Precincts 2, 3 and 4 of the Brazos County Volunteer Fire Department each received a $30,000 grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service to help with the purchase of new personal protective equipment.

The overview: According to a news release, the Forest Service granted $19.6 million to 518 rural volunteer fire departments statewide to improve firefighting capabilities. This grant funding is the first for fiscal year 2026-27 under the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

Texas A&M Forest Service program leader Merrie Noak said rural fire departments are extremely important for populations living in areas without access to city fire departments.

“We are committed to strengthening our local responders across Texas by providing critically needed equipment and resources to save lives and protect property when it matters most,” Noak said in a statement.

Major takeaways: The grants will help volunteer fire departments in Brazos County with expenses, covering hundreds of square miles.

Extended-stay apartment-style hotel StayAPT Suites celebrated new management while offering the same quality of service during a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the BCS Chamber of Commerce.

What StayAPT offers: Since the hotel's April 2024 opening, the suites have offered rooms for extended stays with full-service housekeeping and laundry services. General Manager Ramiro Flores said the corporate apartments are designed for long stays and rates go down the longer a customer stays.

“We want to show you the great product we have,” Flores said. “We're a home away from home.”

Before you go: Hotel staff and members of the BCS Chamber of Commerce gathered and congratulated the new management team. The staff also gave guided tours of the rooms, courtyard and amenities offered to guests.

Pineda told Community Impact that the new management team took over three months ago. She noted that the staff is excited to offer the highest quality rooms and service to returning and new guests.

• New management took over in July

• 3051 Plaza Centre Court, College Station

Need to catch up on news from the past week in the Bryan-College Station area? Check out these five stories.

1. New traffic signal in Bryan activates Nov. 3

2. Hartt’s Barbecue to open brick-and-mortar location in Bryan

3. Bryan ISD approves bilingual, ESL waivers to aid growing program

4. Inside Bryan-College Station’s expanding racket sport facility boom

5. Sakura Tokyo Japanese restaurant shuts down in College Station

Voters have their last opportunity to cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 general election this Election Day. 

What you need to know: More than 25 polling locations across Brazos County will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, and voters can cast a ballot at any of them. To vote, Brazos County residents must be registered.

Voters must provide some form of photo identification at the polls. Voters who do not have photo ID may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and present an alternative form of ID, according to the secretary of state’s office.

What’s on the ballot: Brazos County has several races on the ballot, including a county commissioner, mayor and several city council seats for both Bryan and College Station, as well as school board members.

Individual ballots will have additional federal and state elections. To view your ballot, visit Community Impact’s election guide.

Stay tuned: Community Impact will have live Election Night coverage, updating results as they come in.