By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, was found in the areas of BSR Cable Park and Surf Resort, but in none of the main attractions.According to a public health statement released by the city of Waco, the results of tests conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District (WMCPHD) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) “found evidence of Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba (single celled organism) that causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, a rare and devastating brain infection with an over 97% fatality rate at the…
Author: Elisabeth Thomas
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe City of Waco has purchased land for the new landfill after a long and controversial process, the city is taking measures to extend the life of the next one. Charles “Chuck” Dowdell, Director of Waco’s public works, presented potential diversion initiatives, diverting waste materials away from the landfill — with recycling for example — to the city council on Oct. 2. According to Anna Dunbar, program coordinator of recycling services, a landfill is not what people generally picture when they think about recycling and making the planet greener. However, there’s a lot that goes…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe City of Waco is considering where to build a park designed to accommodate adults and children who have physical or intellectual disabilities.At the city council meeting Oct. 2, John Rose, interim director of Waco Parks and Recreation, said during the 2017 Waco Parks and Recreation masterplan process, a number of participants brought up the need for a playground designed in a way that allows children with mobility challenges to have an equal opportunity to play. The goal is equal engagement for all park attendees.The options Waco Parks and Recreation are considering are better fall-zone…
Story by Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer, Video by Caroline Waterhouse | Broadcast Reporter Robert “Beto” O’Rourke came to Baylor to speak at Common Grounds Friday afternoon and took individual pictures with hundreds of people afterward. When he walked on stage, the backyard full of students and locals cheered as if he were a musician.Abel Castro is a senior from Waco. As someone originally from Honduras, he said he felt included and empowered.”I was surpassed not only by the number of people there — I was expecting 80 and I think there were a few hundred — but also by…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterSitting just across the river from downtown, East Waco has been neglected by city developments, according to Jeanette Bell, president of the neighborhood association. Now, they’re finally getting development on the riverfront. However, members of the East Waco community have been at odds when it comes to gentrification, which is the process of renovating and improving a house or district so it conforms to middle-class taste.”I am really for development in East Waco — we have not had any since the tornado [in 1953]. It is time for community economic housing, business and leadership development,”…
Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) that three locals have allegedly cheated out of $250,000 is one of the places student veterans go to receive health care.Though the alleged fraud does not directly effect the funds that veterans who are Baylor students or students who are children of veterans receive, Baylor veterans go to the Temple medical center to receive care.Tony Plunk is one of the veterans who goes to the Temple VAMC for some of his health care. Since he is disabled, he gets a check and free health care, but he has to get…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterFabrizio Stabile died on Sept. 21 due to an infection by the amoeba naegleria fowleri that he might have contracted while on an outdoor venture at BSR Cable Park near Waco.According to the GoFundMe page in his honor, Sabile was treated for bacterial meningitis, which was consistent with his symptoms. His condition deteriorated quickly and “tested for a multitude of illnesses caused by various bacteria and viruses but the results were coming back negative or inconclusive,” according to the page.On the GoFundMe page, Stephanie Papastephanou, the page admin, said, “As family and friends huddled in…
Waco Tours launched their first river cruise on Sept. 11. David Ridley is one of the founders and an avid fisherman. He said he was pushing for a boat initially, but he and the company wanted to be sure they could do one thing perfectly first. “We just started the river cruise about a month and a half ago, and it has been a blast. People go on our van tour, and then they come on this and say this is the highlight of their weekend. I think just because it’s relaxing, and when you go on vacation or get…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterDr. Devan Jonklaas began his faculty in residence position at Earle residence hall this fall. He said he feels like he’s exactly where he should be because of his calling, his faith, and his family. “The mission of Baylor is to educate men and women for Christian service,” Jonklaas said. “We hear the phrase ‘transformative education.’ I think the best way to see that happen is serving students in a way and being able to connect with them and see God transform their lives.” Jonklaas is a chemistry lecturer and won the Collins Outstanding Professor…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterWaco Moms Blog is a blog and social media presence that unifies moms in Waco, allowing them to be authentic with each other and share knowledge and solidarity. It’s a part of City Mom’s Blog, a network that facilities setting up the site. Dr. Christina Crenshaw is a lecturer English and said she thinks that though work-life balance is impossible and misleading, blending work and life is feasible and natural. “Balance is a myth because it implies that the scales are equally measured and rarely in life does that ever happen in marriage, in motherhood,…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer Female preachers, christian feminists, womanists (those who see the limitations of second-wave feminism as excluding black women) and various other women calling for marginalized voices to be heard in the church came to Waco to speak at Nevertheless She Preached. The conference wrapped up its second annual gathering Tuesday. Musical artist Jennifer Knapp and author Rev. Wil Gafney were among the speakers at the event. Kyndall Rothaus, senior pastor at Lake Shore Baptist Church and Natalie Webb, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in San Antonio and doctoral student at Baylor, founded the conference last…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterA group of Robert “Beto” O’Rourke supporters gathered to celebrate the opening of their office headquarters for the grassroots campaign at 639 N. Valley Mills drive on Saturday morning. They learned about various opportunities to further the campaign through volunteer activities such as calling and texting shifts and block walks. Local volunteer, Victoria Nelson, explained the purpose of having this designated office rather than just meeting in homes and garages that people offered as pop-up offices. “The one on Valley Mills is more the central office. The main purpose is that’s what comes up on…
Story by Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer, Video by Caroline Waterhouse | Broadcast ReporterGrace House, a nonprofit, faith-based women’s addiction recovery center, hosted its annual gala “at the Phoenix Ballroom Wednesday night. Carl Gulley, lead pastor at Antioch, said Grace House was started by Antioch Community Church and is the only free-of-charge women’s recovery center in Central Texas that doesn’t require insurance. Attendees paid for a seat and participated in various silent auctions. Staff spoke and shared videos of several residents’ stories. “To be able to offer the kind of comprehensive services that are offered in the Grace House, especially…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterAs former federal judge of the Western District of Texas, Robert Pittman swore in Alan Albright to his new position as federal judge on Tuesday.Before beginning the formalities, Pittman paused to say, “as your dear friend of over 25 years, it is a great honor to be the one to administer this oath.” Albright is the 41st judge of the federal Western District of Texas. He said this week he and Pittman are figuring out the transition and which cases each will preside over. They know now, however, that Pittman will keep the Baylor civil…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterMicheal O’Siadhail, a renowned Irish poet, read poetry from his new book “The Five Quintets” at its release in the Armstrong-Browning Library’s Foyer of Meditation Monday. O’Saidhail published the book, which took about nine years to complete, with the Baylor University Press. O’Siadhail represented Ireland at the Poetry Society’s European Poetry Festival in London in 1981 and at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1997, among other accomplishments. He was an academic at Trinity College Dublin and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies before devoting all his time to poetry. Cary Newman, director of Baylor University…
Tropical depression Florence has passed over the coast and is now moving northwest, leaving grief and a mess behind it. According to NPR at noon on Monday, the death toll in North Carolina and South Carolina has risen to 23 due to flooding rivers and 2,600 people and more than 300 animals have been rescued by emergency teams. The Weather Channel reported that workers at a nuclear facility are trapped by floodwaters, raising emergency levels at the facility to “unusual event,” which is the lowest level on the scale. Claire Taylor was a Baylor student in 2009 and 2010. Since…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer Hurricane Florence arrived at the edge of the Carolina coast Thursday, and families are battening down the hatches. According to CNN, at least five people have died in the storm so far, including a mother and an infant. On Friday, Florence came ashore and was downgraded to a tropical storm, which means winds less than 74 miles per hour. However, the National Hurricane Center’s criteria for a storm’s severity only accounts for wind, not rainfall. Students with family in the Carolinas are concerned about flooding back in their hometowns. Myrtle Beach, S.C. senior Raven…
Fred Gildersleeve photographed Baylor and Waco for five decades. Now, his work is being preserved in the pages of a book.
