Baylor News
Baylor has been a blessing for me these past four years, but it’s time to say goodbye.
It’s funny how the smallest things can make an impression on us. And across nine semesters at The Lariat, there have been plenty. I’ll miss late-night Andy’s runs, traveling to cover the biggest Baylor sporting events, shooting hoops in the newsroom and even waking up before 6 a.m. to rush over to campus to deliver papers. Above all else, I’ll miss the people in the newsroom whose voices constantly make me smile.
From being on the track and field team to building a social media brand, alum Keviah Ealy had no shortage of accomplishments during her time at Baylor. After graduation, Ealy made the decision to take a gap year — a choice that has now led her to starring in the third season of “Vanderpump Villa” on Hulu.
When ChatGPT’s release brought large language models to the forefront in 2022, it also sparked a flurry of private-sector breakthroughs. Bigger and better models and the introduction of AI agents have created a challenging disparity between newly relevant skills and what’s taught in the classroom.
Waco News
Tapestry of Care, a new $1.76 million initiative, aims to bridge the gap between faith communities and mental health support, helping churches better address crises and connect congregations with vital resources.
“We want to make sure everyone understands — give yourself a little bit of extra time [and] avail yourself of alternate routes,” Pittman said.
“I know for a fact that about 80% of our cases could benefit from forensic genealogy,” he said. “This will be one of the multiple tools we will use in attempt to solve these cases.”
Last August, Cameron Park Zoo got a lot colder as a storm of South African penguins swept into a new $12.8 million habitat. The 11 pairs of penguins have been one of the zoo’s most popular attractions. While their cuteness is a big money maker, the zoo’s main work with the penguins is through conservation.
Covid-19
“Since July 1st, Baylor’s campus has had nine positives out of 48 tests,” Stern said. “And in the last month alone, we have had seven positives out of 29 tests, which is almost a 25% positivity rate.”
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.

