Good morning, College Station.

Brazos Valley Gives is an 18-hour online event that will take place Tuesday, Oct.

21, to raise funds for nonprofits such as the Texas Ramp Project, which builds free wheelchair ramps for local residents in need. Retirees and student volunteers work with local referrals to build safe ramps and check past projects—ensuring lasting access for families in the Brazos Valley.

Texas A&M began construction on the $250 million Aplin Center on Oct.

3 on the former Lot 100 site near Wellborn Road, Olsen Boulevard & John Kimbrough Boulevard. The center, named after Arch "Beaver" Aplin III who donated $60 million, will offer hands-on learning for food science and hospitality students and is set to open in 2028.

On Monday, Interim Texas A&M President Tommy Williams released his first blog post outlining his goals for his tenure—he set a clear framework for his leadership.

The ongoing government shutdown is delaying federal grant reviews and making it hard for university researchers to get needed support—federal staff remain furloughed and unresponsive to queries.

Grant consultant Frank Boyd warned that these delays will likely affect scholars and student workers in future projects.

Bryan City Council met Tuesday to review progress on Midtown Park Playground—funded by city revenue and a $2 million donation from the Darwood Foundation—and to honor retiring city manager Kean Register for his 15 years of service; the playground is set to be completed in early 2027.

Texas A&M Health Science Center researchers have developed a new gene therapy control system called PhoBIT—a tool that uses blue light to switch cellular processes on or off.

The system has shown promise in animal studies by reducing tumor growth and will be further developed for safer cancer and immune disorder treatments.

Texas T-Birds Live Performance

7:30-10:30 p.m. — Cavalry Court, Valencia Hotel Collection — All ages welcome — Experience the Texas T-Birds delivering rock, southern rock, country, and pop hits.

Oklahoma Sooners at Texas A&M Aggies Women's Volleyball Match

6:30-8:30 p.m. — Reed Arena — Cost varies — Cheer on the Texas A&M Aggies as they face off against the Oklahoma Sooners in an exciting volleyball matchup.

2025 Go Shibata Memorial Judo Tournament

8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. — Physical Education Activity Program Building (PEAP) — Registration required — Compete in various judo divisions at this prestigious annual tournament hosted by Texas A&M Judo.

Halloween Pub Crawl in College Station

4:30-9 p.m. — The Backyard — 25% off tickets with code SCREAM25 — Embrace the spooky season with a night of haunted fun and contests in your best costume.

10th Annual Oktoberfest Half Marathon/10K

7:00 a.m. — Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field — Registration required — Celebrate Oktoberfest with a scenic half marathon and 10K race in College Station.

Mutts Gone Nuts: Unleashed

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM — Rudder Auditorium — Tickets starting at $71 — Enjoy a fun-filled canine cabaret show featuring talented dogs performing amazing tricks.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Systems Admin I Training

9 a.m. — KareCore - College Station — $2250 — Dive into comprehensive Linux system administration skills with hands-on lab exercises in this 5-day course.

Texas T-Birds Concert

7:30-10:30 p.m. — Cavalry Court, Valencia Hotel Collection — Enjoy cocktails and bar bites as the Texas T-Birds perform rock, southern rock, country, and pop hits.