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🌱 Patch AM: How the $167 million Barron’s Branch project will reshape downtown Waco

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Hey hey Waco! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How the $167 million Barron's Branch project will reshape downtown Waco
  • How Waco's Meals on Wheels is coping as demand keeps rising
  • How 7% mortgage rates are reshaping what Waco buyers can afford

Also on today's calendar: Waco Downtown Farmers Market and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Riddle: David's parents have three sons: Snap, Crackle, and what's the name of the third son? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high of 91 and low of 68 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Sunday: Partly sunny and very warm, temps: high: 95, low: 73.
  • Monday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 93 and low of 76 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. PHOTOS, VIDEO: Waco marks start of Barron's Branch transformation (star-telegram.com) — Downtown Waco just broke ground on a $167 million Barron's Branch District project that will reshape the area where the creek meets the Brazos River and add a new city park. Over the next several years, residents can expect major street, drainage, and utility work, a reimagined view from St. Francis on the Brazos, and new public spaces and private development through 2029.
   

2. Meals on Wheels Waco named TFNB Charity Champion as community need rises (kwtx.com) — Meals on Wheels Waco is being honored as TFNB's newest Charity Champion, spotlighting its crucial work delivering hundreds of daily meals and wellness checks to homebound seniors in Waco and surrounding counties. With demand rising and government funding shrinking, the nonprofit is relying more on local donations, volunteers, and fundraisers to keep its meal routes, senior centers, transportation, and pet food programs running strong for vulnerable neighbors.
   

3. Mortgage rates top 7%: What Central Texas homebuyers need to know before house hunting (kxxv.com) — Waco homebuyers are facing 30-year mortgage rates above 7%, pushing monthly payments hundreds of dollars higher and squeezing first-time and mid-range buyers the most. A local agent urges residents to shop below their maximum budget, reassess pre-approvals, and focus on what payment they can realistically afford while waiting for uncertain future rate changes.
   

4. This year's extreme weather impacts on Central Texas farms (kxxv.com) — Farmers in McLennan County, including around Waco, are battling a brutal season marked by 50 days at or above 100 degrees and a sharp swing from spring flooding to summer drought. Local growers report wiped-out melon and pumpkin crops, while an AgriLife economist notes corn's surprising resilience and warns that soaring input costs are intensifying financial risks.
   

5. Singer-songwriter JD Hinton shares craft at Texas Music Cafe in return to Waco (star-telegram.com) — Singer-songwriter JD Hinton, a Midway High and Baylor graduate, is back in Waco this weekend for two intimate shows at Texas Music Cafe, his first local concerts in nearly 20 years. Known for heartfelt Americana songs and a long career in radio, acting, and composing, he'll blend performances with stories about his craft for mostly sold-out audiences.
   

📸 Around Waco

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Bowtie Pasta Salad
    Ingredients 6 oz bowtie pasta ⅔ cup slaw dressing Marzetti is recommended 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved 3 mini cucumbers sliced Cook the bowtie… (Nextdoor Sanger Heights)
  • as far as burgers go, Dubl-R has been a Waco staple for as long as I can remember.
    Tasty burgers, the tots are a perfect pairing and the Big Red's always cold! (Nextdoor South Side)
  • Aimbridge Hospitality posted a job opening for Residence Inn Waco South - Night Auditor in Waco. Apply here.
  • Papa John's - Sun Holdings, Inc. posted a job opening for Delivery Driver in Waco. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Waco here.

Ok Waco! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: David (Thank you Thomas F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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