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe Waco City Council approved buying 772 acres of land for a landfill last Tuesday after a year of deliberation. Last year, there was an uproar in the suburbs when the city wanted to place a new landfill next to the existing one near Old Lorena Road. The city considered three alternatives, all within 15 miles of the city. When the city decided to look at moving the new landfill near Axtell, hundreds of residents protested, citing possible property value decrease, an increased likelihood of birth defects and the idea that their late loved ones…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe former official in charge of handling student loan complaints for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said he believes the bureau is not putting consumers first. Baylor Financial Aid gave their advice to students on how to protect themselves from predatory practices by lenders. In his resignation letter late last month, Seth Frotman said the “sweeping changes” under President Trump’s appointed acting director Mick Mulvaney have hurt millions of families. He said that protection from predatory practices from lenders “should know no ideology or political persuasion.” The CFPB’s website says “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau…
By Staff Writer | Lizzie ThomasCharles Outlaw, a La Vega Junior High School teacher, has an alter ego which has repeatedly gone viral. Over the summer, his videos of “Lil’ Billy” with the Snapchat filter emphasizing the mouth and eyes telling about his life have taken off, and they have been featured in the Daily Mail and the TV show “Right This Minute.” As a seventh-grade math teacher, he’s gained respect from his students who are typically “too cool for school.” Outlaw’s social media fame gives him an advantage with students who consider him a celebrity. In one of the…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer The Baylor Symphony Orchestra won the American Prize for the fourth year in a row in July. No one in any category has ever had this many consecutive wins in the competition. The American Prize is a national competition for the performing arts. Competitors submit a recording of their best performances and winners are announced the following year. Baylor conductor-in-residence Stephen Heyde emphasized that humility is important for the orchestra while also striving for excellence. “Unrestrained competition is never good. We want to be humble about it and do the best we can within…
All eight Baylor Panhellenic sororities and two other non-Panhellenic sororities gathered to share stories of what God did this summer to encourage and empower one another Wednesday night.Alexandria, La., senior Annslee Perego put the event together by connecting and collaborating with the chaplains from each sorority. Women shared personal breakthroughs, developments in their character and powerful things that occurred in their lives. Perego went on a mission trip to Southeast Asia this summer and was inspired by the storytelling strategy. She decided to bring the connection she found there back to Waco with her.”What we were trying to do was…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer Sen. John McCain was one of the few lasting examples of polite discourse in today’s political atmosphere. Students can tell the difference, and I hope his departure will spark a desire for respect and friendship between political rivals, resembling McCain’s humility in the political sphere. McCain’s stances as a Republican regarding civil rights and his demeanor and friendships with people who were different from him are rare in today’s world. Though most of his stances corresponded with those of his party’s, Former President George W. Bush said of him, “He respected the dignity inherent…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterStart Up Waco is a non-profit organization intended to centralize existing services to help business ventures start and survive. Hustle, the organization’s co-working space — a workspace based off membership designed for entrepreneurs to work independently — is expected to open in November. Kevin Renois, BBA ’16, started One Million Cups, a weekly event at the Hippodrome which, according to him, is “a mix between Ted Talks and Shark Tank.” One Million Cups will be a part of the collection of connections, events, workshops and community happy hours associated with Start Up Waco. “We want…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterRecent Baylor graduate Grace Valentine released her book “Am I Enough?” on June 17, and it has since resonated with women, especially in her online community. Valentine graduated in May and wrote the book while still in school. Valentine started a blog in college after getting responses from her contributions to other websites like the Odyssey. Her message is that although society says women are not enough, they are priceless according to their true identity in Christ. “My hope is to get people to find their worth in their savior, because in the world we…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterThe city of Waco hosted a launch party for the Waco Ambassador Program Friday and released Waco’s hype video. Among the guests and stars of the video were Holly Tucker, a Waco native and finalist on “The Voice,” and a giant pineapple. The pineapple is a part of the city’s campaign to promote hospitality among locals. Carla Pendergraft is director of marketing for the Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), which implemented the program. According to Pendergraft, the pineapple is a symbol of hospitality, especially in the South. She said they chose a pineapple rather…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterOne thousand volunteers from dozens of churches across Waco have signed up to mentor students in Waco ISD schools through book clubs. The Stars Mentoring Project, which started out of Antioch Community Church several years after its founding in 1999, started book clubs in 2013. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, from retirees to college students, spend one lunch a week reading with three kids of a similar reading level. Michael Jeter, operations director of stars, says the bookclub model’s success is a win for everyone. “It’s a win for schools, who are under so…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff WriterStudents in the Waco Independent School District (WISD) can now ride the Waco City Transit bus system for free, the Waco city council and school board decided last week. According to Transit general manager Allen Hunter, in 2013, the school board proposed a pilot program intended to improve attendance. The pilot program was not as successful in improving attendance as they had hoped, but it showed that transportation was a needed service for Waco students, as the buses provided nearly 19,000 rides over the 2013-2014 school year, according to Hunter. Each year since, the Waco…
By Lizzie Thomas | Staff Writer Students are no longer allowed to use websites like Quizlet or Chegg unless the professor gives written permission. The Provost’s Office sent an email announcement Tuesday about revisions to the Honor Code regarding the use of online study tools to Baylor students. The Office of Academic Integrity said the reasoning behind the revision is that if students can post a guide or set of flashcards online for others to access, then they can post the answers to a professor’s test. Essentially, that would be doing what has been prohibited for a while — getting…