Baylor News
In the aftermath of national attention over Baylor hosting Turning Point USA on campus, statements made at the closed event have ignited controversy amongst students and faculty.
With nearly 120 years of combined experience in Penland Dining Hall, Elaine Battle, Linda Benson and Donna Majors have served thousands — maybe even millions — of meals to the Baylor community. But the three are known for far more than flipping omelets or making pizzas. Their careers are marked by countless relationships and acts of service that go beyond the women’s job descriptions.
Laura McNutt, assistant director of advising in Baylor’s College of Arts and Sciences, died April 17 at her home in Waco after a three-year battle with colon cancer. She was 38.
This April, the OEL welcomed its newest cohort of Vardaman Scholars, formerly known as Global Engage Fellows. The program, intended for rising sophomores or juniors, lasts for the duration of the student’s undergraduate career at Baylor. The program structure requires students to take two courses under the OEL’s Philanthropy & Public Service Program before undertaking an engaged learning project and becoming an engaged learning student leader.
Waco News
Jan. 19 is a day of remembrance and celebration across the nation of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and at Indian Spring Park, Wacoans held their own celebration. The city’s annual Peace March has been held for over 20 years and is led by local chapters of Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma with a purpose to keep King’s dream and spirit alive.
Students across campus noticed a stench coming from their dorms and apartments this month. From Oct. 20 to Nov. 17, Waco is performing an annual routine water systems maintenance, leaving students confused as Waco’s tap water reeks.
Organized by the McLennan County Democratic Party and Indivisible Waco, the “No Kings” protest turned sidewalks into a curbside gathering — spotlighting limits on executive authority as demonstrators waved homemade signs, a few wearing costumes and blasted pop anthems like Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA.”
Every Wednesday from March through October, Park Rangers lead free hikes in Cameron Park to help the public explore the trails. Each week, around 40 participants join the rangers to learn more about the park and build community in nature.
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.
National
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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.
