By Tyler HoskinsPublished: May 2025 at 7:54 PM CDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLLEGE STATION Texas (KBTX) - College Station police are warning of several road closures and hazards as storms sweep through the city and the Brazos Valley Friday evening Road closures and hazards have been reported on the following and these areas should be avoided: Police suggest being cautious in these areas and avoiding travel if possible They also wanted to remind every to never drive through flooded roadways 6vs4LSU Sorrell Homer Lifts Aggies to Series Win Over No Spring graduations will be celebrated May 8-10 across nine ceremonies at Reed Arena Texas A&M University’s spring commencement ceremonies are scheduled for May 8 Texas A&M University will award approximately 13,016 degrees to spring graduates at commencement ceremonies this month. Commencements will be held at Reed Arena on May 8 Graduates will have their names called and walk the stage Diplomas will be mailed after the ceremony Diploma tubes will be provided at the ceremonies for photographs School officials note commencements are a celebration of each student’s accomplishments security and decorum of a public event befitting their success Guests are encouraged to refrain from disruptive behaviors which may negatively impact this special moment for students and their families Clear bags are also required at all commencement ceremonies at Reed Arena Undergraduate degrees will be awarded at 9 a.m. A military commissioning ceremony for members of the Corps of Cadets is set for the 2 p.m Master’s degrees and doctoral hooding ceremonies will be at 2 p.m Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications The annual awards recognize individual staff members teams and student employees for their contributions to the university community The Friars honor their beloved dachshunds and support Texas A&M’s veterinary hospital through a heartfelt gift that reflects their love for animals and the Aggie Spirit University awards internal seed funding to 57 interdisciplinary teams through its Targeted Proposal Teams initiative supporting high-risk watch videos and discover how Texas A&M University is shaping an innovative more secure future for the citizens of Texas and the world This story is published in partnership with Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. a bitter fight over a $1 billion water project offers a preview of the future for much of the state as decades of rapid growth pushes past the local limits of its most vital natural resource the fastest-growing city in America for three years straight which in 2023 signed a contract with an investor-funded enterprise to quickly begin importing vast volumes of water from the Simsboro Formation of the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer On the other side: the cities atop the Simsboro that rely on its water College Station and the Texas A&M University System have sued a local regulator to stop the project “We’re going to fight this thing until the end,” said Bobby Gutierrez “It effectively drains the water source of the cities.” The pump and pipeline project to Georgetown developed by California-based Upwell Water is the largest of at least a half dozen similar projects recently completed under construction or proposed to bring rural Carrizo Wilcox aquifer water into the booming urban corridor that follows Interstate 35 through Central Texas It would eventually pump up to 89 million gallons per day three times the usage of the city of Bryan “That basically stops all the economic development we have,” Gutierrez said The fight over the Upwell project could well be a prelude for the broader battles to come as cities across Texas outgrow their water supplies Lawmakers in the state Capitol are pushing to avert a broad scarcity crisis with funding to desalinate seawater purify salty groundwater and treat oilfield wastewater to add to the supply But all of these solutions remain years from realization only import projects from freshwater aquifers will continue to meet the growing water demands of thirsty Texas cities Regulation of such projects falls to a patchwork of small rural agencies called groundwater conservation districts which might not be fully equipped or empowered to manage plans for competing regional water needs that can affect entire cities for generations to come generally preferring a landowner’s right to pump their own groundwater over regulations on private property Despite fierce denunciations of the Upwell project from nearby city leaders no one has alleged that its developers have broken any laws Why are we being vilified?” said David Lynch a managing partner at Core Capital investment firm in Houston and a partner in the Upwell project “I think they feel uncomfortable about what’s coming and their reaction is to make us go away.” San Antonio started pumping up to 49 million gallons per day through a 140-mile pipeline from the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer Another pipeline was completed last year and will soon begin pumping to the city of Taylor and the new Samsung microchip manufacturing complex there will take water into the cities of Buda and Kyle After the lawsuit delayed the Upwell project’s tight timeline Georgetown commissioned two other pipeline projects from the same aquifer “People are starting to pay enough for water to make these sorts of projects work,” Lynch said driving his black Ford Super Duty Platinum truck down the dirt roads of Upwell’s 9,000-acre farm property and well field in Robertson County In the middle of all this is the little Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District based in the small town of Hearne and the defendant in the lawsuit District manager Alan Day feels for the cities of Bryan and College Station the sooner everyone will reach conditions of scarcity though he doesn’t think it will happen as quickly as city leaders say “Bryan can’t claim the water.” Groundwater is a private property right in Texas as sacred as any other Everyone is allowed to pump whatever their land produces “They have a commodity that can be sold and they have every right to sell it.” he has no authority to stop landowners from pumping as long as they fulfill the requirements of the permitting process Day chuckled at the notion that state leaders would let his tiny office put the brakes on development along the I-35 corridor as well as one of the nation’s largest clusters of data centers and its fastest growing cities specify a threshold at which new rules kick in It’s called the “desired future condition,” or DFC a level below which the district is not willing to go everyone will face restrictions on pumping and the days of groundwater abundance will be over for the Simsboro portion of the aquifer He’ll honor the property rights of landowners who want to pump he’ll implement restrictions district-wide “What does that do to the growth of Bryan and College Station and Texas A&M and anyone else who is depending on Simsboro?” Day asked This situation follows a generation of steep growth and development that state leaders have dubbed the “Texas Miracle.” The population of Williamson County, seated in Georgetown, 28 miles north of Austin, doubled in 17 years to 700,000 people while its median household income increased by more than 90% Neighboring counties share similar stories where sprawling subdivisions and shimmering tech campuses now cover former ranchlands Georgetown needs to add millions of gallons per day to its water supply within the next several years When it signed the pipeline contract in 2023 that stipulated deliveries beginning in 2030 it was acting on a much tighter timeline than decades that are typically considered for large scale water planning “Based on hyper growth that we’ve seen in our water territory we’ve seen the need for higher levels of contracted water sooner than we originally anticipated,” said city manager David Morgan Most of the new water will serve new residential areas, he said, and will be