It’s just before 5:30 p.m. As volunteers prepare food for serving, a line of men, women and children form outside the door. The people in the line outside are carrying handbags and backpacks, or they are hiding empty hands in their pockets.

For some people in Waco, food is not an easy thing to find. The United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service defines food insecurity as a reduction in the quality, availability or desirability of food or a disruption in eating patterns and reduced food intake.

As Americans wage war on obesity, a restaurant chain that challenges its customers to “eat fresh” has become the largest food chain in the world.

Seventeen miles north of Baylor, in West, is a little piece of old-world Europe. Czech Stop, a combination bakery and deli, provides travelers and Central Texas residents alike with authentic Czech kolaches, sandwiches and sweets. Czech Stop is highly successful, serving close to 600 customers on busy days, but things were not always so good.

Common Grounds, located on Eighth Street in Waco, is known for its dizzying selection of specialty drinks. Plain black coffee isn’t one of them.

CURRENT PRINT ISSUE

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.

Junior infielder Robert De La Garza made his Baylor debut when the lights were brightest: facing the third-best team in the country in a major league park. His journey of grinding through two years at the JUCO level prepared him to perform for the Bears.

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