TAMU President Katherine Banks Gives State of University

Brazos County Commissioners Court Meeting Recap 07/28/2026

The Brazos County Commissioner’s Court met Tuesday morning. Austin Fannin (Director of Strategic Program Development for Texas A&M) made a presentation of the plans for the university’s Sesquicentennial “Celebrating 150 Years of Texas A&M.” Texas A&M officially turns 150 years old on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Celebrations will take place throughout the school year, starting with an opening ceremony on Friday, October 2, 2026 at 4:00pm on the steps of the Jack K. Williams Administration Building. That night, there will be a special 9:00pm yell practice at Kyle Field, followed by a drone and fireworks show. The week of October 4-10 is focused on student celebration, with birthday meals, treats, and celebrations at Aggie dining halls. $1.50 ice cream sandwiches at the Moore Family Creamery on game days, and a Sbisa pig roast prior to the Arkansas game on 10/3. In the spring, there will be an Aggie Family Parade. On April 10, 2027, the university plans to have floats and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade style balloons. The route will start at the Albritton Clock Tower at 9:00am, moving through and around campus, then ending at College Station City Hall. The celebration will conclude with the Aggie 150th Festival April 30th & May 1st at Aggie Park. Music, food, carnival rides, and more. Learn more at 150.tamu.edu. Trevor Lansdown (Director of Project Management) and Bob Lamkin (Director of Facilities Services) made a presentation on deferred maintenance in regards to regular agenda item #1. The resolution to commit $20-million for deferred maintenance from the general fund balance, which was passed. The pair stressed the importance of getting ahead of maintenance issues, because it can save time and money to be proactive. For example, there is currently a broken chiller that has been down since January. They have been waiting seven months on parts and in the interim, they must incur the expense for rental chillers. There was also mention that major elevator repairs could take 32 weeks, so preventative maintenance is crucial versus waiting until after something breaks to fix it. The court approved the resolution to move $20-million from the general fund balance to go towards deferred maintenance. $221,203.00 was also approved to expand the Juvenile Justice Center. The court approved all 19 items on the consent agenda: FY 25/26 Budget Amendments 21.01 – 21.10. Approval of Payment of Claims Approval of the following appointments to the Brazos County Child Welfare Board with terms of August 28, 2026 – August 28, 2029: A. Gail Bradbury B. Suzanne Phelps Approval of the following appointments to the Brazos Valley Council of Governments Board of Directors with terms of October 1, 2026-September 30, 2029: A. Linda Edge B. Bobby Gutierrez C. John Nichols Approval requested from Human Resources for acceptance of donated funds in the amount of $8,285.14, from the Texas Association of Counties to be used for Employee Safety Equipment. Funds must be used through the TACRMP website. Approval for payment of claim to Kendrick Bob in the amount of $233.66 for damage to personal property. Approval of a BTU Utility Easement and Damage Waiver to install electrical poles, service lines, and a transformer at 2617 W. St. HWY 21. Approval of the Treasurer’s Report for May 2026. Approval of Personnel Change of Status for Department Heads. Approval to increase the Brazos County mileage reimbursement rate from $0.725 per mile to $0.76 per mile per the IRS revised rates for business travel occurring on or after July 1, 2026. Request authorization to wire transfer up to $1,000,000.00 to Health and Human Services Commission for the Uncompensated Care Demonstration Year 13 for the benefit of participating hospitals using funding from the Local Provider Participation Fund. Approval of Deductive Change Order to RFP # CIP 24-608 Jail Shower Renovations with R.E.C. Industries, Inc. in the amount $79,527.11. Approval to accept donation of TEA allotment for JJAEP textbooks. Award of IQ # 27-001 Fire Protection Services. Recommended Vendor: Brigade Fire Solutions, LLC. Consider and take action on the Wickson Creek SUD utility permit to construct road bore on Collette Lane to provide water services to address 4797 FM 2223. Site is located in Precinct 2. Final Plat Bertram Grove Subdivision Phase 1, Lot 7R, Block 2, Being a Replat of Lots 7 and 8, Block 2, Phase 1; 2.17 Acres; Samuel Davidson Survey; Abstract Number 13. College Station, Brazos County, Texas. Site is located in Precinct 1. Consider and take action on the Brazos Wifi utility permit for Collette Lane and Scott Lane. Project consists of conduit being installed within the south ROW of Collette Lane from FM 2223, South-west to Scott Lane for 450 feet and one (1) road bore of Scott Lane with additional conduit being installed within the west ROW of Scott Lane for 100 feet to the North-west. Site is located in Precinct 2. Consider and take action on the Wickson Creek SUD utility permit to construct road bore at 6980 Coyote Run to provide water services. Site is located in Precinct 2. Consider and take action on the Comcast utility permit to install 2-inch conduit by directional bore within the right-of-way of following County Roads and Falls Creek Ranch Subdivision. Sites are located in Precinct 4. A. Mumford Road – 5,464 feet in ROW B. Hilton Road – 2,025 feet in ROW and 2 crossings C. Steamboat Run – 3 crossings D. Telluride Way – 3 crossings E. Vail Lane – 3 crossings F. Keystone Drive – 1 crossing   The court approved all items on the Regular Agenda: Resolution 26-014 Commitment of General Fund Balance for Deferred Maintenance. $20,000,000 of General Fund Balance will be committed for deferred maintenance and major repairs of Brazos County Buildings in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 54. Approval Requesting Temporary Variance to Compensatory Time Policy for Landscaping Department. Approval of Brazos County Proclamation and Certificate of Recognition Policy and Guidelines. Approval of Amendment #1 to 25-151 Legal Representation of Juveniles with Gendron & Flanigan to extend another year at a reduced rate. […]

