Baylor News

Baylor students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in innovation and collaboration by working for the Launch program in the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative.

Dr. Greg Leman, the Hankamer School of Business chair in management and entrepreneurship, said the mission of the program is to assist existing businesses, researchers and entrepreneurs in accelerating sustainable economic growth through the commercialization of innovation.

The Parents’ First Call to Prayer is an opportunity for parents to gather and bless students.

The First Call to Prayer was started about a decade ago by the Baylor Parent’s Network. Parents come together in various groups across the nation to pray for Baylor’s faculty and the students.

The Army Corps of Engineers closed six Lake Waco parks Tuesday as a result of Monday’s gridlock in Congress that resulted in a partial government shutdown.

Midway Park, Speegleville Park, Airport Park, Koehne Park, Bosque Park and Twin Bridges Park all closed indefinitely, said Randy Cephus, the deputy public affairs officer for the Fort Worth District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Fish Fry Festival comes to campus to bring free fried fish, carnival games and a “Fry What You Like” contest Thursday at Fountain Mall.

All students are invited to participate in activities that include inflatables, games, dunking booths and a pie-throwing booth. Food will be served at 6 p.m. and will continue until it runs out.

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.