Corps of Cadets Member Fabricated Claim Regarding Robbery and Pepper Spraying

Texas A&M University Silver Taps will be held Tuesday, October 6, at 10:30pm to honor the following students: Branson McNeel Bean — sophomore Agricultural Leadership and Development major from Cypress (originally scheduled to be honored in September ceremony) Victoria Claire Burkett – Master’s Human Resource Management student from Friendswood, TX Nicholas Stephen Heinrich-Barna – Ph.D. Computer Engineering student from Lucas, TX Alan Delynn Moore – Ph.D. Engineering student from Houston Mastura Safayet – Ph.D. Geography student from Ithaca, NY Graham Andrew Wetherell – freshman Construction Science major from Houston The Silver Taps ceremony will be held at the Academic Plaza. To honor their memory, the campus will be darkened at 10:20 p.m. Students, family and friends will gather in the plaza in front of the Academic Building in silence. At 10:30 p.m., an honor guard from the Ross Volunteer Company will march slowly to the plaza where its members will fire three rifle volleys. Those who wish to send condolences to the families may send an email to silvertaps@tamutraditions.net, or drop a letter in one of four memorial boxes located in Academic Plaza, the Memorial Student Center 12th Man Hall, on the Quad or in front of the West Campus Dining Facility. To help maintain the tranquility of the event, those living on campus should cover windows, keep noise to a minimum and walk to and from the ceremony without talking. Silver Taps is held on the first Tuesday of each month, September through April, if necessary, following a student’s death. It is one of the final tributes held for any current professional, graduate or undergraduate student who has died during the year. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Officials in Brazos County announced today that the burn ban has been lifted. Last week, Madison and Washington Counties lifted their bans. Leon County has also canceled their burn ban.

The Brazos County District Attorney’s Office announced today that a habitual DWI offender has been sentenced. 56-year-old David Pennington, of Conroe, was sentenced to 25 years on prison by a Brazos County judge. The sentence was handed down October 1, 2026. Pennington pled guilty to Driving While Intoxicated with three or more previous convictions. On March 10, 2026, Pennington contacted College Station Police to say that he felt unsafe driving, because he was seeing double. But, he said he would not stop unless an officer stopped him. Pennington admitted to drinking nine 16-ounce beers on his drive from Temple. A breathalyzer showed an alcohol concentration of 0.125. At the time of his arrest in March, Pennington was on parole for a prior DWI offense. He was convicted of felony Driving While Intoxicated in 2016 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. ADA Kevin Capps said, “We appreciate Mr. Pennington’s honesty in reporting his own criminal conduct, and we hope he seeks treatment for alcohol abuse while in the penitentiary. However, we cannot and will not ignore the threat to the safety of everyone on our roads posed by a person who continues to choose to drive while intoxicated.” “We would like to thank the College Station Police Department for responding to stop Mr. Pennington and taking the appropriate steps to ensure he did not remain on the road,” Capps continued. “The defendant has chosen to repeatedly endanger the safety of everyone who drives on our roads. The defendant has shown he will not stop unless we put a stop to him.” Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.