Aggies Move Into Tie for 10th Place

A Public Speaker Calls On The College Station City Council To Do Something About The City’s Feral Cat Population

The lone public speaker at the last College Station city council meeting (October 24) called on the governing body to do something about the city’s feral cat population. Brian Watford says for the last seven years, he has been managing a feral cat colony behind the Sonic restaurant on Harvey Road that he owns. Watford suggested the city employ a pilot program that is being used in Montgomery and Fort Bend counties. While audience members applauded Watford’s comments, mayor John Nichols said “I will indicate that the city is aware of this and is working on updating the guidelines on this issue.” Six hours later at the end of the council meeting, Nichols was suggesting public comments to address an unrelated topic when he used Watford as an example, “reminding us that we don’t have a good policy or we haven’t really addressed the feral cat issue.” Click below to hear comments from Brian Watford and John Nichols during the October 24, 2024 College Station city council meeting.  

College Station City Council 4-3 Vote Brings Back Permit Requirements For New And Expanding Bars In The Northgate District

College Station city council members vote 4-3 to bring back permit requirements for new and expanding bars in the Northgate district. The conditional use permit (CUP) requirement was dropped in 2003. Mayor John Nichols made the motion based on public safety requests from the police chief and the fire chief. Police chief Billy Couch says the more than 30 existing Northgate bars attract 10,000 customers, a number which does not include those who do not enter the bars. Fire chief Richard Mann cited 1,184 responses during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. That included 454 ambulance calls and 441 trips by fire department ladder engines. Seven public speakers opposed the return of the CUP requirement. Travis Vollmering said the public safety issues are the result of more students at Texas A&M, adding “I don’t think that we’re going to have that number decrease if you shut down Northgate. That’s just the most fun place for them to do it right now.” The owner of Northgate’s Rough Draft bar, Justin Manning, said “We feel that there is an agenda that we’re not a part of and that we have lost control and we don’t have a voice.” Joining Nichols in bringing back the CUP requirement were Mark Smith, William Wright, and Elizabeth Cunha. Voting against the permit were Dennis Maloney, Linda Harvell, and Bob Yancy. Click HERE to read and download what was approved at the October 24, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials shown at the council meeting. Click HERE to read and download council questions and staff responses. Click below to hear comments from the October 24, 2024 College Station city council meeting.  

Bryan Man’s 42nd Trip To Jail Is On A DWI Charge And Texas A&M Police Arrests A Man Approaching Women Then Threatens An Officer

The 42nd time a Bryan man is booked in the Brazos County jail since November 1992, comes after the pickup truck he was driving strikes a house used as a business and a parked car south of downtown Bryan. The Bryan police arrest report says 53 year old Edward Jackson had breath alcohol levels more than one and half times the legal limit at .146 and .154. The arrest report says around 1:30 in the morning on Sunday (October 27), the truck going south on Texas crossed over the median and struck the car and the building. Jackson, who was arrested for DWI with one prior conviction, remains in jail as of October 28th in lieu of a $4,000 dollar bond. Texas A&M police (UPD) arrest a Houston man who witnesses say disrupted classes, asked women for their phone numbers, and asked women questions of a sexual nature. This happened last Wednesday (October 23) at the Polo Road recreation center. The UPD officer’s arrest report says he made contact with the 22 year old man as he was sitting down to speak to another woman. The officer said the man had slurred speech and the odor of alcohol and marijuana. The arrest report also says the man told the officer “I am going to hurt you.” William Abazie, who was charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and retaliation, remains in jail as of October 28th in lieu of bonds totaling $9,800 dollars.