Baylor News
Political polarization in America has gone beyond debates and ballot boxes, driving wedges between loved ones and turning neighbors into adversaries. As ideological divides deepen and tensions escalate, can we find a way to reclaim civil discourse, or are we destined to live in a nation where division and distrust define us?
In such a polarized political environment, the loudest action you can take is saying nothing at all. If people want to make assumptions about your character based on stereotypes, your ethnicity or even your age, let them.
Republican David Schenck ran against Democrat Holly Taylor and has been appointed the new Presiding Judge. Republican Gina Parker now occupies Place 7 over Democrat Nancy Mulder and Republican Lee Finley assumes Place 8 over Democrat Chika Aniyam.
Targeted for their rulings on recent abortion cases, the three Republican Texas Supreme Court justices up for reelection successfully fended off Democratic opposition, retaining all nine seats.
Waco News
Planes not seen since World War II touched ground in Waco this weekend for the second annual Heart of Texas Airshow.
Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday defended old rulings by his office that critics say hid problems with the Texas Enterprise Fund and more recent decisions that keep tight wraps on how Texas uses taxpayer money to woo businesses.
A referral came in to the Friends for Life center two years ago about a woman living alone and embarrassed to smile. She did not have any teeth because of cancer and could not afford dental or medical insurance.
Three Baylor graduates following separate career paths and living in three different parts of the world have two things in common — a passion for the deaf community and an attribution to Baylor for their success.
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.
