, said since last June there has been the loss of 1.25 million colonies, with some producers losing nearly everything. He asked for live removal instead of contacting a pest control company or county employees destroying colonies. Barnes said there would be one exception, and that is when bees are attacking someone. Because Barnes spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, by state law commissioners were not allowed to respond. The website of the Brazos Valley Beekeepers Association includes how to contact someone who does live removals. The organization also has a meeting scheduled for the evening of March 18th at Bryan High School. Click below to hear Chris Barnes’ comments from the March 4, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting. Listen to “Brazos County commissioners are asked to adopt a policy for the live removal of honeybee colonies” on Spreaker.

College Station police arrest a Bryan man on a charge of injuring his four year old son multiple times between August and November of 2024. The CSPD arrest report says they were made aware by elementary school administrators of numerous markings and bruises on the child’s back, legs, and rear. The youngster said he was struck with an extension cord numerous times. WTAW News is not releasing the name of the 32 year old who was arrested because that would identify the child and his older brother who witnessed some of beatings. The arrest report does not say who has custody of the children. The accused, who was booked February 27, remains held as of March 7 in lieu of bonds totaling $79,000 dollars. A Houston man is in the Brazos County jail for the 30th time in 15 years. That’s after a judge agreed to raise bond as requested by the district attorney’s office in five upcoming trials. Court records say 32 year old Jacoby Woodard has violated multiple bond requirements for more than three years. Those violations includes failing to report 32 times for drug and alcohol testing and failing to report to his bond supervisor 14 times. Woodard’s bonds were raised from $107,000 dollars to $405,000 dollars. Woodard’s upcoming trials includes a kidnapping and stalking case from April of 2024, an October 2020 case of publishing or threatening to publish intimate visual images, a family violence assault in September 2020, burglary of a habitation in February 2021, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana in April of 2021.