Governor’s First Semiconductor Grant Recipient In Brazos County Goes To Texas A&M

BTU Residential Customers To Pay More For Electricity Starting In June

Starting in June, BTU residential customers will be paying another $4.00 dollars a month for their electricity. That’s after the city council this unanimously adopted recommendations by the BTU board at the council’s May 5th meeting. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 5, 2026 Bryan city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download background information from the May 5, 2026 Bryan council meeting. Click HERE to read and download the ordinance that was approved at the May 5, 2026 Bryan council meeting. Council members were told there are two contributing factors. One is the rising cost of acquiring power and the second is the rising cost of getting power to customer’s homes. A third component that contributes to BTU electric bills is not changing for the time being. But councilmembers were told BTU staff and board members are keeping tabs on the rising administrative costs at the utility that are not associated with acquiring and the transmission of power. Another change recommended by the BTU board that was approved by the council, eliminates different power prices during the winter and the summer. Starting this November, there will be one rate that is an average between the winter and summer prices. Listen to “BTU customers to pay more for electricity starting in June” on Spreaker.

College Station Police Arrests On Charges Of Animal Cruelty, Domestic Violence Aggravated Assault, And DWI In The Big 6 Construction Zone

A Lufkin man is arrested by College Station police on a felony charge of animal cruelty. The CSPD arrest report says on Wednesday morning (May 6), 23 year old Edward Ping III is accused of taking a pit bull puppy that was only a few weeks old and throwing it to the ground like spiking a football, then picking up the puppy and throwing it into a dumpster. Ping denied throwing the dog, only setting the puppy on the ground and setting it in the dumpster. As of Thursday afternoon (May 7), Ping remains jailed in lieu of a $16,000 dollar bond. Just after a local man broke up with his girlfriend, the woman is accused of hitting him with her car and striking him four times with a key lanyard. The College Station police arrest report says this happened outside the Best Buy store Wednesday morning (May 6). The arrest report does not say if the man received medical treatment. The woman who was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 29 year old India Dickson, had been out on bond awaiting two trials on misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, interfering with public duties, and criminal trespassing. As of Thursday afternoon (May 7), Dickson remains jailed on the new charge in lieu of a $50,000 dollar bond. In the Big 6 construction zone during the afternoon commute on Wednesday (May 6), College Station police stop a pickup truck that struck a concrete median after swerving and driving at various speeds. The CSPD arrest report says the driver told the officer he had consumed cocaine, 10 prescription anti-depression pills, and a half a bottle of beer. That led to the arrest of 46 year old Jad Attar, who used to live in College Station, on charges of DWI and evidence tampering for swallowing the prescription pills. At the time of the arrest, Attar was out on bond awaiting trial on another DWI charge that took place in College Station in August of 2025. As of Thursday afternoon (May 7), online records show no bond was set for evidence tampering while bond on the DWI charge was $5,000 dollars.

Brazos County Commissioners Receive Initial Findings Of A First Ever Study Of Employee Pay And Job Descriptions

In August 2025, Brazos County commissioners unanimously approved spending $435,000 dollars on a consultant to review employee pay and job descriptions. That’s after an initial 3-2 vote in February of 2025. The consultant’s first report was presented at the commission’s May 5th meeting. According to the consultant’s presentation, they have four objectives. They are “to ensure that (1) Staff are appropriately classified into the correct job title and job descriptions are reflective of the work being performed by County employees (2) Relationships among jobs are consistent and objective (3) Total compensation offerings are market competitive and (4) The County’s performance management strategy and tool is positioned”. Click HERE to read and download the consultant’s presentation. Click HERE to read and download a summary of the consultant’s presentation. Commissioners Bentley Nettles and Wanda Watson said they want to change the county’s current practice of paying new employees the same wage as the person they replaced. Still to come from the consultant and the county’s human resources office, are specific recommendations about a new pay schedule and changes in job descriptions. Commissioners were told to expect those recommendations in time to be considered for next year’s budget. Click below to hear comments from the May 5, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting. Listen to “Brazos County commissioners receive initial findings of a first ever study of employee pay and job descriptions” on Spreaker.