Lynn Yeager of The Prenatal Clinic, one of the agencies receiving money from United Way of the Brazos Valley community impact grants, visits with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
United Way of the Brazos Valley Update
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City Of Bryan’s Interim Police Chief Is Named Permanent Chief
The city of Bryan’s interim police chief now has the job on a permanent basis. Dean Swartzlander will be sworn in Friday afternoon (September 6) at 3 p.m. at Bryan municipal court. The 27 year BPD officer became interim chief June 8th, following the retirement of Eric Buske. News release from the Bryan police department: On Friday, September 6th, 2024, at 3:00 pm., The Bryan Police Department will promote Interim Chief Dean Swartzlander to the rank of Chief of Police. He will be sworn in by the City Secretary, Mary Lynn Stratta in the Secondary Courtroom of the Bryan Municipal Court building, 401 S Tabor Rd. Bryan, TX. 77803. Interim Chief Dean Swartzlander is a 27-year veteran of the Bryan Police Department. Swartzlander started his career on patrol in August 1997 where he served for four years. During that time, Swartzlander was assigned K9 “Ranger” who was a drug detection dog on patrol. In 2001 Swartzlander transferred to the newly formed K9 Unit and was given a new partner “Rudi” who was trained in drug detection, article recovery, detention and apprehension. In 2008 Swartzlander was promoted to Sergeant where he supervised patrol and K9. “Rudi” retired in 2009. In 2009, Swartzlander transferred to the Training and Recruiting Unit, where he worked until 2014. In 2014, he was promoted to Lieutenant over Support Services. Swartzlander was instrumental in the planning and implementation of the Bryan Police Department Police Academy which graduated its first class on November 15, 2018. In 2020, Swartzlander was promoted to Assistant Chief. Swartzlander has served as the Interim Chief of Police for the Bryan Police Department since June 8th, 2024. Swartzlander has received one of the Department’s highest recognitions more than once when he was awarded Officer of the Year in 2000 and Supervisor of the Year in 2009 and again in 2011. Swartzlander has received recognition for his exceptional work and service to the community: * 1999 – Departmental Citation for his work on Church burglaries * 2000 – Departmental Citation for responding to a call where he attempted to revive a child who later perished. * 2003 – Metal of Valor for the Robbery at Western Union * 2003 – Named Officer of the Year by the Texas Municipal Police Officers’ Association * 2004 – Received proclamation from Mayor Watson for courage in the line of duty * 2005 – Received VFW Law Enforcement Gold Medal Award * 2006 – Medal of Valor for the Taqueria Arandes Robbery * 2009 – Community Service Citation K9 demonstration/presentation * 2009 – Police Commendation for Armed Robbery at Palasota Grocery * 2023 – Class 285 graduate of the FBI National Academy
Bryan/College Station Sister Cities Organization To Enter Its Fourth Agreement
The Bryan/College Station Sister Cities organization is entering its fourth agreement. College Station city councilman Dennis Maloney announced at the end of the council’s last meeting, of the ceremony with officials of Toruń, Poland. Click below to hear comments from Dennis Maloney during the August 22, 2024 College Station city council meeting. The ceremony, this Friday (September 6) at 2:30 p.m. in the rotunda of the Bush Library and Museum, is also scheduled to have the signing of a letter of intent between Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, which is Poland’s regional government that includes Toruń. Bryan/College Station Sister Cities also has agreements with Bastogne Belgium, Greifswald Germany, and Salamanca Mexico. According to the organization’s website, their purpose “is to facilitate mutual cultural understanding, education, relationships and technical and economic development exchange. Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.”
Arrests From Weekend Incidents On And Around The Texas A&M Campus
Texas A&M’s president is not the only Mark Welsh who lives in College Station. Another Mark Welsh, who lives near campus in the Southside district, called College Station police Friday night (August 30) about one hour before Midnight Yell reporting a man was trying to get inside his house. CSPD arrest reports say it took three officers to take the man into custody. After going to a hospital to be medically cleared, 53 year old Daryl Stilley of Tomball was taken to jail on charges of public intoxication, resisting arrest, failing to give his name, and criminal trespassing. Stilley is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $6,000 dollars. A 20 year old tailgater at Saturday’s Aggie football game was arrested by Texas A&M police (UPD) shortly after kickoff on charges of public intoxication, breaking into Blue Bell Park, taking property belonging to an Aggie assistant baseball coach, then making his way onto the track at Kyle Field without a pass. UPD arrest reports say Brady Quarles was wearing a custom made Aggie baseball jacket and carrying a monogrammed baseball bag and a binder identified as the “Blue Bell Park Strategy”. Quarles, who was also charged with lying about his age, is out of jail after posting bonds totaling $9,000 dollars. A College Station police officer writes in his arrest report his “amazement at what appeared to be a string of increasingly terrible decisions” by a bicyclist. The officer says the bicyclist did not wait to cross University at College Main after Saturday night’s Aggie football game. Instead, the officer had on his body camera, video of the bicyclist who “dodged a number of officers”, “careened through pedestrians”, “and was nearly run over by traffic”. The bicyclist who eventually caught, was taken to jail for evading arrest. 19 year old Aidan Hernandez of College Station is out of jail after posting a $5,000 dollar bond. A suburban Houston man tells Texas A&M police (UPD) after Saturday night’s Aggie football game that he has “a horrible temper especially when it comes to the team” that he loves. The UPD arrest report says that was the man’s explanation for throwing his car keys and his t-shirt into the pond at Aggie Park, kicking his wife, and yelling at their son. The UPD arrest report also says the wife reported her husband burned down their home in anger, which the officer confirmed there was an arson charge from February of 2016. 47 year old Sean Eamonn Kearns of Katy, who was charged with family violence assault causing bodily injury, is out of jail after posting a $5,000 dollar bond. Texas A&M police shared on its social media that an unlocked vehicle with the key in the vehicle, was stolen Sunday night (September 1) from a campus parking lot. University police reported on social media that the vehicle was recovered Monday (September 3) in Palestine and two unidentified people were taken into custody.