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Every year, millions of people want to go into haunted houses. Haunted houses give people who walk through them an adrenaline rush.

Baylor and Waco’s rich histories are not without their tales of ghoulish intrigue. Here are five stories whose subjects have not yet been laid to rest.

Dr. Cindy Little explained that Christians may have a difficult time with ghosts because many people define them as the spirits of dead people, with Christianity teaching that the dead are no longer physically present on Earth.

While goatmen and witches sound like something out of a fairy tale, they play a distinct role in Waco’s history. Haunted lore has endured for generations and remains part of the city’s identity today, and the Waco History podcast shares it.

For centuries, tales have been murmured of the star-crossed indigenous lovers whose tragic and forbidden love affair led to their joint suicides off the cliffs in Cameron Park so they could be together for eternity.

Waco native Doris Miller went from doing laundry aboard the USS West Virginia to becoming one of World War II’s most prominent Black heroes. Now, the Navy is considering removing his name from a future aircraft carrier amid discussions of renaming it after President Donald Trump.

In an effort to understand how immigration policy affects both immigrant and American communities, Baylor’s Department of Sociology invited Dr. Phillip Connor, a lecturer in Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and Department of Sociology, to present his research Monday in the Draper Academic Building.

Classical concert pianist, minister, author, and mother Jade Simmons is taking an unconventional route to the U.S. Senate, running as an independent write-in candidate in Texas’ Nov. 3 election. During an event Monday at Baylor, Simmons broke down what running independently means for her and the challenges of campaigning without a party affiliation.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke Saturday morning at The Palladium in Waco ahead of the Senate election Nov. 3.

Despite the rainy weather, students managed to find sunshine during Fiesta Friday in the SUB Barfield Drawing Room. Students gathered to celebrate the legacy of Hispanic culture in a celebration that included food, music, dancing, balloons and face painting.

https://youtu.be/HZZySPNHdEw?si=KiBXJvMhDTG8LsAWBy Claire Marie Scott | Executive Producer, Aiden Richmond | Managing EditorThis week on Lariat TV News, we take you…

A former Cornell University student filed a lawsuit in September alleging that seven men sexually assaulted her in 2024 at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York. At Baylor, students and faculty reflected on the allegations and the role of universities and students in addressing sexual assault.

For many Waco residents, finding an affordable place to live is becoming increasingly difficult as housing prices rise faster than incomes and the supply of affordable homes remains limited, but one nonprofit is working to fight this crisis.

Zeta hosted its fall philanthropy event in Waco Hall on Thursday night to support breast cancer research and awareness. The event featured 20 contestants, with Kappa Omega Tau’s Joshua Brown taking home the crown. Filled with audience engagement and humor, the event went beyond competition as participants and attendees shared their personal connections to the cause.

Nationally observed from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15, Baylor’s adoption of Hispanic Heritage Month aims to highlight multicultural student organizations celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and LatinX communities. Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries throughout the two months and hopes to foster more meaningful dialogue through various initiatives.

Baylor’s updated Annual Fire Safety and Security Report shows increases in reported motor vehicle thefts, rapes, liquor law citations and stalking in 2025, but university officials say understanding what those numbers represent is essential to reading the report.

“Blake is just an incredible guy,” Marshall McDuffie, Driskell’s cousin and a 2024 Baylor graduate, said. “He’s just such a good human being. He was really soft-spoken, but he was so outgoing. He was so kind. He was caring. He was really, really hardworking.”

At this year’s event, brand-new graduate health programs, including master’s programs in Bioethics and Health Data Analytics, were featured to undergraduates for the first time.

For Matthew G. Wright, teaching does not stop at the classroom door. The Baylor professor and rural Texas judge brings students into courtrooms, negotiations and international legal work, giving them a firsthand look at the professions they are preparing to enter.

In 2026, politicians no longer need a press conference, television interview or newspaper story to reach voters. With one post, they can deliver a message directly to millions of people — including young voters who increasingly encounter news online.

Students walking, scootering and biking along Bagby Avenue can expect changes to their commute as the City of Waco begins a $615,000 project to replace damaged sidewalks and curb ramps bordering parts of Baylor’s campus and nearby off-campus housing.

On Saturday and Sunday, Baylor students are invited to join Kamp Love Baylor for their fall retreat, where they camp out in God’s creation. The hope is that students will experience spiritual transformation.

Baylor’s Student Senate unanimously passed legislation Thursday calling on Campus Recreation to consider allowing sleeveless athletic attire in designated Student Life Center fitness areas.

On Sep. 23, Baylor filed a notice of settlement, indicating a potential end to a lawsuit dating back to August 2025 over the iconic, interlocked “BU” logo.

A recent expansion of the archives also provides space to host classes, lectures and small concerts. It is equipped with a piano and Hammond B3 organ. Beyond music, the archives support research into sacred materials related to Black church and religious history.

In Dr. Lorynn Divita’s fashion forecasting class, which she has taught since 2011, students learn about more than whatever style may be in or out next season. They examine current events, human behavior and history to understand the “why” behind what people wear.

Baylor Athletics Director Doug McNamee is returning to his BYX roots, strengthening connections between current members and alumni alike.

Baylor enrolled 13,860 undergraduates this fall, its lowest total since 2014 and 323 fewer than last year. The decline marks the fourth consecutive year of falling undergraduate enrollment, while graduate enrollment continues to grow.

Despite its name, the freshman flu is not a true case of influenza. The “flu” is a colloquial term for the bugs and colds that spread quickly among the student body and in the Waco area as the fall semester starts, and it will continue on and off throughout the school year.

Thursday’s groundbreaking marks the physical beginning of the 12-20-year Waco Downtown Redevelopment Project, which will repurpose more than 100 acres of riverfront land to create a new city hall, an arts district, a sports entertainment complex and more.