Kevin O’Connor Kommentary March 31

College Station’s Mayor Sends A Letter To The FAA Asking To Delay Amazon Drone’s Request To Increase Service

College Station’s mayor sends a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration forwarding the city council’s position on Amazon’s request to expand its drone delivery service. The letter from John Nichols asks the FAA to delay Amazon’s request until noise is reduced. The mayor’s letter cites what he describes as “concerns” from surrounding homeowners. Nichols also says Amazon’s request to increase the number of drone flights and expand the number of hours and days that drones operate could exceed what is allowed under College Station’s current zoning of suburban commercial. The mayor’s letter says the council supports Amazon’s request to use a new drone that Amazon says is 40 percent quieter and will allow deliveries to be made farther away. The letter, obtained by WTAW News through an open records request, was sent to the FAA on July 11. Public comments to Amazon’s application to the FAA ended July 12. The letter was composed following direction by the city council during its meeting on June 27. Click below to hear comments during the June 27, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Speakers include city manager Bryan Woods and city attorney Adam Falco. Listen to “Comments from College Station's city manager and city attorney about Amazon's application to expand drone delivery service” on Spreaker.

College Station City Council Approves Agreements To Host The USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships

Ten days before 9,000 track and field athletes and 14,000 fans arrive in Aggieland for a national championship, the College Station city council approves spending almost $1 million dollars. The council unanimously approved paying Texas A&M up to $950,000 dollars to manage the six day event. That’s after spending $35,000 in the bid that was accepted to host the USATF (United States Track & Field) National Junior Olympic championships. Click HERE to read and download background information provided by the city of College Station associated with the action taken at the July 11, 2024 city council meeting. City staff told the council they expect to break even. Tourism manager Jeremiah Cook is projecting the city collecting at least $300,000 dollars in ticket sales and up to $644,000 dollars from a state grant. Cook also said the city of Bryan’s tourism office is making a financial contribution that is less than $100,000 dollars, along with volunteers, and staff time. The council discussion did not include extending paid parking south of the A&M campus as was done in June for the George Strait concert and the international soccer match. Click HERE to be directed to the USATF website for more information about the track and field event that will be held July 22-28 at Texas A&M’s Cushing Stadium. Click below to hear comments from the July 11, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Listen to “College Station city council approves paying Texas A&M $950,000 to manage a youth track and field national competition” on Spreaker.

Local Arrests On Charges Of Assault, Child Endangerment, Drug Possession, And Escape

A Bryan man awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a College Station police officer and evading arrest in February of 2023 returns to jail following his weekend arrest on a new assault charge. The Bryan police arrest report says six officers were involved in removing 25 year old Giovanni Carrillo from a home near Texas Avenue and Highway 21 on Saturday afternoon. Carrillo was taken to jail on charges of punching a woman over the age of 65 in the face and resisting arrest after officers forced their way into a bathroom to take him into custody. As of July 15, Carrillo remains held in lieu of bonds totaling $22,000 dollars. College Station police respond to a citizen’s report of seeing a woman sitting in a vehicle with a gun in her lap, looking intoxicated and distraught, and with two/three year old children inside. The woman told an officer according to an arrest report that she had drank a half bottle of wine and she was planning to drive back to Spring after getting in an argument with her boyfriend. 26 year old Ravyn Smith was arrested on two counts of child endangerment due to being intoxicated, having slurred speech, getting out of the vehicle and falling, planning to drive 75 miles, and having an incorrectly installed car seat. The arrest report does not say who took custody of the children. As of July 15, Smith remained in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $10,000 dollars. College Station police searching a home near the South Texas and freeway flyover discovers 3,000 Ecstasy pills weighing more one and a half pounds and inside a car more than five ounces of Adderall pills. That led to the arrest of two men on drug charges. 31 year old Jordan Cooper of Brenham is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $100,000 dollars on charges of possessing with the intent to deliver the Ecstasy and Adderall. 32 year old Craig Sweed of Bryan is out of jail after posting a $25,000 dollar bond on a charge of possessing with the intent to deliver the Adderall. Freedom for a Brazos County jail inmate who escaped the night of July 11 lasted two and a half hours. The sheriff’s office arrest report says 27 year old Juan Alvarez-Medina, who was among five trustees taking out trash during the midnight hour, was noticed missing after the rest of the group returned inside the detention center. A Bryan police officer found Medina about one and a half miles away in the area of Highway 21 and Sims. Medina had been in jail since June 20th on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, and a hold for immigration authorities.