By KJ Burkley | ReporterThe annual Waco Wonderland returns to Heritage Square on 300 Austin Ave. in downtown Waco this weekend with its collection of sights, eats and treats. The gates are open tonight at 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. The event will feature local favorite food trucks, carriage rides and a Mistletoe Market with a food court and merchant booths. The Tree Lighting Ceremony and fireworks show will start at 6:45 p.m. . On Saturday, the annual Wonderland 5K and 10K run will start at 8 a.m., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. Available later that day is…
Author: Kj Burkley
By KJ Burkley | ReporterThe Beall Poetry Festival featured guest poet Lisa Russ Spaar, who read some of her original poetry and shared the evolution of her writing style Wednesday in Armstrong Browning Library. Spaar, a University of Virginia English professor, engaged discussion over her personal journey and inspiration for writing. She said coming to Baylor allowed her to read more poems that deal with spirituality. “I feel safe at Baylor,” Spaar said. “I feel it’s a place that I can talk and read poems that have to do with the soul and spirituality that often my colleagues that are…
By KJ Burkley | ContributorThe Baylor Jazz Ensemble will perform its final concert this semester at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the McCrary Music Building. The concert is free of charge. The jazz ensemble will perform a wide selection of styled jazz. Selections featured in the program include “Cherry Juice” composed by Thad Jones, “Housewife from New Jersey” by Tim Hagans and “Gator Tail” by Greg Yasinitsky. The show will also feature Arlington senior and guest vocalist Jillian Moore in the arrangement “I Love Being Here with You” by Peggy Lee and Bill Schluger. Alex Parker, senior lecturer and director of…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterMeals on Wheels “39th annual Apple Tree Bazaar” fine arts and crafts show encourages the Waco community to gear up for early holiday shopping this weekend. The bazaar will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Lee Lockwood Library and Museum. Food trucks will be present featuring popular Waco eats. Paula Owen, the Apple Tree Coordinator for the past 20 years, said the sale originally focused one providing a platform for seniors to showcase their talent. “We started 29 years ago with the idea…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterThe Music Association of Central Texas celebrated its 20th anniversary by hosting the Austin Avenue Music and Arts festival this past Sunday. Hundreds gathered to buy from vendor tables selling crafts, merchandise and art. Musical talents also took the stage to perform. Tom “Top” Clark, president of the association, said that there was no better way of celebrating their anniversary than with a street fest. “We wanted to do something different for the public this year,” Clark said. “We wanted to do this music and arts fest because we feel that music and art go together,…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterCentral Texas art creators, designers and Baylor students showcased their artwork at the second annual Brazos Fine Arts Show and Gala at the Waco Hilton Hotel this past weekend. The Professional Artists of Central Texas, (PACT) hosted 35 different artists who sold handmade pottery, paintings, photography and multimedia to the Waco community. PACT president Kay Reinke said that last year’s artists were individually selected by a PACT board member, and many returned with high expectations alongside new artists launching their art career. “We go out and found some of the best artists in Texas,” said Reinke.…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterAmerican indie singer-songwriter Noah Gundersen filled Common Grounds with colorful expression Sunday as he performed some popular hits from his recent albums. Gundersen, a native of Seattle, Wash., has been on a country-wide extended tour the past two months, performing in Kansas City, Los Angeles and Chicago. With the most recent release of his new solo LP “Lover,” fans had the chance to experience music that has a more personal connection to Gundersen. This was not the first time Gundersen performed in Waco as he performed in previous years at the Pinewood Coffee Bar. It won’t…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterThe Baylor cross country finished in 7th place at the 2019 Big 12 Championships Saturday morning at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco. Junior runners TJ Sugg and Connor Laktasic led the men’s team placing 32nd and 39th respectively. Sugg recorded a sub-25-minute time of 24:55.5 for the 8,000-meter course, seven