Texas A&M Updates Employees And Students Seeking Pandemic Home Testing Kits And/Or Vaccines

Flooding Rains Return To The Brazos Valley

Flooding rains returned to the Brazos Valley on Thursday (May 16). The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for portions of Brazos County from 4:20 until 10:45 p.m. Portions of multiple streets in College Station and Bryan became impassable, in part due to stalled vehicles and in part to trees that fell across roadways. As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service reported rainfall at Easterwood Airport was 2.24 inches. Rainfall reports from WTAW listeners texting 979-695-1620 included: 5.59 inches in two hours east of Bryan in the Steep Hollow area at FM 1179 and Merka Road. 5 inches in Bryan’s Memorial Forest neighborhood. 4.26 inches in Bryan’s historic eastside district. 3.5 inches three miles north of Anderson. 1.3 inches east of Hearne in the Blackjack community.

Bryan City Council Sees Ideas For The “Iconic Feature” At Midtown Park’s Signature Playground

This December, construction is projected to start on a $4.5 million dollar playground at Bryan’s Midtown Park. An update was given during the May regular meeting of the Bryan city council. Deputy city manager Hugh Walker was the first to bring up proposals for the focal point signature playground…a multi story sculpture incorporating a slide among other things that Walker described as the playground’s “Iconic piece”. Playground consultant Drew Cain brought up that the multi story sculpture will be custom made. Bryan mayor Bobby Gutierrez, who lives next to Sue Haswell Park, brought up the popularity of a similar feature to what will be built for Midtown Park’s signature playground. Bryan council members were shown artists drawings of five animals…three birds, a beaver, and a catfish. During a visit on WTAW’s The Infomaniacs, councilman James Edge says no decision has been made whether the sculpture will be an animal, a rocket, or something else. The playground consultant also talked about using the playground area, which is not flat, having equipment that takes advantage of elevation changes. The signature playground at Midtown Park is projected to open in August of 2025. $2 million dollars of the cost is covered by a private grant. The remaining $2.5 million comes from the city of Bryan. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the May 14, 2024 Bryan city council meeting. Listen to “Bryan City Council Sees Ideas For The "Iconic Feature" At Midtown Park's Signature Playground” on Spreaker.

Brazos County Sheriff’s Arrests Inside Post Oak Mall And Inside The Brazos County Jail

A Brazos County sheriff’s deputy in uniform working off duty security inside Post Oak Mall on Tuesday (May 14) responds to a report of a man with two ferrets on leashes throwing the animals at people. The deputy’s arrest report also says the suspect refused to stop yelling obscenities. That led to the 13th trip to Brazos County jail for 34 year old David Ollie Matthews Jr. of Bryan since April of 2009. He was released from jail after posting bonds totaling $6,000 dollars following his arrest on charges of disorderly conduct, failing to identify himself, and resisting arrest. The deputy who made the arrest told WTAW News that after Matthews was arrested, the ferrets were placed in the custody of College Station animal control. And online court records show Matthews is awaiting trial on a felony charge of possessing a controlled substance that took place in December of 2020. A Brazos County jail inmate awaiting trial on a charge of assaulting a detention officer in September 2023 is now accused of hitting another inmate multiple times in the head and face with a closed fist. The sheriff’s office arrest report does not state what led to the assault on May 8. 34 year old Kenard McDonald, who was charged with assault causing bodily injury in the latest incident, is also awaiting trial for family violence assault with a prior conviction that took place in January 2023. And jail records show he is being held on a Harris County warrant for family violence assault.