Baylor News
For the Texas Senate seats, Republican Sen. John Cornyn is in a primary runoff against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton on May 26. Cornyn led the March 3 primary 43% to 41%, but neither cleared the majority threshold. Trump has not endorsed either candidate. Democrats have not won statewide in Texas since 1994. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico won his party’s nomination over Rep. Jasmine Crockett. A March Impact Research poll showed Talarico leading Cornyn 43% to 41% and Paxton 44% to 43% among likely voters.
Saturday morning, students, faculty and members of the Waco community gathered for the Bearathon. Through this, Student Foundation raised money for student scholarships.
Harumatsuri, an annual Japanese festival celebration for the arrival of spring, was held by Baylor’s Japanese Student Association Friday night on Fountain Mall and featured traditional games, crafts and food stalls, as well as traditional performances. The evening served as a reminder for attendees to embrace new cultures with curiosity to foster better cultural understanding among the Baylor and Waco communities.
https://youtu.be/HDbgCrSPMIA?si=xXnMyME-0Zr7UXvEBy Irma Peña | Executive Producer, Claire-Marie Scott | Managing Editor, Aiden Richmond | Sports…
Waco News
Senate Bill IV was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Dec. 18, 2023. The new law clamps down on illegal immigration in various ways, but its largest impact is making illegal immigration a state crime in Texas. Two months before taking effect on March 5, the law has been met with opposition. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas on Jan. 3.
Baylor’s Institute for Oral History emphasizes the importance of storytelling, a method of preservation that accounts for much of global history. However, its Black History Walk focuses on local history, retelling the stories of Black Americans in Waco through an immersive educational experience.
“The idea behind this season of prayer is that we pray for our college students, who are our next generation of leaders,” Dr. Charles Ramsey, director for campus ministries and church connections, said. “If they are the leaders of the future church, surely we have the time in our day to invest in them and support them.”
Despite a decrease in nearly all types of crime in Waco, narcotics offenses have risen 21% since 2022, according to Waco PD’s Crime Statistics Report. This number reveals the complicated reality of drug use and abuse in Waco and the U.S.
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.
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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.
