Kevin O’Connor Kommentary January 4

Bryan ISD school board members approve replacing the artificial turf at Merrill Green Stadium. The unanimous vote at Monday’s meeting (April 7) awarded a nearly $700,000 dollar contract that will be paid by remaining funds from the 2014 and 2019 bond issues. BISD athletic director Dereck Rush said administrators are still pursuing naming rights to offset the cost of the project. Rush said the project will start in June and will be completed in July. The new turf replaces what was installed in 2016. Rush says the life of the existing turf was shortened by the volume of games and events that are held at the stadium. Rush also said the three companies that submitted proposals did tests that showed the current surface failed a “softness” factor that figures into the safety of football players. Administrators also studied returning to a natural grass field. Rush said natural grass was too expensive to maintain and would limit use. Click below to hear comments from the April 7, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting. Listen to “Bryan ISD school board members approve replacing the turf at Merrill Green Stadium” on Spreaker. Original story, April 4, 2025: At the last Bryan ISD school board meeting (March 24), member David Stennis’s report of the last finance committee meeting included looking for the money to replace the Merrill Green Stadium artificial turf and possibly the lights. Click below to hear David Stennis’s comments from the March 24, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.   The agenda for the next BISD board meeting (April 7), the agenda includes awarding a contract to replace the turf. The agenda does not identify the funding source for the $697,664 contract or any details of the contract. A Bryan ISD spokesman tells WTAW News “Pending Board approval, the district will be using remaining 2014 & 2019 bond funds.” Artificial turf was originally installed at the stadium in 2012.

A 17 year old is arrested by College Station police for reckless driving in the Northgate district. The CSPD arrest report says Saturday night (April 5) 30 minutes after the bars closed, Javier Maciel drove away while an officer was asking him about having open containers of alcohol in his truck. Maciel drove in the wrong lane, struck at least one vehicle, and threatened pedestrians as he drove away while officers had drawn their guns. Maciel was eventually arrested after officers found his truck. Maciel, who was also charged with evading arrest and evidence tampering by washing his truck before he was caught, is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $18,000 dollars. A College Station man is arrested by Texas A&M police after a bicyclist was struck by a hit and run driver. The bicyclist, who was hit by a pickup the morning of March 26th at John Kimbrough and Penberthy, was taken by friends to the hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries. UPD officers used video from campus cameras to identify the truck. The driver, 22 year old John Kasper of College Station, was arrested April 3rd for leaving the scene of a collision involving an injury. He is out of jail after posting a $15,000 dollar bond.

Bryan police (BPD) is investigating three threats made by students at different Bryan ISD (BISD) campuses. On March 24th at Rudder high school, BISD administrators contacted a BPD school resource officer (SRO) regarding a verbal threat made by a student stating, “I’m going to blow up the school”. After a thorough investigation by BISD and BPD, it was determined BISD will handle disciplinary action and the criminal investigation will be presented to the DA Office. Investigation is ongoing. School was not interrupted. It was determined there was no immediate threat to the safety of students, staff or administration. Last Wednesday (April 2) at Stephen F. Austin middle school, a BPD SRO was contacted by BISD administration of a juvenile student who was upset at comments made by another unknown juvenile. Juvenile made a verbal threat to shoot up the school that was overheard by a teacher. This threat was investigated, determined to not be credible, and the safety of students and staff was not threatened. School was not interrupted during this incident. BISD will be handling discipline and SRO will present this case to the DA’s office. Last Friday (April 4) a BPD SRO was notified of a verbal threat made the day before at Davila middle school by a juvenile suspect to a BISD employee. Verbal threat was made to cause physical harm to the employee for taking a cell phone. Employee was not harmed, and no students were threatened. School was not interrupted. BISD and BPD SRO investigated and deemed the threat to not be credible. BISD will be handling the discipline and criminal case will be presented to the DA’s office.