Kevin O’Connor Kommentary May 21

Bryan/College Station Salvation Army Launches Its 2024 Holiday Campaign

The Bryan/College Station Salvation Army’s annual holiday campaign is underway. Friday’s program (November 15) at Blue Baker restaurant on University begins the adoption of children who will receive gifts through the Angel Tree program and the recruitment of volunteer bell ringers at Red Kettle locations. Angel Trees are located at various businesses around Bryan and College Station, including Blue Baker’s three locations. The trees will be decorated with paper angels, each representing a local child. Community members who participate are asked to drop off gifts for their Angel Tree recipient by Wednesday, December 11th. Adopting a child and volunteering as a Red Kettle bell ringer can also be done online. Click HERE to be directed to the B/CS Salvation Army website. And limited-edition Angel Cookies will be available for purchase at all three Blue Baker locations from Friday, November 15th through Sunday November 17th while supplies last. Proceeds from cookie sales will directly benefit Angel Tree. Friday’s kickoff program began with Salvation Army captain Luis Villanueva introducing local barbershop quartet Tetrachord, who sang holiday songs. That was followed by a welcome and prayer from Salvation Army captain Marianne Villanueva. Speakers, in order of appearance, were Bryan mayor pro tem James Edge, College Station councilman Mark Smith, B/CS Salvation Army board chairman Stephen Vincent, College Station mayor John Nichols, Blue Baker president Zach Langenkamp, Bryan Broadcasting’s Allison Harrell, Aggie Salvation Army philanthropy committee chairman Austin Moses, and Texas A&M junior Charlie Borowczak, who has participated in Angel Tree campaigns in multiple communities since he was six years old. Following a ceremonial ribbon cutting, the program concluded with music from Tetrachord that ended with a sing-a-long with those in the audience. Click below to hear the B/CS Salvation Army holiday campaign kickoff program: Listen to “Bryan/College Station Salvation Army annual holiday campaign is underway” on Spreaker.

College Station City Council Approves Concept Plan For A $6 Million Dollar Renovation Of Thomas Park

The College Station city council accepts the concept plan for $5.94 million dollars of improvements at Thomas Park. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the November 14, 2024 College Station city council meeting. $3 million in funding comes from the bond issue approved by voters in November 2022. Another $2 million was previously budgeted in a separate fund. Construction would not start for at least one and a half years. Capital projects director Jennifer Cain says park improvements will be coordinated with rebuilding streets and replacing drainage on Puryear Drive and James Parkway, which borders the park. And none of that is scheduled to start until Lincoln Avenue is rebuilt. Three features of the renovated park are a play village, a discovery play area, and a habitat/educational area. Other amenities includes running trail markers, low intensity exercise stations, and shaded seating. Hear some of the comments from the November 14, 2024 College Station city council meeting:  

Bryan Council Approves Property Tax Breaks For Honeywell Electronics Chemicals $120 Million Dollar Expansion

The Bryan city council approves property tax breaks for a $120 million dollar expansion by a local manufacturer. The city’s economic development specialist, Todd McDaniel, says Honeywell electronics chemicals on Mumford Road will be making new products for the semiconductor industry. McDaniel says that fits the city’s targeted strategy for that sector. McDaniel says the five year tax abatement will generate an additional $900,000 dollars in payroll with the creation of 10 to 12 jobs. City background information says Honeywell, which has been in Bryan for more than 20 years, will generate an estimated $748,000 dollars in property tax revenue following the five year abatement period. Click HERE to read and download the agreement approved at the November 12, 2024 Bryan city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download city staff background information. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials at the city council meeting. Click below to hear comments from Todd McDaniel during the November 12, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.