Baylor News
After setting aside time to refocus their hearts and minds on Jesus, this year’s Vertical leadership team and volunteers are ready to engage students across every inch of Baylor’s campus. With hope in their hearts, they pray that Jesus will be known and loved more and more every day.
As Dr. Richard Rankin Russell takes over as director of University Scholars, he said he wants to lead the program by fostering a culture of J.O.Y. The acronym was coined by current Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew and stands for “Jesus, others and yourself last.”
Dean Tanya Sudia assumed the leadership role at The Louise Herrington School of Nursing June 1. She hopes to prepare nursing students for a changing nursing world and, more importantly, to integrate faith into the profession.
Residence Hall Traditions Night is an annual Welcome Week event and, for most freshmen, their first experience with their communities’ unique traditions.
Waco News
County commissioners serve on an elected court where they oversee county day-to-day policies. These decisions include maintaining infrastructure such as bridges and roads, ensuring proper allocation of taxpayer funds and developing healthcare and the local economy.
Incumbent Republican Judge Thomas West, 59, faces off against Barry Johnson, 68, who became a Democrat in December 2023 before filing for election. It is safe to say that neither thinks the other is fit for office. The issue with the opposing candidate, both agree, is not a matter of political lean, but of experience and character.
Despite its name, the Railroad Commission actually has nothing to do with railroad regulations anymore. According to The Railroad Commission of Texas website, the commission no longer has authority over railroads in Texas since the remaining jurisdiction was transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation in 2005.
The “Be Safe. Drive Smart” initiative aims to combat the growing number of pedestrian deaths and injuries on Texas roadways, particularly as National Pedestrian Safety Month approaches.
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.