used primarily to irrigate lawns and other neighborhood landscaping. Williamson County is also courting a cluster of five large data centers that it expects would bring another 100,000 people to the county The region is currently pursuing ambitious opportunities in semiconductors president of the Greater Brazos Partnership along with the growing workforce and families who support them are directly dependent on access to our local water resources,” she said Although many major projects importing groundwater into Central Texas are just now being realized the plans have been in the works for decades a retired finance lawyer and co-founder of the Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund In 1998 Gangnes moved from Austin to rural Lee County announced plans to import 49 million gallons per day from wells in Lee County on the site of an old Alcoa aluminum smelter A prolonged fight ensued and the project was never realized “That’s what started the whole gold rush on water,” Gangnes said “It resulted in all these groundwater districts being formed trying to resist the water rush on the Simsboro.” The groundwater districts were formed by an act of the Texas legislature in 2001 when the time came to make groundwater rules who previously directed the Texas office of the Sierra Club for 24 years the iconic Texas oilman who also wanted to export groundwater from his land holdings in the Panhandle “There was heavy lobbying by groundwater exporters to make sure that groundwater districts could not stop exports,” Kramer said “Groundwater then became more of the target for moving water to growing areas and populations.” Under a principle in Texas called the “right of capture,” landowners are allowed to pump from their land whatever they are able to Changes made to the Texas Water Code in 2001 stipulated that withdrawals are allowed so long as they don’t affect other permit holders “unreasonably,” which lacks a firm legal definition That leaves lots up to interpretation for the groundwater districts of Texas “They live in a difficult world where it’s unclear exactly what their power is to tell somebody no,” said Robert Mace executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University “If you tell somebody no you’re almost guaranteed to get sued.” several major pipeline projects into Central Texas came online San Antonio eventually got its Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer water through a 6-foot-wide 140-mile long Vista Ridge pipeline which began drawing water from Burleson County in 2020 causing levels in neighboring landowners’ wells to plummet The old Alcoa wells in Burleson County were also put to use A developer called Xebec Holdings bought the 50-square-mile property in 2022 and signed deals to pipe almost 18 million gallons per day to the City of Tyler “There’s constantly people out there trying to lease water rights to see if they could do a project to sell water,” said Gary Westbrook general manager of the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District “We’re going to have to find a way to regulate A Gatehouse Pipeline is currently under construction to Georgetown with another one called Recharge in development said those two projects were identified and accelerated after the lawsuit challenged the Upwell project “We believe the lawsuit is going to likely delay getting that fully resolved,” he said Upwell Water, a San Francisco-based financing firm, announced in 2020 that it had raised $1 billion from investors “to monetize water assets.” Upwell partnered with CoreCapital investors in Houston which bought its 9,000-acre Robertson County farm property in 2021 said he expected to sit on the property for 10 years until the economics of water made it attractive to develop a major export project “We bought it and all of a sudden we had everybody calling saying we need water,” Lynch said Upwell recruited seven neighboring landowners to put company wells on their property and contribute to the export project which in this area can tap water 40 feet down “It’s a million-dollar hole,” said Mark Hoelscher one of the neighboring landowners involved in the project as he looked up at one of the diesel-powered well installations In October 2022, Upwell received permits for 16 wells to pump nearly 45 million gallons per day without any challenges in the hearing process. Four months later it received its permit to export the water out-of-district the district issued permits for another 32 wells belonging to the seven adjoining landowners to produce an additional 45 million gallons per day Texas A&M University declined to comment for this story “No one has questioned the fact that we own the land and we have rights to the water underneath it,” said Hoelscher a third generation landowner in the Brazos River Valley “The fact of the matter is the water is ours.” One week later, A&M filed a lawsuit in state district court seeking a temporary injunction stopping the groundwater district from recognizing any of the permits associated with the Upwell project until a hearing is held A&M argued that the previously issued permits should be open for re-examination because some board members of the groundwater district were ineligible for service at the time the permits were originally approved In November, Bryan and College Station filed papers to join the lawsuit It said their “ability to produce groundwater from their Simsboro wells and the economic vitality of the region will be adversely affected if the Contested Applications are granted.” a former professor of agricultural sciences at Texas A&M said in a statement: “The transfer of groundwater from our district to users in other areas is one of the most significant issues facing the College Station/Bryan area I’m a staunch proponent of private property rights but we are deeply concerned about the long-term impact of excessive extraction on our community.” He called on lawmakers to adopt statewide groundwater regulations ensuring the rights of current permit holders over new water users matters to the trial that will take place in early May All the judge will decide is whether or not A&M and the cities have rights to challenge the previously issued permits Upwell argued A&M’s petition “demands that the Court turn back time and recognize a non-existent ‘right’ to administratively contest final groundwater permits that the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District properly noticed and issued to Intervenors months and years prior — all without any complaint or contest by any party the permits will be issued and work will begin on the Upwell project pipeline the permits will head into a potentially yearslong process of state administrative hearings that could threaten the viability of the project and its promised returns to investors other similar projects are likely to follow The situation is headed in one direction: toward the DFC In the Brazos Valley and surrounding districts that threshold is a 262-foot drop in water wells from levels measured in 2000 pumping has led the wells' water to drop by one quarter of that allotted reduction Day said his district has issued permits for up to 291 million gallons per day of pumping from the Simsboro Formation of which 89 million gallons per day are associated with the Upwell project only a fraction of that permitted volume is actually pumped If all permitted pumping were to suddenly come online computer models showed they would hit the DFC in six years In reality it won’t happen quite that fast The Upwell project plans to scale up its pumping gradually over years And many farmers hold irrigation permits to pump much more water than they ever actually will unless they also encounter the opportunity to join an export project That means all users would face mandatory curtailment It’s unclear how such unprecedented measures would be enforced in Texas this management method creates a contest for investors to tap the water-wealthy Simsboro Formation and sell off its bounty before time runs out “They want to