Spurs Fall to Morant, Grizzlies

Bryan Mayor Pro Tem James Edge has issued a response to the Brazos County Republican Party Executive Commission’s Resolution of Condemnation released yesterday. The resolution was in response to Edge publicly endorsing Democratic candidate James Talarico in the race for Senate and can be read by clicking HERE. Edge issued the following response via Facebook which you can read below: The Brazos County Republican Party Executive Committee, under the leadership of Russ Ford, has voted to publicly “condemn” me because I endorsed James Talarico for the United States Senate. I have to admit, I’m a little flattered. A month before a consequential election, with plenty of important things for a political organization to be doing, they decided that James Edge is the problem that requires their attention. I suppose everyone eventually gets their moment in the sun. Seriously, I think their decision to attempt to retaliate against me (for exercising my 1st Amendment rights) demonstrates just the type of destructive, divisive, hyper-partisanship that I, along with many others, want to get away from. And I am certainly in good company. The Brazos County Republican Party has developed something of a tradition of attacking Republicans who don’t conform sufficiently to their prevailing orthodoxy. John Cornyn. John Raney. Kyle Kacal. Dade Phelan. Joe Straus. And others who, at various times, have been deemed insufficiently conservative—or insufficiently willing to follow their extreme positions, have all been attacked by these same people. The irony is that the Republican Party I joined—and the Republican Party I still believe in—was never supposed to be about division and retribution. It was supposed to be about principles. Limited government. Fiscal responsibility. Individual liberty. The rule of law. A strong national defense. Free markets. Constitutional government. A few weeks ago, I proudly endorsed James Talarico for the United States Senate. I did so knowing full well that some Republicans would disagree with me. That is their right. But I made my decision based on what I believe is best for Texas and for our country. I don’t regret it, and I am not going to apologize for it. Since making that endorsement, I have received an extraordinary amount of encouragement from friends, neighbors, elected officials, former colleagues and others across our community. Much of it has been private—which I completely understand in today’s political environment—but it has been remarkably consistent. And that tells me something. There are a lot more people in this community who are tired of the politics of division, corruption, intimidation, purity tests and personal attacks than some people in the local Republican Party seem to realize. The Brazos County GOP appears to believe that political success comes from subtraction and division—identifying Republicans who aren’t sufficiently “right-wing,” pushing them out, and then congratulating themselves for having a more ideologically pure party. I believe the opposite. You don’t build a majority by continually shrinking the tent. For years, I have watched good Republicans—people who knocked on doors, made phone calls, raised money, worked elections and devoted countless hours to the party—walk away from the local organization. Many of them still consider themselves Republicans. They simply don’t recognize the Republican Party they once worked so hard to build. I haven’t walked away. I haven’t changed my principles. And I haven’t changed parties. I have simply exercised my right—and my responsibility—to make my own judgment about who I believe should represent Texas in the United States Senate. If the Brazos County Republican Party wants to “condemn” me for doing that, they are certainly entitled to do so. But they should understand something: A public condemnation doesn’t intimidate me. It doesn’t silence me. And it certainly doesn’t make me regret my decision. If anything, it has given me one more opportunity to explain why I made it. I remain a Republican because I still believe in the principles that brought me to the party in the first place. And I intend to keep fighting for those principles—with or without the approval of the Brazos County Republican Executive Committee. After all, I didn’t get into public service to be told what to think. I got into it to think for myself. Edge appeared on The Infomaniacs in September after making his endorsement. You can hear that conversation by clicking HERE.

Empty Bowls 2026 is taking place Sunday, November 1, 2026 from 12:30-2:30pm at Blackwater Draw in Downtown Bryan. For $25, select a bowl crafted by local potters and painters, then select a soup to enjoy! The following restaurants will have soups available: KinderHill Brew Lab Marfa Fish Daddy’s Madden’s C&J BBQ Napa Flats HEB Los Cabos Plus, bread provided by Blue Baker & Must Be Heaven All proceeds will benefit the Brazos Valley Food Bank. This year’s co-organizers are Amanda Bartel of White Lotus, Carla Ponder of Salamander Hands, and Penny Woodcock of U Paint It. Participating artists include: Blinn College-Bryan U Paint It White Lotus Salamander Hands Doug Peck Todd Overstreet Bluebonnet Pottery Bren Hart Living Water Joy Pottery Listen to Jeanette’s interview with co-organizer Carla Ponder with a preview of what to expect: Listen to “Let’s Talk About This Weekend’s Empty Bowls Benefit for BVFB with Carla Ponder!” on Spreaker. 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.

Story courtesy of Texas A&M Engineering News Staff (Alyson Chapman) on 10/29/2026: U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly announced on Thursday, Oct. 29, that the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has been awarded a $5.4 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to develop innovative reactor fuel technology that could help transform long-lived nuclear waste into a valuable energy resource while advancing the future of nuclear power. The project, Turning Nuclear Waste into Fuel with a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor, is led by Dr. Lin Shao, professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University. It brings together researchers from TEES, Savannah River National Laboratory and industry partner, Natura Resources, to address one of the most significant challenges facing the nuclear energy sector — the management of used nuclear fuel and its long-lived radioactive components. Texas A&M University President Dr. Susan Ballabina Credit: Danny Palomba/Texas A&M Engineering Danly announced the award during a visit to the Texas A&M campus, where he met with university leaders, toured energy research facilities and learned more about the institution’s contributions to advancing the nation’s energy security and nuclear innovation. “America’s energy future depends on bold innovation and strong partnerships between the federal government, national laboratories, universities and industry,” Danly said. “This project demonstrates how we can address long-term nuclear waste challenges while advancing technologies that strengthen our nation’s energy security. The Department of Energy is proud to support research that has the potential to unlock new value from existing nuclear materials and accelerate the deployment of advanced reactor systems.” The grant represents a significant milestone for Texas A&M’s research enterprise and highlights the university’s growing role in furthering technologies crucial to the nation’s energy future. The project exemplifies the collaborative approach needed to solve challenges at the intersection of energy security, innovation and reliability. “The Department of Energy’s investment in this project reflects the critical role universities play in advancing technologies that serve our state and nation,” said Texas A&M University President Dr. Susan Ballabina. “Texas A&M is proud to contribute research that addresses complex energy challenges while creating opportunities for innovation, workforce development and economic growth.” The project further expands Texas A&M Engineering’s leadership in advanced nuclear energy research and reinforces the university’s longstanding partnership with the DOE. Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering and director of TEES Credit: Danny Palomba/Texas A&M Engineering “Texas A&M Engineering is honored to receive this support from the Department of Energy to advance groundbreaking nuclear energy technologies,” said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering and director of TEES. “This research aligns directly with our mission to solve the nation’s most pressing engineering challenges through innovation and collaboration. We have an opportunity to develop solutions that reduce nuclear waste, improve energy reliability and help maintain American leadership in advanced nuclear technologies.” According to Shao, the project aims to address two critical national priorities, including reducing the long-term burden of nuclear waste and developing advanced reactor technologies capable of delivering reliable energy for future generations. Researchers will integrate fuel preparation, experimental testing, computational modeling and reactor design throughout the project. As energy demand continues to grow nationwide, advanced reactor concepts such as molten salt reactors are drawing increasing interest for their potential to provide reliable, carbon-free power while improving fuel utilization and addressing long-term waste management concerns. The grant-supported research builds on Texas A&M Engineering’s extensive nuclear energy research portfolio and its commitment to developing technologies that strengthen U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness. 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.