The Good Life Newsletter: Thanksgiving Edition

Nov. 22, 2023

City offices are closed Nov. 23 and 24

City of Bryan offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The closure includes:

Bryan Animal Center
Bryan Municipal Court
Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU)
Bryan Used Oil and Tire Recycling Center
Coulter Airfield

Solid Waste Collection

No service on Nov. 23. Thursday’s route will be collected on Friday, Nov. 24.

Brush & Bulky Collection

No service on Nov. 23. Thursday’s route will be collected on Saturday, Nov. 25. Friday’s route will run as normal.

Bryan Municipal Court

Documents or payments due during closure must be provided on Monday, Nov. 27.

Bryan Aquatic Center

Closed Nov. 23 - 26.

Legends Event Center

Closed Nov. 23. Open on Friday, Nov. 24 and Saturday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m – 6 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 26 from 1 – 6 p.m., for open gym, gaming arena, eSports, and more.

Neal Recreation Center

Closed Nov. 23 - 26.

Bryan + College Station Public Library System

All libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and will resume normal operating hours on Monday, Nov. 27.

BTU Bill Payment

To make a bill payment, call 979.821.5700 to use the automated voice service system, visit btutilities.com, or stop by a kiosk (please note, these locations may have separate holiday hours):

H-E-B, Texas Avenue and State Highway 21
H-E-B, 725 E. Villa Maria Road
BTU office drive-through, 205 E. 28th St. (open 24 hours)

24/7 Emergency Hotline

Call 979.822.3777 for electric, water, wastewater, or traffic emergencies.

Safety tips to keep your holiday from going up in flames

Thanksgiving is the No. 1 day of the year for home cooking fires in the United States, with three times the average number of reported home structure fires due to cooking equipment.

Here are some tips to help you to stay safe and to make sure that your only Thanksgiving disaster is forgetting the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie.

Have your oven mitts handy. Burns ruin a holiday meal.
Avoid wearing loose clothing that could catch fire.
Keep pets, small children, and other tripping hazards out of the kitchen.

If there’s a fire. . .

Turn off the heat source.
Don’t open the oven door until fire is completely extinguished.
If you can do so safely, smother a stove top fire with a metal lid, cookie sheet or pan. If the fire is too out of hand, use a fire extinguisher or call 9-1-1.
NEVER throw water on grease/oil fires.

Don’t fail at turkey frying. . .

The last thing you want is to turn your turkey into an exploding fireball. Ensure the turkey is COMPLETELY THAWED to prevent a fire or explosion hazard.
Always use the fryer outdoors on a flat surface safely away from structures, wooden decks, and covered patios. No matter what the weather is like, DO NOT use the fryer in a garage.
Monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer to prevent the oil from overheating and catching fire.
If the oil begins to smoke, immediately turn the gas off.
Keep children and pets away from the fryer to prevent tipping, even after the turkey is out. The oil is dangerously hot for hours.

Save your drain. . .

Never dispose of fats, oil, grease, or greasy food down your garbage disposal or drain. Fats and oils from cooking grease clog pipes and are a major cause of sewer backups.
For small amounts of grease, absorb it with paper towels or pour into a spill-proof container to place in your garbage once it's cooled.
For large amounts of grease or oil from deep frying a turkey, save and dispose of it at the City of Bryan’s Used Oil and Tire Recycling Center.