exploit everything we have for their personal benefit,” he said “It’s a race of who can take the most amount of water in the least amount of time to deplete a resource for their pocketbooks.” Disclosure: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Apple, the City of Bryan, Google, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here We can’t wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase Choose an amount or learn more about membership Texas A&M AggiesTexas A&M Aggies - Southeastern Conference Full Schedule ©SEC Sports 4vs3Baylor Photo by: Julianne Shivers/Texas A&M AthleticsPapamalamis Punches Aggies’ Ticket to NCAA Sweet 16 May 04 No. 4 Texas A&M rolls past No. 2 Tennessee in regular-season finale - Southeastern ConferenceMay 03, 2025SoftballShareXFacebookNo 2 Tennessee in regular-season finaleThe Aggies take down the Lady Vols 13–2 in five innings claiming the series and continuing their dominance after already securing a double bye for the SEC Tournament 3vs1LSU Aggies Split Saturday Doubleheader with No the Tigers and Aggies are set for a double-header LSU and Texas A&M both enter the series with something to prove LSU needs a series win to keep bolstering its chances at earning a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament Texas A&M got a rough start in conference play they'll be in a good spot with the committee Eighteen innings in one day can be taxing on a pitching staff so LSU will need Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson's best If LSU can get length from its starting pitching the bullpen will remain flexible for Jay Johnson Here's how to watch the LSU baseball vs Texas A&M game today What channel is LSU baseball vs Texas A&M on today?TV Channel: STREAMING ONLY Texas A&M is streaming only on Saturday afternoon Tiger fans will need ESPN+ to watch game one and game two Watch LSU baseball vs Texas A&M live on ESPN+ The LSU baseball vs Texas A&M game starts at 2:00 PM CT from Blue Bell Park Stadium in College Station Game two will begin one hour after the conclusion of game one The squads will then meet for a rubber match on Sunday We occasionally recommend interesting products and services If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Escapes RV Resorts Bryan College Station has been named Park of the Year by the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) a prestigious recognition awarded to top-performing parks across Texas for excellence in guest service Known for its resort-style features and personalized service Great Escapes Bryan College Station continues to raise the bar for family camping and the energetic activities team that keeps the experience exciting from start to finish Whether families are enjoying the Wibit water obstacle course the park provides a getaway that blends comfort “This award reflects the heart and effort our entire team puts in every single day,” said Crystal Talbert general manager of Great Escapes Bryan College Station “We’re proud to be a place where families can feel welcomed the moment they arrive and where kids can have the kind of unplugged fun they’ll talk about for years It’s incredibly rewarding to see our staff and even small touches like warm greetings at the front desk recognized at this level.” TACO evaluates parks across the state based on guest reviews Great Escapes Bryan College Station excelled in every category earning top marks for its dedication to delivering memorable “Great Escapes Bryan College Station is a model of what we strive for at all of our resorts—outstanding amenities and a team that truly cares,” said Troy Sheppard “The Park of the Year honor from TACO is not just a win for this location but a celebration of the kind of outdoor hospitality that makes families want to come back again and again.” Families ready to experience an award-winning escape can learn more and book their next stay at www.GreatEscapesBCS.com Contact:Brad Ritter, Ritter CommunicationsBritter@bradritter.com740.815.1892 or will the Aggies live up to the moniker of “Texas 8-4” yet again Brian Hadad welcomes Tony Catalina of the Austin American-Statesman to the pod for a preview of what feels like it could be a big year in College Station Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state Texas A&M's 2025 football season will be under the national microscope, as head coach Mike Elko enters his second season with the program after finishing his inaugural campaign 8-5 including a disappointing 1-4 finish that resulted in a bulk of the Aggie fan base feeling uninspired heading into the offseason who served as James Madison's defensive coordinator last season who will (hopefully) fix A&M's technical problems at cornerback with a clear focus on Texas A&M's late-season struggles and the lack of success in the passing game "While we stumbled over ourselves to applaud Elko’s efforts during his first season something interesting happened: His team lost four of its last five Elko’s eight-win debut holds up as an acceptable start The Aggies still must develop their pass game a holdover theme from the Jimbo Fisher era Texas A&M attracts enough talented players to accelerate but can Elko develop a strong SEC quarterback especially with the additions of wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver from the transfer portal if Reed struggles in the pocket next season these questions and comparisons to Jimbo Fisher will continue to surface Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri) and Shane Beamer (South Carolina) were positioned 1-8 Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. Texas – University of Missouri track and field’s Reagan Kimrey and Alicia Burnett both entered the school’s top 10 list in the hammer throw and 400m at the Texas A&M Alumni Muster on Saturday at E.B who posted the ninth-best hammer throw in school history to take third in the event after recording 58.81m (192-11) 9 in the 400m after finishing with a time of 54.85 Claudina Diaz tied her best of 1.85m (6-0.75) to take second We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy vsAlumni Muster Abadie’s School Record Highlights Senior Day May 03 Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M AthleticsTexas A&M Softball Earns No Photo by: Julianne Shivers/Texas A&M AthleticsTokac’s Gritty Win Pushes Aggies Past Owls Related Topics: LSU Tigers football, Texas A&M University, Doubleheader Texas A&M (25-19, 8-12 SEC) was supposed to host No. 2 LSU starting on Friday night but due to inclement rainy weather in College Station the Aggies and Tigers will now face off in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon which began the Aggies' impressive winning streak Texas A&M needs five more conference wins to make it back to the NCAA Tournament while the Tigers are safely in the postseason with nearly 40 wins on the year the Aggies will have to wait a little longer to get back on the diamond but the game was postponed due to weather in the area More: Texas A&M basketball recruiting: Federiko Federiko commits to Aggies Friday's series opener has been postponed to Saturday as part of a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m." the Aggies baseball social media account shared Friday Friday's weather forecast in College Station calls for rain and thunderstorms to start at 2 p.m and is expected to continue through midnight first pitch directly in the storm's crosshairs Photo by: Zach Del Bello / Mean Green SportsTrack & Field Heads to College Station to Close Out Regular Season5/2/2025 9:24:00 AM | Track & Field/XC But what about the old Kroger that has been serving the Eastside community for decades will close the night before the new one opens The final day of sales at the old building will end at 6 p.m shiny Kroger Marketplace right next to it is scheduled to take place at 7 a.m the Banner-Herald stopped in last week to have a "last meal" from the deli and produce sections Eat Athens: What'll ya have? Try some pimento cheese slaw dogs at the new Varsity location College Station Kroger has been around