Baylor News
Dr. Ronald Johnson, the Ralph and Bessie Mae Lynn Chair of History, said during his first semester at Baylor, a majority of classes were online due to COVID-19. He said the opportunity to meet other faculty of color in person for the first time was a joyous occasion.
President Linda Livingstone announced reduced COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated individuals Thursday, causing the simultaneous closing of the Hankamer/Cashion COVID-19 testing center. Some students do not approve.
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk spoke against critical race theory (CRT) to a packed house at the Waco Convention Center Wednesday evening as part of Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) “Exposing Critical Racism Tour.” The speech was sponsored by the Baylor chapter of TPUSA, which recently received an official charter from the university.
Since 1909, Baylor Homecoming has brought the Baylor family of the past, present and future together for a weekend full of traditions.
Waco News
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
Politics
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.
