Kevin O’Connor Kommentary May 3

Arrests From Weekend Incidents On And Around The Texas A&M Campus

Texas A&M’s president is not the only Mark Welsh who lives in College Station. Another Mark Welsh, who lives near campus in the Southside district, called College Station police Friday night (August 30) about one hour before Midnight Yell reporting a man was trying to get inside his house. CSPD arrest reports say it took three officers to take the man into custody. After going to a hospital to be medically cleared, 53 year old Daryl Stilley of Tomball was taken to jail on charges of public intoxication, resisting arrest, failing to give his name, and criminal trespassing. Stilley is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $6,000 dollars. A 20 year old tailgater at Saturday’s Aggie football game was arrested by Texas A&M police (UPD) shortly after kickoff on charges of public intoxication, breaking into Blue Bell Park, taking property belonging to an Aggie assistant baseball coach, then making his way onto the track at Kyle Field without a pass. UPD arrest reports say Brady Quarles was wearing a custom made Aggie baseball jacket and carrying a monogrammed baseball bag and a binder identified as the “Blue Bell Park Strategy”. Quarles, who was also charged with lying about his age, is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $9,000 dollars. A College Station police officer writes in his arrest report his “amazement at what appeared to be a string of increasingly terrible decisions” by a bicyclist. The officer says the bicyclist did not wait to cross University at College Main after Saturday night’s Aggie football game. Instead, the officer had on his body camera, video of the bicyclist who “dodged a number of officers”, “careened through pedestrians”, “and was nearly run over by traffic”. The bicyclist who eventually caught, was taken to jail for evading arrest. 19 year old Aidan Hernandez of College Station is out of jail after posting a $5,000 dollar bond. A suburban Houston man tells Texas A&M police (UPD) after Saturday night’s Aggie football game that he has “a horrible temper especially when it comes to the team” that he loves. The UPD arrest report says that was the man’s explanation for throwing his car keys and his t-shirt into the pond at Aggie Park, kicking his wife, and yelling at their son. The UPD arrest report also says the wife reported her husband burned down their home in anger, which the officer confirmed there was an arson charge from February of 2016. 47 year old Sean Eamonn Kearns of Katy, who was charged with family violence assault causing bodily injury, is out of jail after posting a $5,000 dollar bond. Texas A&M police shared on its social media that an unlocked vehicle with the key in the vehicle, was stolen Sunday night (September 1) from a campus parking lot. University police reported on social media that the vehicle was recovered Monday (September 3) in Palestine and two unidentified people were taken into custody.

Bryan City Council Extends The Area Of Its “Innovation Corridor” Land Use Regulations

In October 2022, the Bryan city council created new land use regulations on and south of the RELLIS campus. The council unanimously approved during its August meeting, extending the area what they call the “innovation corridor” to the east along portions of Highway 21 between Smetana Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway. 72 property owners and residents are affected by higher development regulations that includes landscaping, signs, building construction, and general appearance standards. The innovation corridor was originally established on the RELLIS campus to the south along Highway 47. The extension was requested by the planning and zoning commission. The only council member to have comments, Jared Salvato, said “overall, I think this gonna help align the continuity of what we’ve done out there with (the) overlay district on (Highway) 47”, and will “continue to revitalize that area with what we have going on and what we have coming in.” Click HERE to read and download background information from the August 13, 2022 Bryan city council meeting. Click HERE to read the ordinance that was approved at the August 13, 2022 Bryan city council meeting. Click below to hear comments from the August 13, 2022 Bryan city council meeting.  

Fee Increases Approved By The College Station City Council

After the College Station city council approved the fiscal year 2025 budget and property tax rate, came a near unanimous vote on setting hundreds of fees to take affect October 1. Councilman Bob Yancy abstained from the vote, saying “I just believe this is too much fiscal information to cram into one meeting.” The list includes increasing parks and recreation fees for non residents. There was no change in parks and recreation fees for College Station residents. Non residents, who had paid 20 percent more, will pay 25 percent more. Councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha, who was part of the six to the nothing vote, said the city is still subsidizing the parks and recreation fee for non residents. Water rates will increase ten percent. Most other fees are increasing by three and a half percent, which reflects the increase in the national consumer price index. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the August 22, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download the resolution that was approved from the August 22, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Click below to hear comments from the August 22, 2024 College Station city council meeting.