since 1983 Kroger opened its first Athens grocery store in 1958 known to locals as "Space Kroger" due to an extra large floor plan that expanded the size of the grocery aisles served as the model for the new College Station store Since the old College Station Kroger was understandably on the way out when the Banner-Herald visited shelves were not being re-stocked and many items were marked for clearance Shoppers filled the aisles loading up on marked-down items from condiments to cases of soda and the beer cooler had been stripped bare The deli and the produce sections were still open so we were determined to put together some kind of lunch The only hot food available at the deli was fried chicken so we grabbed a box of that for $5 along with freshly-made sushi rolls priced at $5 The sliced fresh fruit selection was plentiful so we chose containers of watermelon chunks and a mixture of berries and kiwi for $8 our beverage of choice was a $1.25 can of organic strawberry vanilla soda from the refrigerator case Though this reporter has enjoyed the city's most expensive sushi at fine establishments like Shokitini and Chuck's Fish he is not a snob when it comes to the cheaper varieties The rolls made by the expert chefs at Kroger's sushi counter stand up to anything else in Athens in terms of quality and flavor and the fried chicken and fruit were suitably juicy and delicious for a warm spring day at our Lake Herrick picnic table Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRYAN-COLLEGE STATION Texas (KBTX) - As the first quarter of 2025 concludes crime statistics from Bryan and College Station indicate a decline in several key areas mirroring national trends reported by the FBI and other agencies CCJ’s Year-End 2024 Crime Trends Report found that levels of 12 of the 13 offenses analyzed were lower in 2024 than in.. the data from the Bryan Police Department (BPD) shows a similar pattern Aggravated assaults dropped from 47 in the first quarter of 2024 to 30 in the same period this year— a 36% decrease Reports of theft from motor vehicles were nearly cut in half “What we do is when we see those in a particular area What we do is study and see who lives in that area,” said Officer Seth Waller with BPD “As these hot spots pop up around the city we can target those areas and send our resources and assets over there to them and come up with a plan to tackle that to try to get suspect and or suspects in custody for those crimes.” The City of Bryan did report one homicide in the first quarter of 2025 up from zero during the same time last year College Station’s crime data showed less dramatic shifts Aggravated assaults dipped slightly from 11 to 10 Sexual assault reports increased from 22 to 23 while car burglaries remained unchanged at 14 are still a concern in Bryan but are being addressed through targeted patrols and investigative follow-ups We’re continuing to make these numbers turn downward letting our patrol officers and those zones know what’s going on and keeping them proactive when they’re not taking 911 calls,” he explained contacting people out late at night that probably are out not doing what they’re supposed to be doing.” Officer Waller emphasized community involvement as a crucial part of maintaining the downward trend in crime Don’t have anything in there that’s worth of value for them to take and we can see those numbers down,” Officer Waller beseeched “If you see anything suspicious; you see people out pulling the door handles bending down around rims or anything like that; please please call us and if you can- at a safe distance- keep an eye on them The CCJ’s report acknowledged the role of community engagement and proactive policing while noting how the US still faces higher homicide rates than most other industrialized nations “The reductions we’re seeing are promising,” shared CCJ Senior Research Specialist Ernesto Lopez “but we must continue to adopt evidence-based strategies and understand how broader societal dynamics may be influencing crime trends today.” Bryan Police told KBTX its strategy is working— and it’s not just about crime stats “It takes the whole department to work on it All the way from a patrol officer to crime scene to our detectives It takes a lot of units to combat this,” Officer Waller added your Neighborhood Reporter for Brazos and Robertson Counties but local two-year-old Cooper Burton is overcoming incredible odds just to walk "It's a genetic disease that affects our hands and feet," Cooper's father "It was passed down from like my great grandparents to my grandparents to my mom and then now to Cooper and several other members of my family," he added That reality left Cooper at risk of never walking or running in his life "It's like terrifying and heartbreaking to hear all these things about your baby," Cooper's mother "It was discouraging at first just because I felt guilty as a dad," B.J But help from a Texas pediatric hospital changed that "We went to our pediatrician in town and got second opinions and went to Scottish Rite it was the first time I felt like everything was going to be okay when we got there," Ashley said The Burton's drove to Scottish Rite in Dallas for 10 straight weeks getting treatment that included two surgeries Cooper's father told 15 ABC those efforts helped free up some of that guilt "I was really hurting just knowing I felt responsible for the whole thing the only issue the Burton's face is trying to keep Cooper still 15 ABC asked the Burton's how it feels to see Cooper enjoying life as a normal kid "Seeing him run around happy and never think anything was ever wrong that's what really makes it's heartwarming knowing that he's going to be okay," Cooper's father said Read through the obituaries published today in Bryan-College Station Eagle Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account said during a visit to Texas on Tuesday that measles deserves less attention than other chronic diseases while downplaying the number of deaths that have occurred in the state’s historic outbreak of the virus During a visit to Texas A&M University in College Station Kennedy said that Europe’s measles deaths are higher than the U.S.’ “four deaths in 20 years,” two of whom were Texas children this year He also said more attention should be focused on chronic conditions like diabetes, as well as autism, which Kennedy has previously linked to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. The scientific community has widely debunked the theory asserting the vaccine does not cause autism “Every child who gets measles gets a headline,” Kennedy said during the visit alongside Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “When I was kid, there were 2 million measles cases a year and nobody wrote about them.” Kennedy has been criticized for his response to the measles outbreak He has questioned the role measles had in the deaths of three individuals confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control this year He has praised private medical providers who have used alternative treatment methods on measles patients to ease some symptoms including vitamin A and budesonide an inhaled steroid typically used for asthma but does not “cure” measles Public health officials have repeatedly said that two doses of the MMR vaccine is the most effective way to prevent measles He stressed on Tuesday that his agency has to take care of Texans who want to vaccinate Kennedy stressed the federal support he’s sending to Texas which has footed the bill so far to try to contain the outbreak through testing and vaccination the effort has cost the state more than $4.5 million since the first case was detected in late January according to the Texas Department of State Health Services “We’re working very closely with the governor of Texas with the public health officials in Texas We’ve provided them enormous support from the CDC all the support that they’ve requested for vaccines and for alternative medicine,” he said He also struck an optimistic note about the state of Texas’ outbreak He said measles cases are slowing as officials are doing well to manage the outbreak While Tuesday’s state measles update shows the number of cases slowing in Gaines County Texas health officials were more cautious about whether this slowing of infections could be maintained On Tuesday the number of measles cases in Texas had risen to 663 cases in 26 counties 87 patients had been hospitalized and two school-aged children have died since the outbreak began in January We can really only see trends looking backwards We’d need to see a few weeks of decline to say that it was trending downward,” said Lara Anton a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services “There was a lot of travel for the Easter holiday so we’re watching to see if there is an increase in cases over the next few weeks." the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine and vocal vaccine proponent “The numbers are still going up,” Hotez said “This is not a time to take your foot off the gas.” Rollins said she invited Kennedy to her alma mater to see Texas A&M’s research as the two agencies work on the upcoming five-year Dietary Guidelines for Americans which both secretaries said would come out this summer is expected to be a rejection of the latest 453-page advisory report that typically informs policies on healthy eating the dietary guidelines have been a political document,” Kennedy said During the event, Rollins ticked off Americans’ poor health metrics, including how about 100 million Americans are obese and the rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other diet-related diseases on the rise. She also announced a second round of funding for USDA’s marketing assistance for specialty crops program A total of $1.3 billion is being made available to farmers who grow specialty items including fruits Christmas trees and culinary and medicinal herbs and spices Kennedy complimented A&M’s commitment to providing better nutrition to the American people after making several tour stops on the campus including a sorghum greenhouse “No longer will taxpayers pay for junk food and sugary drinks for our SNAP recipients When we talk about chronic obesity and chronic disease especially amongst our youth and our adolescents it hits the hardest with those who are the most food challenged,” Rollins said Disclosure: Texas A&M University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --  Pickleball Kingdom the world's largest indoor pickleball entity announces its newest facility coming to Bryan which will span 49,150 square feet and feature 17 professional-grade indoor courts adds to the growing number of locations in Texas Pickleball Kingdom is the premier pickleball destination in the region.  "Texas has long been a hotspot for pickleball," said Ace Rodrigues "College Station is the perfect place for us to expand to especially with Texas A&M bringing incredible energy and a strong sense of community to the area!" The College Station facility will offer: • Indoor Climate-Controlled Courts: Play year-round in comfort • Lessons & Clinics: For all skill levels—led by experienced coaches • Court Reservations & Open Play: Book your court or drop in to play • Leagues & Tournaments: Organized for players seeking competitive play • Pro Shop: Gear up with top brands' paddles • Youth Programs: Inspiring the next generation to embrace and enjoy the sport • Community & Corporate Events: Building local connections through engaging pickleball events "I'm ready for the opportunity to serve my community It's an honor to grow a business that brings all generations together to play the most fun sport in the world in a comfortable Pickleball Kingdom College Station will be where people come for fitness Sheryl is also focused on creating local partnerships "We're providing opportunities for people to play and connect while supporting the local economy and building a team that feels like family." She is committed to giving back to organizations in the community that give a hand up to the poor "This marks another important step in bringing our vision to more communities and her commitment to excellence make her the perfect franchise partner We're confident she'll create an incredible experience for everyone who walks through the doors." a Texas A&M graduate and long-time College Station resident brings a wealth of experience in business and technology to Pickleball Kingdom College Station With a successful track record leading an IT consulting firm and currently serving as the Director of Technology for a nonprofit Sheryl combines her professional expertise with her passion for racquet sports Her deep community roots and commitment to excellence position the new facility for tremendous success Donald "Donnie" French will serve as the General Manager of Pickleball Kingdom College Station A lifelong resident of Bryan-College Station and a U.S Army veteran who served four years in the 1st Infantry Division Donnie brings strong community ties and a reputation for outstanding leadership he is committed to making the facility a vibrant welcoming hub for players of all ages and skill levels For Franchise or Media Inquiries: Mitch Kistner, Sr. Director of Marketing Email: [email protected]  Phone: 888-725-0072 continues its nationwide growth by awarding a multi-unit franchise agreement that.. announces the official opening of its newest club in Mount Pleasant General Sports Corporate Expansion Do not sell or share my personal information: Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInAutoplayDream Home Giveaway Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLLEGE STATION Texas (KBTX) - Following a surprise announcement several days ago that upset many of Rock Prairie Elementary School’s parents and staff College Station ISD is working to provide more insight into the move of the principal to another campus in the district Jeff Durand sent an email to families announcing that after this current school year “The past (almost) seven years have been so fulfilling for me as we have gone through so much together and community we have here at Rock Prairie While my time as a Rangler is coming to an end I want each of you and your families to know how much you all mean to me This is not goodbye just yet- we still have quite a bit to do before this year is over and so our attention turns to making the next 30 or so days the best we can,” said Durand in his message the school district sent a follow-up message to families after KBTX reached out to ask for more information about Durand’s unexplained departure from the campus CSISD says Durand will transition to an assistant principal position at the secondary level “While it is generally not the practice of the district to share specific details about personnel decisions we are aware that many parents and staff have questions about this change In an effort to be transparent while remaining respectful of those involved we do want you to know that this decision was a culmination of ongoing conversations and evaluations throughout the school year The opportunity to continue in the principal role was an important part of this process; however the steps taken did not fully align with the district’s expectations and priorities Durand’s professional strengths will be leveraged in a different capacity,” CSISD said in a statement A search is now underway for a new Rock Prairie Elementary School principal Supporters of Durand are encouraging parents to share their concerns with the school board and to attend the next scheduled school board meeting on Tuesday Photo of Louis Anthony Hernandez from https://portal-txbrazos.tylertech.cloud/JailSearch/default.aspxA College Station man who was released from jail after prosecutors reject an arrest returns to jail the same day According to a document the Brazos County district attorney’s office sent to WTAW News there was insufficient evidence to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt This is in regard to a March 28th incident where shoppers at the College Station Walmart