Baylor News
The Wordsmith Society has only existed for a year on campus, and in that time its student founder created a club that offers a professional creative writing environment.
“Our graduate student population is growing, and we will continue to see an exponential rise in master’s and doctoral degrees, which is testament to Baylor’s distinct place in higher education as an R1 Christian university,” Fogleman said.
“Every student’s going to go through the experience after college where they have bigger financial responsibilities than they had before, so the best way to prepare is to start now,” Tole said.
“So we’re helping the entrepreneur ecosystem,” Martin said. “In addition to helping starters raise funding, we also help angel groups find members … we also help VC funds find limited partners, primarily family offices.”
Waco News
A new study published by two Baylor researchers reported that small and local businesses have a history of better employee satisfaction and commitment compared to bigger companies.
Local and state officials announced Wednesday that applications for financial assistance through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) are now open.
Dozens of human brains seemed to be missing from a research lab at the University of Texas in Austin. One professor guessed students either pulled a Halloween prank or went looking for an odd home decoration in the form of formaldehyde-packed jars.
The University of Texas at Austin is missing about 100 brains — about half of the specimens the university had in a collection of brains preserved in jars of formaldehyde.
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.
