Baylor News
During the months following the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West that destroyed 100 homes and killed 15 people, the Baylor community has continued to offer support through a physical presence and large monetary donations.
The university created a West Relief Fund the week the explosion happened and by July 10, the fund had raised more than $290,000, the entirety of which was donated to the First Baptist Church of West.
The first experiences a student has at Baylor are some of the most memorable. The Traditions Rally and Late Night are annual events that start the semester off strong, but unlike previous years, a sentimental factor accompanies this year’s events.
On Thursday, the rally will be held at Floyd Casey Stadium for the last time. Come fall 2014, the Traditions Rally will take place at the new football stadium.
Baylor Student Activities plans the Traditions Rally and Late Night to introduce new students to Baylor’s unique culture.
College is a time for new experiences. However, new experiences can also mean new mistakes.
With a never-before-had freedom, fun can quickly turn into foolishness—especially when alcohol is involved.
A Minor in Consumption (MIC) can be issued to anyone caught drinking under the legal age of 21. It is classified by Texas law as a Class C misdemeanor.
Baylor Police Chief Jim Doak said MICs are issued constantly throughout the school year. In some cases, students are arrested before school even begins.
Cameron Park will be sectioned off with roadblocks for the next nine months and visitors will have to follow posted detour routes to reach their destinations.
Since the first week of August, Cameron Park Drive has undergone a $1 million reclamation project to repair the uneven road.
The entire project, which will be broken into three phases, will continue through May 2014.
Beginning at Redwood Shelter, 2300 Cameron Park Drive, and concluding two miles down at Lover’s Leap, the city of Waco’s engineering department will implement an eco-friendly, three-phase project to repair the road.
All traffic trying to enter the inner parameter of the park is being rerouted.
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.
National
Politics
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.