tenths off from averaging five minutes flat per mile. Following Laktasic, who finished at 25:09.,1 was junior Ryan Day (53rd) punching in at 25:45.0, freshman Ryan Hodge (56th) with 25:55.3 and freshman Cal Johnston (65th) at 26:18.2. In the women’s 6,000-meter championship race, senior Lindsay…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter Baylor’s Martin Museum of Art is showcasing Finding the Universe in Oaxaca: Textiles and Photographs, a new exhibit inspired by photographer Gary Goldberg and his partnership with textile workers in Oaxaca, Mexico.Inspired by photography of colonial building facades in Oaxaca, Goldberg reinvented his presentation of artwork by displaying his photos on a canvas made from merino sheep wool.Ninety six inch long pieces of thoroughly matted wool work with blended color, textures and lines are used. Gallery attendant Elisa Crowder explained how Goldberg became involved with the textile workers.“Once he got going on his photographs at…
By Kj Burkley | ReporterTickets for Disney-owned Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” are on sale now. Although the movie premieres in theaters on Dec.19, tickets became available to buy on Monday. The newest addition to this cross-generational movie empire will be the franchise’s ninth film, and the hype for what director J.J. Abrams will accomplish is electrifying the Star Wars fan base. Classic characters like Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Darth Sidious make a return to the big screen to help with critical plot development of the new generation of Resistance and the First Order. After a mediocre…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterEvery year the U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and many news outlets release lists of rankings of American colleges. And every year, the top is dominated by the same prestigious Ivy League schools. It’s quite repetitive and very expected who will be No. 1 — if not Harvard, then Yale, Princeton or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Institutions of highly regarded academics, famous alumni and student prodigies. But does ranking No. 1 really mean that university is truly the best in America? The research makeup of rankings are quite expansive. For example, the U.S.…
By Kj Burkley | ReporterAmerican pianist Drew Petersen performed with the Waco Symphony Orchestra on Thursday night in Waco Hall, marking the first time that Peterson has performed at Baylor. The pieces performed were Hungarian composer Franz Liszt’s “Piano Concerto No.1,” S. 124 in E flat, with the orchestra concluding the concert with German composer Richard Strauss’ “Ein Heldenleben,” or “A Hero’s Life.” Petersen has traveled the world preforming with a variety of prestigious orchestras, musicians and institutions in North America, Asia and Europe. However, he said that his musical journey developed at an early age from a deep curiosity…
By Kj Burkley | ReporterDr Pepper, the popular drink brand with its origins in Waco as well as the main ingredient in floats served at Baylor’s weekly Dr Pepper Hour, is now introducing a new flavor. The popular food influencer @candyhunting on Instagram announced that the company’s newest flavor, Dr Pepper & Cream Soda will hit stores March of 2020. Consumers will be able to purchase the soft drink in both regular and diet Dr. Pepper. “Due to the added vanilla flavor, these aren’t as strong on the classic Dr Pepper taste. Therefore, the flavor here is much less polarizing…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter, Video by Sarah Gill | Broadcast Reporter The Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo was back in action this week with its display of fair eats, treats and entertainment for thousands of locals and tourists. This year, the fair celebrates its 67th anniversary. The H.O.T Fair & Rodeo is held annually at the Extraco Events Center in Waco, and it had over 193,000 in attendance in 2018. The H.O.T. Fair & Rodeo also has a high amount of local engagement. Dustin Coufal, the vice president of fair divisions said that the way managers plan with…
