Baylor News

Baylor has purchased the Hotel Waco property with the ultimate intention of expanding campus across the Brazos River, a Baylor spokesperson confirmed Monday.

Baylor Director of Athletics Ian McCaw released this open letter to the Baylor community Friday, praising the Big 12 Conference’s members, for pledging substantive, long-term unity, Baylor administration for working to secure the Big 12, and Baylor fans and supporters, for supporting the university and Baylor sports programs.

In addition to the traditional events of Parents Weekend, such as Parent-Faculty Coffee and After Dark, Baylor Chamber of Commerce is introducing a new event, Exploring Waco, which is aimed at getting parents out into the Waco community.

Waco News

State News

Tensions continued to grow over the summer between political adversaries as Texas state Sen. James Talarico called on Attorney General Ken Paxton to release internal records related to a controversial child sexual abuse case involving former Waco attorney and Baylor Law graduate Adam Hoffman.

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.