Baylor News
There was something different about the 62nd legislative session of student government, but Rockwall senior Forrest Davis couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
It was 10:40 a.m., five minutes before the lunch hour started. Students were lining up at the entrance of Penland Crossroads dining hall. John Mercer, in his black hat, black chef uniform and black frame glasses, was giving final reminders to his staff.
“Tomorrow is the game day,” he said with a serious face. “We need to make sure that we do continuous service.”
Dr. Heidi Marcum’s two starkly different worlds keep her peaceful and give her a sense of purpose.
Eight years ago in Richmond, a Habitat for Humanity chapter was erecting the frame of a structure soon to be someone’s house. It was Framing Day, as Habitat volunteers call it. Now, Richmond junior Allison Carrington is the president of Baylor Habitat for Humanity and still remembers the day of her first experience as a volunteer.
Waco News
State News
Texas voters turned out in historic numbers Tuesday, delivering victories for State Rep. James Talarico and forcing a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s U.S. Senate contest that claimed national attention. The total early-voting turnout of more than 2.5 million marks the highest ever for a midterm primary election. The results also kicked off the 2026 midterm cycle.
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.