Candy 95 Named As 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Award Finalist

The National Association of Broadcasters announced the finalists for this year’s Marconi Awards. Bryan Broadcasting’s Candy 95 (KNDE-FM 95.1) is a finalist for TWO awards! Candy has been named a finalist for Small Market Station of the Year and CHR Station of the Year. CHR is the industry name for the Top 40 music format: Contemporary Hit Radio. The five finalists for Small Market Station of the Year are: KBHP-FM, Bemidji, MN  KMMX-FM, Lubbock, TX KNDE-FM, College Station, TX WIOG-FM, Saginaw, MI WYOT-FM, Rochelle, IL The five finalists for CHR Station of the Year are: KNDE-FM, College Station, TX  KQMV-FM, Seattle, WA KRBE-FM, Houston, TX KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO WBLI-FM, Long Island, NY Candy will vie for the top spot against, among others, 104 KRBE out of Houston. Nielsen Ratings lists Houston as the 6th largest radio market in the country. Seattle-Tacoma comes in at #11. Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island) is ranked at #20. Bryan-College Station is #189 and Columbia, MO is #217. Candy has three Marconi’s. They won best CHR station in 2018 and 2021, and took best small market radio station in 2017. They were also finalists for the award in 2023. Known as “radio’s biggest night,” the annual event brings together broadcasters from across the country to celebrate excellence in radio and recognize the year’s outstanding stations, personalities, podcasts and industry leaders. Established in 1989, the award is named after Guglielmo Marconi, the Nobel Prize winner and inventor of the practical radio wave-based wireless telegraph system. The NAB Marconi Radio Awards recognize overall excellence in radio by honoring outstanding stations, on-air personalities, podcasts and industry leaders.  The winners of the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards will be announced October 20, 2026. You can view the entire list of finalists at https://www.nab.org/documents/newsroom/pressRelease.asp?id=7522

Charles Medina Makes First Court Appearance Since Death of Hannah Rapp

The man accused of hitting and killing Hannah Rapp on July 18th made his first court appearance today. Attorneys for Charles Medina asked that his bond be lowered. Judge John Brick did not think that was appropriate. Brick explained that with Medina’s extensive and violent criminal history, he is a danger to himself, his family, and the public. The charges that Medina currently faces for the events on the day of Rapp’s death did not change today. He was charged with manslaughter ($250,000 bond) on the day Rapp died. The district attorney’s office added aggravated assault with a deadly weapon ($500,000) charges on July 22nd, because they say he used his vehicle as a deadly weapon as he sped towards her fiancé that day. The additional bond amounts that he is being held on are in regards to outstanding charges he had prior to July 18th. Medina was arrested by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Department on February 21, 2024 and charged with deadly conduct discharge of a firearm. He was out on $50,000 bond for that charge, but since his arrest on July 18th, that bond was increased to $200,000. He was arrested again by Brazos County Sheriff’s Department on March 18, 2025. This time charged with public intoxication and evading arrest. He was released that same day on $4,000 bond. He also had pending criminal mischief and deadly conduct discharge of a firearm charges out of Grimes County (offense date unknown), with bonds totaling $275,000. Now that he is behind bars again, all his outstanding bonds were revoked. And, therefore, he is being held on a grand total of $1,229,000 bond.