Baylor News

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.

Waco News

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.

State News

INTERNATIONAL

The Iran war is now in its 46th day. Iran responded by restricting access to Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, and moving to toll vessels transiting the strait. Waco drivers are already feeling it. The local average hit $3.38 a gallon last week, up 21 cents in seven days and 75 cents year-over-year, according to AAA data.

Gas prices in Texas have surged more than 70 cents per gallon since the U.S. went to war with Iran three weeks ago. The near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices up more than 40%, pushing the national average to its highest point since 2023 and sending diesel past $5 for the first time in three years.

The largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades unfolded as American and Israeli forces struck Iran Saturday, killing its supreme leader and triggering retaliatory strikes from the Gulf to Israel. The White House said the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and toppling its government.