store who reported seeing a woman bleeding were thanked on the College Station police department’s Facebook page when the DA’s office rejected prosecution on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon 36 year old Louis Anthony Hernandez was released from jail Hernandez returned to jail the same day when CSPD arrested him on charges of continuous violence against family members and violating a protection order by being in the apartment Hernandez told officers according to the CSPD arrest report that he did not think he violated the protection order because no one else was in the apartment Hernandez remains in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $80,000 dollars College Station police gives a shoutout on its Facebook page to citizens who called 9-1-1 last Friday (March 28) to report there was a woman at the Walmart store who was stabbed in the hand and struck in the eye with a closed fist CSPD arrest reports say the woman’s boyfriend of 16 years stabbed and assaulted her over a period of several hours in their apartment Then he forced her to walk with him to Walmart to get cleaning supplies The woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of her injuries 36 year old Louis Anthony Hernandez was charged with family violence aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Hernandez remains jailed as of March 31 in lieu of bonds totaling $86,000 dollars Arrest reports also say this is the ninth incident involving this couple since January Two arrests in College Station on assault charges before the start of severe thunderstorms last Friday (May 2) began with a delivery driver refusing to move their truck College Station police arrest reports say the woman who made the request started taking photos of the delivery truck with her phone That resulted in the delivery driver chasing the woman to get the phone and grabbing her from behind Witnesses said the woman was thrown to the ground while the driver said the woman did that on her own her husband found the driver and struck the driver with his fists and the end of a handgun who was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries then went to jail after being arrested for misdemeanor assault of the woman 30 year old John Cabrera is out of jail after posting a $4,000 dollar bond The husband went to jail after being arrested for felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon 54 year old Kevin Brummet is out of jail after posting a $10,000 dollar bond Brazos County commissioners at their last meeting (April 29) decided against spending $500,000 dollars on a contract for consulting services The decision to not pursue what the agenda item described as an Americans With Disabilities Act self evaluation and transition plan “elated” commissioner Fred Brown Brown thanked county staff for finding a way to handle that issue in-house Click below for comments from the April 29 This July marks three years since a traffic stop where a Brazos County sheriff’s deputy had to drive 112 miles per hour to catch up to a car that was clocked at 92 As part of a plea agreement with the district attorney’s office 31 year old Akiva Jenkins of Killeen will serve at least 180 days in prison as part of a ten year sentence for harassing and threatening the deputy The punishment known as shock probation could result in not having to serve the remaining prison time A Caldwell man is found guilty of violating probation in two Brazos County district court cases from crimes that took place in September 2021 23 year old Dreraud Rogers admitted to stealing a gun and violating a protection order at least two times during a 12 month period Rogers returned to court last Thursday (May 1) where he pleaded not guilty to violating probation The district attorney’s office motion to revoke says Rogers failed to submit to drug and/or alcohol testing 11 times and failed to complete an accredited battering intervention and prevention program Rogers punishment of four years for violating the protection order and 18 months for stealing the gun will be served at the same time We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns College Station's Cade Corcoran tags out Crosby courtesy runner Drake Davenport trying to steal second base during their Class 5A Division I bi-district game Saturday at Caldwell CALDWELL — The College Station baseball team’s season came to an end one frustrating at-bat at a time College Station was 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position as Crosby grabbed a 5-0 victory Saturday afternoon at Hornet Field to complete a sweep their battle of Cougars in a Class 5A Division I best-of-3 bi-district series Crosby needed less than 10 pitches to build a 3-0 lead Junior Kason Condra set the tone by smashing the first pitch into center field for a single but senior Jakob O’Daniel sharply grounded a 1-0 pitch over the third-base bag for a double Crosby senior Andrew McArthur singled to put runners on the corners College Station threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt Crosby junior Alejandro Cerino promptly delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0 College Station (15-12-1) quickly put itself in a position to respond Junior Keaton Johnson was hit by a pitch and senior Cade Corcoran singled The players on the College Station bench were chanting RBI Crosby senior starting pitcher Colton Ballard came up with two strikeouts and CS senior Nash Urban smashed a grounder headed toward left field that Crosby shortstop O’Daniel made a diving grab and threw to third base for a force out to end the threat The scenario basically was repeated in the third inning College Station senior Cooper Martindale walked and Johnson hit a sinking liner that Crosby’s left fielder unwisely tried to make a diving catch instead of fielding it on the bounce Corcoran ripped a grounder at the first baseman for the first out and the next two batters struck out as again the chants of RBI “We gave ourselves chances to chip away,” College Station coach Chris Litton said CS put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth inning via two walks and a foiled pickoff attempt but couldn’t score College Station had another great chance in the sixth inning Junior Zeke Bullard walked and Urban singled The runners moved into scoring position on freshman Landon Hawkinson’s sacrifice bunt But Ballard came through with a strikeout and induced an inning-ending grounder which had been 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position after taking a 3-0 lead finally got some insurance runs in the seventh inning greeted reliever Myles Simpson with an RBI single The last run came when College Station got an out on a fielder’s choice but threw the ball away trying for a double play College Station starting pitcher Jake Boggan settled down after a shaky start for a solid game He needed less than 10 pitches in both the third and fourth innings His defense helped by turning two double plays and the junior right-hander and senior catcher Colton Haas teamed up to foil a Crosby squeeze attempt in the fifth inning Boggan threw 6 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and one walk and one hit batter College Station second baseman Keaton Johnson makes a diving catch against Crosby during their Class 5A Division I bi-district game Saturday at Caldwell “He was pitching it well and we weren’t making mistakes,” Litton said "They just found the hits early; they came out hot and they put up a three-spot on the board before we could get settled in.” which tied New Caney Porter for second place in 18-5A behind Kingwood Park advances to play fourth-ranked Barbers Hill (26-5) having at least one in every inning but the second “We focus on us number one,” Crosby coach Ross McMurry said “We never try to look over at the other dugout Ballard came within an out of giving Crosby a second straight complete game He had success with off-speed pitches early and then started to get swing and misses with his fastball “He’s a lefty kind of junk-ball guy,” McMurry