Projects funded by Bryan ISD’s $175 million bond voters approved in 2020 are wrapping up, and Deputy Superintendent Brian Merrell said the district has a surplus of funds to spend on additional projects. 

Zooming in: During a Feb. 2 Bond Oversight Committee meeting, Merrell said the committee considered $13.45 million in possible additional projects and funding reallocations the 2020 surplus could cover, including some projects originally outlined in the 2025 bond package and several items initially paid for with the general budget. Any items costing over $50,000 are brought before the board of trustees for approval, Merrell said. 

Looking back: Voters approved a $175 million bond package in November 2020, which prioritized safety and security, new construction and facility additions, maintenance, fine arts improvements and land purchases, according to district information.

In similar news: At the Feb. 23 meeting, trustees approved awarding a $3.03 million contract to Aggieland Construction for priority maintenance projects at elementary campuses, such as restroom improvements.

Associate of Applied Science degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence in Business have been approved by the Blinn College District board of trustees, the college announced in a Feb. 24 news release.

What to know: The programs are set to begin in the fall for online and in-person students. It will require 60 credit hours and offer certificate and Occupational Skills Award options, according to the release.

The Artificial Intelligence program focuses on the technical side of AI, including cloud computing, machine learning, data science, networking and infrastructure, officials said. The Artificial Intelligence in Business program blends AI coursework with business fundamentals to prepare students to apply AI tools to decision-making, operations and digital innovation.

Also of note: Following the sale of its 2026 revenue bond of $55.5 million, the college will save more than $12 million over the life of the bonds while supporting construction of the new Waller Campus academic building.

Here are four road projects that are coming up or already under construction in the city of Bryan, according to city officials and capital improvement project information. This list is not comprehensive.

Upcoming projects
Leonard Road, Groesbeck Street widening
Project: The project will reconstruct Leonard Road and Groesbeck Street between Harvey Mitchell Parkway and the roundabout at Palasota Drive and Groesbeck Street to include wider concrete streets, drainage improvements, a sidewalk and a shared-use path to improve transportation infrastructure as development expands on the city’s west side.
Update: A public meeting on the project, which is in design, was held Feb. 19.

Ongoing projects
Hardy Weedon Road upgrades
Project: Phase 1 of the project is 5% complete to add a traffic signal at Hardy Weedon Road and Hwy. 30 and reconstruct part of Hardy Weedon Road east of Hwy. 30.
Update: The project was split into two phases, the second phase of which includes extending the reconstruction east to the city limits at Reveille Estates at a later date.

With a few days left to vote early in the March primaries, more Texans have turned out to the polls this year than in recent primary elections.

The gist: The increase is particularly pronounced among Democratic primary voters, state data shows, with more than twice as many Democratic votes cast by Feb. 24 than in Texas’ last gubernatorial primary.

Zooming in: Statewide, nearly 1.3 million Texans, or about 7% of the state’s 18.7 million registered voters, cast early ballots through Feb. 24, the eighth day of the 11-day early voting period. This is up from about 6% turnout at the same point in 2024 and about 4% turnout in 2022.

In interviews with Community Impact, election analysts attributed Texas’ rising primary voter turnout in part to a slate of competitive, high-profile races on each party’s primary ballot.

At the polls: Early voting in Texas’ Republican and Democratic primaries runs through Feb. 27, and primary election day is March 3. During early voting, registered voters can visit any polling location within their county of residence.