Out of five state finalists from across Texas, Bryan ISD’s Superintendent Ginger Carrabine was named the 2026 Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards on Oct. 10. 

The details: TASB recognized Carrabine for her authenticity, humility and strong sense of purpose in public education, which are reflected in her ability to see herself in her students and her unwavering commitment to their success, according to the release.

Career history: Carrabine has led Bryan ISD since 2022, serving more than 15,000 students. Before becoming superintendent, she served as Bryan ISD’s deputy superintendent and chief of staff from 2017 to 2022. She previously worked for Fort Bend ISD from 1999 to 2017, holding a variety of teaching and administrative positions.

Quote of note: “Let’s teach our kids, love our kids and prepare our kids for futures beyond their imagination,” Carrabine said in the release.

Bryan City Council will consider a nearly $800,000 contract for the city’s Animal Center project on Oct. 13, along with three rezoning requests and several infrastructure projects.

About the project: Council members will consider a contract with JaCody Construction for construction manager at risk services for the Animal Center project, with an amount not to exceed $794,235. 

The consent agenda also includes ratification of a lease for two modular buildings to temporarily house the Animal Center.

Also on the agenda: The council will hold public hearings on three rezoning requests. 

• 11.88 acres of vacant land from agricultural-open to commercial: along the southeast side of the North Earl Rudder Freeway frontage road

• 0.23 acre of vacant land from agricultural-open to residential: near Louis Street and Hwy. 21

• 0.38 acre from office to retail: 2701 E. 29th St.

Infrastructure items include a proposed $1.46 million design contract for the second and third phases of Waco Street reconstruction and an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for a traffic signal at Finfeather Road and West Dodge Street.

Eight two-story office condos are being built in College Station, just off Hwy. 6.

About the project: Riverstone Commercial Real Estate announced the properties Oct. 8, saying construction is underway and buyers can choose build-to-suit options to customize their spaces. The office condos range from 1,812 to 2,032 square feet.

According to state filings, North Forest Shell Buildings is a new construction of 10,000 square feet and has an estimated construction cost of $950,000.

Before you go: Riverstone Commercial Real Estate’s website says the company was founded by Jim Jones, a Texas A&M graduate and former Corps of Cadets leader who has experience in commercial real estate.

• Effective completion to be early 2027

• 2825 Earl Rudder Freeway S., College Station

Texans interested in casting their midterm election ballots before Election Day can do so from Oct. 19-30, the state's early voting period.

The overview: Registered voters can visit any polling place in their county during early voting. They will receive a ballot with federal, state and local races—from the U.S. Senate and Texas governor to city and school district officials.

Dates to know

• Oct. 19: Early in-person voting begins

• Oct. 23: Deadline to apply to vote by mail

• Oct. 30: Early in-person voting ends

• Nov. 3: Election Day

Something to note: Local election officials are also working through a backlog of voter registrations after the Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send some registration records to counties, according to previous reporting. Texans who registered before the Oct. 5 deadline but do not appear on the rolls can still cast a provisional ballot, per the secretary of state.

More details: To check out candidate Q&As and review all races on local ballots, visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide.