Brazos County commissioners are set to consider a range of items at their March 24 meeting, including a major construction contract tied to the courthouse annex project and a potential land purchase for a new fire station.

What you need to know: Commissioners are expected to take action on big ticket items, including the courthouse annex project and the potential purchase of land on Elmo Weedon Road for a new fire station.

The details: The courthouse annex project is a continued investment into the county, with updated plans and renderings slated to be presented at the beginning of the meeting. The proposed contract would establish a guaranteed maximum price for construction.

Also on the agenda: Additional construction-related items on the agenda include budget decreases to several road and bridge projects, among other items up for consideration.

Stay tuned: Brazos County Commissioners Court will meet March 24 at 10 a.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom of the Brazos County Administration Building, located at 200 South Texas Ave., Bryan.

As roadwork continues along Hwy. 6 through Bryan and College Station, drivers can expect several full road closures for the week of March 23.

What you need to know: The Texas Department of Transportation will be working primarily along Rock Prairie Road during the week of March 23.

A full closure is planned on Hwy. 6 between Rock Prairie Road and Southwest Parkway. This closure is expected to last from 8:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m., March 23-26. It will be open during the daytime.

Before you go: Over the next six months, crews will be performing a majority of their work on the main lanes of Hwy. 6. 

With a partial federal government shutdown ongoing, officials with the Houston Airport System said on March 23 that passengers could continue to see growing wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), including in some cases exceeding four hours at IAH.

As a result, federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have begun supporting TSA operations at airports nationwide, including in Houston, Houston Airport System officials announced in a March 23 news release.

Some context: Due to the partial federal government shutdown, which began Feb. 14, TSA officers are working without pay, which is creating staffing shortages that have led to longer than typical wait times at airports nationwide.

Diving in deeper: Per the release, with the addition of ICE agents at Houston airports, screening procedures for passengers remain unchanged. Additionally, officials noted the number of available TSA screening lanes can vary by airport and shift, depending on staffing levels.

Beginning April 1, Texans can no longer use food stamps to purchase sweetened beverages and candy.

How we got here: During the 2025 legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 379, which prohibits Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from being used to purchase candy and sweetened drinks. In August, the federal government approved a waiver allowing Texas to implement the prohibition beginning April 1.

Texas will be the ninth state to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used on sugary items, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How it works: Under SB 379, Texans will not be allowed to use their SNAP benefits to buy sweetened drinks containing any artificial sweeteners or at least 5 grams of added sugar, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. SB 379 also bans the purchase of candy with Lone Star Cards.

It is up to Texas businesses to determine which items are no longer SNAP-eligible, update their store purchase systems and train staff to recognize the newly restricted items, according to the HHSC.