Texas
Texas A&M University considers bringing back tradition of Aggie Bonfire
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -Nearly 25 years after the deadly collapse of Bonfire on Texas A&M’s campus, reports have surfaced about discussions of bringing back the tradition.
This comes ahead of the renewed football rivalry with the University of Texas which is set to join the SEC this fall.
Sources confirm to KBTX that one of the regents and a member of the “Rekindling the Rivalry Committee” has proposed bringing back Aggie Bonfire, but nothing is set in stone at this time.
The Aggies and Longhorns are set to faceoff this fall in their first football game since 2011, and the rivalry committee has been tasked with recommending ways to commemorate the occasion.
A source close to the discussions said Regent John Bellinger proposed bringing back the tradition of Aggie Bonfire as a university-sanctioned event.
KBTX reached out to Texas A&M leaders and received the following statement from Susan Ballabina, the Chief of Staff, Office of the President.
“President Welsh charged the Rivalry Committee to explore options and recommend activities as we welcome UT into the SEC. The committee will bring those ideas to President Welsh in May. After the president is briefed, he will share his decisions on ideas that will be implemented.”
The tradition of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Bonfire began to symbolize Aggie’s “burning desire” to beat the University of Texas in football.
That tradition continued until November 18, 1999. Tragedy struck when the stack collapsed, killing 12 Aggies and injuring 27 others.
Since that day, Aggie Bonfire no longer burns and the Bonfire Memorial was dedicated on the exact location of the fallen 1999 Bonfire.
Sources say Bellinger asked families of those killed in the collapse of the 1999 Bonfire for their opinion about the future of Bonfire.
We also reached out to several family members on Monday. While some showed support, it remains a divided issue.
Some people have expressed concerns about honoring the 12 Aggies and their loved ones. Some have also questioned the logistics of who would build the bonfire, how it would be paid for and how safety would be ensured.
A committee member said their top priority is with students, respecting past students and traditions.
They said there are a number of events the committee is evaluating such as flyovers, concerts, or having U.S. Navy Leap Frogs parachuting onto Kyle Field with the game ball.
The committee is expected to share its recommendations next month.
Texas A&M has confirmed the university has not done any work related to the regent’s proposal to return Bonfire to campus at this time.
Copyright 2024 KBTX. All rights reserved.
Texas
27-year-old tattooed Texas man gets 40 years for slashing 81-year-old boyfriend’s neck
A tatted Texas man was sentenced to 40 years behind bars last week for slashing the throat of his elderly lover, who was three times his age, in a heinous murder last year, according to reports.
Alberto Rafael Ferrer Cabrera, 27, was handed down the four-decade sentence by Bexar County Judge Kristina Escalona on Friday for fatally slashing Donald Atha Weynandt, his 81-year-old common-law husband, in San Antonio on Feb 1, 2025, according to KENS5.
Cabrera, who was 26 at the time, confessed to a 911 dispatcher around 5 a.m. that morning that he had stabbed and killed Weynadt, KSAT reported.
Cops responded to the home and pronounced the octogenarian dead at the scene, according to the outlet.
A motive for the fatal slashing was never determined, but Cabrera was reportedly “stressed” at the time about bringing his 4-year-old son to the US from Colombia, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office said.
By the time Cabrera completes his 40-year sentence, he will still be significantly younger than his lover was when he was slaughtered.
Cabrera had a detainer placed on him by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shortly after his arrest and was charged with illegal entry from a foreign nation, alongside murder charges. But the charge no longer appears on his online court records, KSAT reported.
Weynandt’s daughter, Katrina Mercado, previously told the outlet that she had never spoken to Cabrera and “personally did not trust the situation.”
“It’s hard to believe,” Mercado said. “I think the questions will forever be developing over time, processing what happened.”
The shocked daughter said she ultimately wished for Weynandt to be remembered as a “loving father.”
“Mr. Weynandt deserved to live out his life in safety and dignity,” District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement obtained by the outlet. “Our office remains committed to holding those who commit acts of violence fully accountable.”
Texas
TribCast: Inside Texas’ massive ICE detention facilities
As the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement, Texas has come to play a central role in hosting the detained migrants. Texas is home to the largest ICE detention center, a sprawling tent city on the edge of Fort Bliss in El Paso known as Camp East Montana, and the only family detention center, outside San Antonio.
Almost 20,000 people are currently detained at ICE facilities in Texas. Many of the detainees have reported poor conditions, including inadequate food, insufficient medical care and overcrowding. At least seven migrants have died in Texas lockups in just the last few months.
To discuss the current state of ICE detentions, TribCast is joined by Texas Tribune political reporter Alejandro Serrano and investigative reporter Lomi Kriel, who have been covering the fallout.
Watch the video above or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday.
Texas
Large blast at Valero oil refinery in Texas sends smoke, flames into the air
A large explosion at a Valero oil refinery near the Texas Gulf coast Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced some nearby residents to shelter in place.
But Port Arthur Mayor Charlotte Moses told CBS News, “We had no fatalities and no injuries! Valero is working diligently to contain the fire and currently we have no air quality issues.”
Still, she urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to say put.
Refinery spokesperson Carol Herbert told CBS News, “All personnel have been accounted for. Valero’s emergency response team is responding and coordinating with local authorities. … As always, the safety of our workers is our top priority.”
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Images and video posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery. Some residents reported hearing a loud boom and seeing their windows shake.
“For your safety please remain in place until the ‘All Clear’ is given by emergency personnel,” the City of Port Arthur said in a post on its Facebook page.
Valero didn’t respond to an email or call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Texas state Rep. Christian Manuel said in a post on social media that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had arrived at the refinery with air monitoring equipment and was working with local and state partners.
He told nearby residents to stay inside.
“Please limit outdoor activity, keep windows and doors closed, and follow guidance from local officials,” he said.
Port Arthur is about 90 miles east of Houston.
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