said “He’s been a guy that we’ve benched at times So he’s kind of had his back against the wall multiple times on the season and he’s come through in a lot of scenarios where he saw runners in scoring position and found a way When his back’s against the ball is where he’s at his best He’s done a tremendous job of finding a way to continue to compete at all times.” He was among 17 seniors who hang around after the team met “This senior class is one I’ll always remember,” Litton said College Station in the last two weeks of the regular season went from possibly not making the postseason to sharing the 17-5A title with Montgomery Lake Creek The Cougars opened district play with two losses but ended league action by winning seven of eight “I mean all the adversity they fought through on the season some of the hurdles that we had to overcome,” Litton said they got us back in the playoffs and got us a share of the district title We beat Consol for the first time in three seasons On top of that there was some really good tournament ball that they played So they just overcame a ton of adversity and I’m really proud of this group NOTES — Crosby lost in bi-district last year to Santa Fe … Montgomery and Montgomery Lake Creek advanced from 17-5A to area Email notifications are only sent once a day College Station junior pitcher Jake Boggan was named the athlete of the week after his complete game helped the Cougars earn a share of the di… The second game in the series set for 7 p.m the third game is set for Saturday at a t… Centerville will face Garrison in the area round at a time date and location to be determined next week College Station's Wilson Stapp didn't expect his senior season to start with a serious injury but he's grateful for the time he gets back out there Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -12 years ago, Garrett Wareing was just a kid in College Station with a big dream Now, the actor is starring in the new Netflix series “Ransom Canyon” and said he can’t wait for the world to see it “I think that there’s a lot of Easter eggs especially for Texans in the show that they’ll see in the first season that they’ll be like yep that’s accurate,” Wareing said Born in College Station and raised by a family of Aggies Wareing grew up cheering for Texas A&M “I would have been a fourth or fifth generation Aggie if I had gone to Texas A&M.” He thought he’d follow the family path until an Oakwood Intermediate drama class changed it all “My parents wanted to cultivate that love in their children because both my siblings and I wanted to do it as well we found the NPT Network,” Wareing explained He went through an eight-month program, learning everything an actor just starting out should know, before taking his first trip to Los Angeles with NPT Wareing and his family made the move to Hollywood “We moved out from College Station as a family of five with our dog and cat and we found an apartment in Los Angeles,” Wareing added His first big project was a film called Boychoir starring Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates “I remember walking onto the set of Boychoir it was my first movie set ever,” Wareing recalled there was this pulse about it that you don’t find anywhere else and it’s still my favorite place to be in the world.” Over the years, Wareing could be seen in shows like Manifest and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, but his biggest opportunity came at a time when he almost walked away from the dream. “I was about to throw in the towel for acting. I was 11 years in and I just didn’t know if I was cut out for it, you know,” Wareing said. “I got the callback for “Ransom Canyon” the day the actors strike ended and it almost felt like the industry welcoming me with open arms.” Wareing plays Lucas Russell, who has dreams of pursuing a larger life outside of Ransom Canyon, which is a real town in the Lone Star State. He said his Texas roots and Texas boots helped him step into the role. “It felt very natural to me as a Texan to be able to step into the world of “Ransom Canyon” wearing my boots, you know, wearing the Levi’s and Wranglers, it feels very at home to me,” Wareing added. Even with all the glitz of filming a new Netflix series, Wareing still finds his heart in College Station. He makes it a point to come home whenever he can and visit the place that started it all for him— The NPT Network. Wareing recently made it back to the Brazos Valley to speak to students at one of the acting studio’s workshops. “At the end of the day, I want to instill in them that their dreams are valid and what they want to do with their lives, they are capable of doing,” Wareing said. He is living proof that dreams do come true. Season one of “Ransom Canyon” premieres April 17 on Netflix. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garrett Wareing (@garrettwareing) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garrett Wareing (@garrettwareing) By Jadyn StackPublished: Apr 2025 at 6:56 PM CDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLLEGE STATION Texas (KBTX) - Parking rules in neighborhoods around Texas A&M University was a hot topic at Thursday’s City Council meeting College Station leaders sought to start conversations on tackling a problem in town: Street parking Council looked into neighborhoods near Texas A&M that see a lot of visitor and overflow parking “People have been dealing with this for so long about the parking situation turning other people away and like having random people park it is a little frustrating but at the same time I don’t want my friends or people like that to have to pay whenever they come visit me,” shared Paige Liverman Although it’s just the start of the conversation College Station City Council members presented several options to unclog streets near Texas A&M’s campus Some council members said the surplus of cars parked on the street isn’t just a gameday occurrence We work there every day and trucks are everywhere it’s not just a gameday congestion,” Councilwoman Mellisa McIlhaney listed McIlhaney also said something needs to be done about overcrowded streets and the cars that often line them Some of the options presented at the meeting include limiting overnight parking creating a residential parking permit program Councilman Bob Yancy shared worries that parking limitations could be detrimental to many homeowners “I think there’s unintended consequences with limiting parking spaces Some houses allow- I don’t know what our ordinance says in a lot of these cases the only thing council members can fully agree on is that there is a parking problem When KBTX asked those who live on Welsh Avenue a street that’s crowded even after the Aggie football season ends they’re hesitant to move forward with any kind of parking restrictions That’s how it’s always been and I don’t think there’s ever been a serious problem with it,” Owen council also heard about potential residential parking options Those ideas include limiting the number of permitted parking spaces restricting or prohibiting rear yard parking those ideas are just ideas and while topics stemmed from discussions involving occupancy regulation and enforcing the “No More than 4″ occupancy ordinance it will be a while before council makes any final decisions “I’m hoping by fall we would have something that we could act on and try for a year or two and see how it works and then modify it as we go along,” added College Station Mayor John Nichols Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -Born and raised in Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, Cole Phillips is a rising country artist hitting the road for his first headlining tour His EP “Steel Toes and Texacos” was released April 11 It features five co-written tracks that showcase his signature blend of classic country and red dirt grit Phillips first felt a touch of fame when his breakout single “drinking alone” went viral on social media and amassed millions of views “I didn’t even have TikTok at the time that it was