By KJ Burkley | ReporterBaylor students and citizens of Waco got the chance to experience three color printing and other crafts courtesy of the Martin Museum of Art at the Waco Cultural Arts Fest at Indian Springs Park this weekend. The Martin Museum, which was first dedicated to Baylor in 1967, carried on its legacy of being an outlet to the expression and innovation of art with fun interactions. Elisa Crowder, Gallery Attendant of the museum, highlighted that the art community in Waco really enjoyed the Martin Museum venue. “There was a steady stream of people coming, and they are…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter The Martin Museum of Art will make a splash at the Waco Cultural Arts Festival this weekend with hopes of engaging the Waco community through artistic and inspiring art culture. For the arts festival this year, the Martin Museum of Art will set up a colorful exhibit filled with activities for all ages. Chani Collins, the collections manager of art pieces and artifacts for the museum said the presence of the Martin Museum of Arts is important for connecting with the Waco community. “It’s important for us as part of the arts community in Waco…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter After their first few shows this past weekend, Guerrilla Troupe looks to their future shows optimistically. The group, which is made up entirely of Baylor students, came together to entertain audiences with their jocular material. The theater-inspired group opened its comedy season strong with full houses for their first weekend of shows. These performances will be just some of many during the school year. The atmosphere was electric at Hooper-Shaefer Building, as the crowd roared with laughter during segments. Baylor junior and first-year Troupe member Henry Beard said that the cast enjoys performing together. “By…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter With its grand opening last Tuesday in the Grease Pit, Andy’s Frozen Custard is continuing to make an impact on the Baylor and greater Waco communities. Chris Plumpe, the president of the Waco and Austin Andy’s locations, said that building Andy’s here in town was always part of the plan. “I fell in love with Waco and I decided that Andy’s, the pride of my hometown, would be the perfect for this area,” Plumpe said. “I love this area and community, and that’s why I chose this place to live and work.” This store opening…
By Kj Burkley | Reporter Baylor Student Activities and Student Productions’ After Dark will take center stage Friday night in Waco Hall. Friday’s show is just one of two that will occur this weekend, the second being 8 p.m Saturday night. Part of Family Weekend, After Dark highlights talented acts and an art expo, and has become a way that Baylor students can get involved and appreciate the arts on campus. This is part of why Audra Hoover, the executive producer of this year’s After Dark, is excited about the event. “It’s a good time for freshmen to actually come…
By KJ Burkley | Reporter World-renowned violist Dr. Molly Gebrian and piano-percussionist Danny Holt will perform a “Trios for Two” recital at 7:30 tonight in Roxy Grove Hall. The recital is the second of two recent events that will kick off Baylor’s School of Music annual Lyceum Series. The first event Monday in the Meadows Recital Hall was a workshop led by Gebrian titled “What Musicians Can Learn About Practicing From Current Brain Research.” Gebrian presented her findings on how both musicians and non-musicians can use certain methods to practice and study better, leading to more successful performances and academic…
By KJ BurkleyAt Baylor sporting events it’s easy to point out who the important figures are on the field. Players, coaches, referees and spirit squads are recognizable by their uniforms, headsets and striped shirts. At football games, most Baylor fans could point out the quarterback, running backs and wide receivers because of the constant ball play that revolves around them.But the players and coaches are not alone on the sidelines. There are many other critical roles that keep the game flowing, from medical staff to the media. These are the faces spectators may not know. John Morris, assistant athletics director…
By Kj Burkley | ReporterThere’s one word people can’t shake these days: busy. We try to avoid it with extensive planning, but at the end of the day, time just seems to run short. This unfortunate reality is magnified in college where the world of opportunities swings wide open.We cram study material before tests, try to find time to hang out with friends and even take time for a bit of self-reflection, but the list of tasks keeps growing. It leaves us asking ourselves — how in the world can we accomplish everything we dream to achieve?Cutting down the list…
By Kerry Burkley | Reporter For students studying art at Baylor, the work is plenty, the labor is intensive and the pay can be low for some jobs in their career field. This has led some to question—is it worth paying tuition here at Baylor to pursue an art degree? For junior Kassidy Morinville, a pre-law student with an art concentration, criticism about her area of study can be tough to hear. “There are pity glances with a head tilt and implied criticism like, ‘Oh I feel sorry for you,’” Morinville said. “I never take it to heart because I’m…