Students, parents, and young adults gathered for “Safety Starts at Home,” a hands-on safety workshop centered on disability awareness. Hosted by the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the event offered dinner and guided participants through real-world tools they could use to make their homes safer and more accessible.

The Waco Police Department planned neighborhood block parties all across the city last Tuesday night in celebration of National Night Out.

Public discourse unfolded online, leaving students to make sense of gun violence on high school and college campuses. With traditions like Homecoming and Christmas on Fifth Street around the corner, administrators are navigating safety measures in the current political climate.

Since coming back to school, many have complained about I-35 construction. But road construction is also challenging drivers on La Salle, and the Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization has plans to bring the busy street back into shape — and keep pedestrians and drivers safe.

Baylor’s secondary has been a point of struggle for the past three seasons, but senior safety Devyn Bobby will not stand for that reputation anymore.

“[They are] their eyes and ears, and they let people know that, ‘Hey, there’s someone there to assist or make a quick call for assistance if needed,’” Rodman said.

“We’re not out to write as many reports as possible,” he said. “We’re more focused on doing life with our residents and walking with them through the college experience.”

As tornado activity rises across Texas this spring, Baylor students and staff are being urged to take storm safety seriously, especially with Waco lying in a region increasingly vulnerable to severe weather.

“Bluebonnets wind up being the first of the sort of showy wildflowers, and then there’s sort of a parade of other ones,” White said. “So when you take care of the bluebonnets, guess what? You take care of the rest of those.”

While it’s not a direct result of Rodman’s appointment as director of public safety, there’s been another development on the BUDPS front. After long backups, new police vehicles are finally arriving to rejuvenate BUPD’s fleet of cars.

The organization’s Waco location fights to prevent trafficking by educating youth on warning signs in juvenile centers and schools, including Baylor; members also train law enforcement, hospitals and community leaders to recognize and address trafficking, according to Hayes.

The measles outbreak in Texas is growing quickly, but there have been no confirmed cases in McLennan County at this time. According to ABC News, the number of measles cases has increased to 159, leaving 22 people hospitalized. Measles is highly contagious, however, it is preventable with vaccines.

To prevent tragedies similar to this one, Farm&City leads Vision Zero Texas, an initiative dedicated to protecting both drivers and pedestrians in Texas. This includes working with local and regional governments and the Texas Department of Transportation to adopt policies which reduce the number of people hurt and killed in traffic crashes across Texas, Crossley said.

While the plan promises increased security, it raises concerns about military spending and the potential for escalating global arms races. Thompson also pointed out that the race to develop better defense systems is “never-ending.”

According to Dr. Karen Humphrey, senior director of environmental health and safety, the specific training of dining hall staff to use LifeVac ahead of the Fall 2024 semester anticipated a severe choking incident such as this. LifeVac, which has saved over 3,000 lives, prompted the American Red Cross to create procedures regarding choking rescue devices.

Baylor University Police Department is investigating five vehicle break-ins that were reported on Monday, with four occurring on campus and one off campus, according to a statement by Assistant Police Chief Donald J. Rodman.

With recent tragedies in air travel as well as major airliners consistently being in the news, aircraft safety has become a concern for many in our society. Russell “Rusty” Sloane, lecturer in Baylor’s aviation sciences department, analyzed some of these tragedies and went over some of the training and safety measures that are involved in aviation.

“It’s about more than dollars and cents,” Hilliard said. “It’s about making sure people feel safe driving their cars.”

“It just shows that there are people that care about their police department, but also care about their fellow neighbors and their community,” Shipley said. “They want to see a thriving area to live in. It’s great to know that there are people out there willing to help us meet that goal.”

The winter storm prompted Baylor to transition to remote operations on Thursday and Friday for the safety of faculty and staff. With the Panhellenic recruitment process starting on Monday, the winter advisory also poses travel complications to participating students, according to a Presidential Perspective written by Baylor President Linda Livingstone.

“Watch your surroundings, be careful and take your medication,” she said. “When people are out of town, they need to make sure they’re paying attention to what’s around them.”

“BUPD encourages students and others to securely lock motorized scooters and bicycles with a U-lock in well-lit locations that generally have a lot of people around. It’s also advisable to check on a locked scooter or bike regularly,” Fogleman wrote in an email.

“This subject is extremely relevant to students and the need to always be aware of your surroundings, whether you are in the dorms, on campus or traveling,” Childers said. “A student’s best defense in staying safe is maintaining a heightened sense of awareness.”

Justice of the Peace Larry Wilkey pronounced the pedestrian deceased at the scene. The name of the individual has not been released.

It’s cuffing season. The season consisting of sorority and fraternity formals, flannel and the look of desperation. If you’ve looked everywhere and still can’t find your perfect match, the immediate instinct is to go on a dating app. Before you get swept off your feet, consider proceeding with caution.

Using social media as a virtual diary can make it easy to connect with long-distance friends and family, especially in college when the miles between us feel like a galaxy. But, living so publicly has very real repercussions that tend to be forgotten or downplayed.

On college campuses across America, trends play a part in what students wear every day. From TikTok, television or famous designers, trends determine what is popular.

The term “self-expression” may bring to mind how we dress and style our bodies which speaks volumes to who we are as people. There is also another area of everyday self-expression that has become popular to style: the cars we drive.

“We don’t want to see any individual in our community harmed by this form of abuse,” Willis said. “If you see anything that’s unhealthy, we want you to be able to recognize it and have strategies to either intervene yourself or report anonymously.”

Whether your ideal concert is Chris Stapleton at Red Rocks or a local jazz singer at Segovia Wine Bar, there’s always a risk of danger when going to these stadiums, venues, auditoriums and festivals. Here’s some safety tips for an upcoming music event you might be attending to keep you safe and maximize enjoyment.