blowing up but a bunch of my buddies from high school were sending me like videos,” Phillips said Phillips will be performing on April 11 at 8 p.m Click here for tickets Texas (KBTX) - College Station city leaders met Thursday to discuss several items including establishing two citizen advisory committees to assist in the planning and design of new public sports and recreation facilities The council also discussed neighborhood parking priorities for the 89th Texas Legislative Session and next steps for the future Fire Station No will guide the development of three new baseball fields at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex The fields are intended to serve local youth leagues and bolster sports tourism The committee will consist of up to eight members including representatives from College Station Little League the College Station Independent School District and private school communities and two Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members “Athletics and parks and recreation as a whole are so important to our community and they touch all aspects of our everyday life the baseball fields as well as the potential recreation center are huge for all aspects of our community,” said College Station Director of Parks & Recreation Kelsey Heiden The city approved a design contract with Pendulum Studio in December The committee will serve until the council adopts the final plans 6 - Baseball Design Committee by KBTX on Scribd the council also voted to create a Recreation Center Planning Committee to advise on phase two of a city-led feasibility study for a future recreation facility led by Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects should the city move forward with the project The recreation committee will include 11 members including two from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and representatives from the Senior Advisory Group City staff said both efforts reflect a broader commitment to public input and transparent planning “Looking across the community at different voices to make sure that we’re thinking of all different aspects of a user base,” Heiden explained “Getting input from the community as to what they want in both of those projects will carry us forward to make sure that whatever moves forward is what the Community actually wants.” Both committees could dissolve once their final recommendations are approved and adopted 7 - Recreation Center Committee by KBTX on Scribd City Council is also taking a closer look at parking issues in residential neighborhoods A presentation on Thursday focused on on-street and off-street parking challenges tied to single-family density and over-occupancy concerns The item was brought forward at the request of council members and aligns with the city’s goals for preserving neighborhood integrity and core infrastructure but the discussion opened the door for possible policy changes 4 - Neighborhood Parking by KBTX on Scribd Council members approved the city’s 2025 Legislative Program outlining local priorities for the 89th session of the Texas Legislature already in progress The plan supports preserving local control and revising rules governing ETJs (extra-territorial jurisdictions) It also seeks legislative approval to use hotel tax funds for a proposed convention center City staff will now continue to advocate for these issues at the Capitol and work with lawmakers during the final weeks of the legislative session The city approved the next phase of construction for Fire Station #7 awarding a $12.3 million contract to Lott Brothers Construction A separate $1.1 million contingency was also approved bringing the total cost to just under $13.5 million The new fire station is part of the city’s 2022 bond package with construction expected to take 12 to 15 months A resolution was also passed to allow future reimbursement through bond proceeds 5 - Fire Station No. 7 GMP #2 by KBTX on Scribd 6 - Baseball Design Committee by KBTX on Scribd 7 - Recreation Center Committee by KBTX on Scribd 4 - Neighborhood Parking by KBTX on Scribd 5 - Fire Station No. 7 GMP #2 by KBTX on Scribd Join us for the official groundbreaking ceremony of Fire Station No Police identified Adrianna Wells as a suspect back in January when a robbery in the 500 block of Cherry Street took place Texas (KBTX) - After a yearslong legal battle involving more than 120 school districts the Texas Education Agency (TEA) publicly released the A-F accountability ratings for the 2022-2023 school year Thursday Both the accountability ratings system and the STAAR test underwent redesigns in 2022 prompting school districts to file a lawsuit against TEA Commissioner Mike Morath to block their release “When we change that system so radically- but we call it the same thing- it can cause confusion We would have asked for this to be called something different than the A through F system with different indicators of performance it masks the progress that the schools are making and the students are making,” Bryan ISD Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Barbara Ybarra explained That ultimately ended in a legal loss for the school districts in the 15th Texas Court of Appeals Ybarra told KBTX the dramatic redesign is reflected in Bryan ISD’s scores “Despite a more rigorous assessment and a more rigorous accountability system but yet still received a lower rating,” she explained Elementary and middle schools under the ratings redesign actually made it easier for those campuses to earn an ‘A,’ Commissioner Morath said Student progress and learning acceleration are more heavily weighed under the redesign The stakes were raised for high school students While threshold scores for the STAAR test remained unchanged the percentage of graduating seniors considered to be college or military ready (CCMR) was increased from 66% to 80% Commissioner Morath said the eventual goal is to reach a 90% threshold High school rating criteria also considers STAAR test results and graduation rates in addition to the CCMR rates According to College Station ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider the TEA warned school districts of this possibility “When the TEA changed and put out the new 2023 testing it was with the caveat that all schools and districts can receive an A but you’re probably going to drop a letter grade Not sure how that works,” detailed Harkrider Commissioner Morath explained the ratings calculations ahead of TEA’s release “A through F ratings reflect the better of achievement or progress for the average kid on that campus and then as well how the campus is closing the achievement gaps.” He acknowledged that some school districts saw a decline in ratings but said there are other factors at play that also contributed but that is not inherently because of the refresh Academic growth for students was way down.” As a lawsuit attempting to block the release of the 2024 ratings continues to work its way through the courts Bryan and College Station ISDs detailed in their legislative priorities their opposition to the A-F ratings system Ybarra described the system as an ‘oversimplistic’ look at campuses and school districts Referring to the STAAR test portion of the ratings It doesn’t define what we do as a district because it also doesn’t take into account fine arts Commissioner Morath compared the A-F system to a student’s GPA or report card He said he doesn’t understand the argument “It just doesn’t make logical sense that it is somehow inherently too complicated to evaluate because we already do this.” Harkrider encouraged parents to remember the rating ‘doesn’t define us.’ “I think we do a great job with kids and a variety of factors.” The A-F accountability ratings for the 2022-2023 school year are available at this link but it doesn’t tell the whole story,” added Ybarra fruit cups and sushi at the old College Station Kroger in Athens The Old Kroger will close with the new Kroger next door opening on April 30th Shoppers look at the sales at the old College Station Kroger in Athens