Baylor News

Recidivism refers to how often people reenter the justice system after their first offense. Texas reports a 21% recidivism rate as of 2022, well below the national average of 68%. Despite this, Judge Rob Swanton of the specialty courts said there is a lack of funding and a shortage of mental health providers for these individuals.

“[If you] remind yourself it isn’t real and temper your thoughts… then that can take a little bit of the power away from it, but it definitely still does have an influence,” Bates said.

Waco News

The National Zoo might have a baby panda, but Cameron Park Zoo has Aztec, the miracle baby ocelot.

Aztec was born on May 31 at Cameron Park Zoo, and is considered a miracle baby because of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his birth.

Cameron Park zookeeper John Abernathy said part of the reason Aztec was a miracle was because his mother Maya was so old when she had her first child.

In response to the city of Waco’s new ordinance that requires all pets to be microchipped, the Animal Birth Control Clinic will be offering a free microchip clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at their location on 3238 Clay Ave.

The new Waco city ordinance requires all cats and dogs of Waco residents to be spayed or neutered and microchipped.

This must be done by Jan. 1, 2014, said Carrie Kuehl, executive director of the Animal Birth Control Clinic. The city of Waco is sponsoring Sunday’s free microchipping clinic, Kuehl said, to meet the needs of citizens.

A drug ring distributing $30,000 to $40,000 of high-grade marijuana monthly near Baylor campus HAS resulted in four arrests and an investigation of more than 50 Baylor students.

McGregor, Lorena and Baylor Police departments, in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration, served two warrants less than one mile from campus on Aug. 28. Marijuana, prescription pills, packaging materials, weapons and more than $12,000 were found in the two residences, according to the McGregor Police Department. The customer base of the suspected distributors is the Baylor student body, said McGregor Police Department’s Criminal Investigator Lt. Joe Coy.

Local police arrested four men Wednesday near Baylor campus after searching two homes in connection to an extensive marijuana drug ring.

After three months of following leads and working with Drug Enforcement Administration officers, McGregor Police and Lorena Police served two warrants with the cooperation of the Baylor Police Department. While McGregor and DEA officers handled the the first search warrant Wednesday morning, Baylor police officers handled the second search warrant later that day, said Baylor Police Chief Jim Doak.

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.

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