Baylor News
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.
In a reverse Groundhog Day situation, I’ve walked outside, checked the weather app in disbelief and declared another week of summer weather. As you dream of fall vibes, here are a few activities in Waco, taking place both indoors and outdoors.
In the last decade, Waco has gone from a quiet college town to a tourism epicenter. Magnolia ushered in a decade of rapid growth, spurring economic activity and development, but not all feel this impact positively.
Waco News
The project looks to build up the riverside between Mary and Waco Avenues by constructing parks and public spaces, building a new city hall, adding a sports entertainment district with a ballpark, creating a performing arts district and convention center and significantly improving overall walkability around the city.
Lilia Gonzalez, director of nurses, said Health Services would remain available to monitor potential measles outbreaks and help students. Though the Texas measles outbreak has ended, Health Services continues providing preventative measures for other potential outbreaks.
More than 500 attended the luncheon hosted by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. In a room of some of Central Texas’s biggest donors and sponsors, Abbott shared some of the highlights from his February State of the State Address and the 89th Legislative Session. Abbott announced legislative wins on issues like housing affordability, small business success and education reform to an applauding audience.
Tapestry of Care, a new $1.76 million initiative, aims to bridge the gap between faith communities and mental health support, helping churches better address crises and connect congregations with vital resources.
State News
President Donald Trump has approved the execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, with the execution scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Central Texas military installation, roughly an hour from Baylor’s campus.
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.
Dr. Joshua Alley, assistant professor of political science, said part of the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland has to do with America’s national security strategy.
