Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: See how Waco stacks up against other booming college towns now

Coming up on the Waco Patch calendar: Waco Downtown Farmers Market

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday September 2nd Patch AM
Wednesday September 2nd Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Greetings Waco! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • See how Waco stacks up against other booming college towns now
  • See what's new at Cameron Park Zoo's upgraded Butterfly Garden
  • How much could AI data centers add to your Waco power bill?

Also on today's calendar: Waco Downtown Farmers Market and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the bartender say to the jumper cables when they walked in? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 99 and low of 77 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Thursday: Heavy t-storms; not as hot, temps: high: 88, low: 75.
  • Friday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 94 and low of 72 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. College Town Showdown (comomag.com) — New data compares Waco to other major college towns, showing population up 13.5% and housing and rent still cheaper than many peers. Local readers can see how Waco stacks up on jobs, education, major employers, cost of living, and crime, with Baylor, MCC, and TSTC all highlighted as key drivers of the city's growth.
   

2. Cameron Park Zoo, Junior League of Waco debut refreshed Butterfly Garden ahead of holiday weekend (kwtx.com) — Waco families can explore a newly refreshed, more accessible Butterfly Garden at Cameron Park Zoo starting this Labor Day weekend, thanks to a major Junior League of Waco project. The garden now features ADA-compliant paths and seating, native plants chosen by McLennan County Master Gardeners, and input from Baylor and TSTC partners, making it a more inclusive, nature-rich spot for local visitors.
   

3. Waco residents could feel the pinch as data centers push electricity prices higher (kxxv.com) — Waco residents are seeing electric bills climb by $50 or more a month, and new Federal Reserve research suggests growing data center demand could keep pushing prices higher. Locals describe the strain on household budgets, while utility officials point to hot weather as a major factor, raising questions about how future AI-related power use might affect Waco families' costs.
   

4. Baylor players eager for chance to avenge loss to Auburn (fox44news.com) — Baylor players in Waco are fired up for Saturday's season-opening rematch with Auburn in Atlanta, still stung by last year's loss at McLane Stadium. Coaches and veterans say they've circled this game, focusing on better execution, handling the huge Mercedes-Benz Stadium atmosphere, and using the matchup to reset expectations after a 5–7 season.
   

5. Waco woman accused of injuring child, lying to police, affidavit states (kwtx.com) — Waco police arrested a local woman after investigators concluded she injured her autistic son and then repeatedly misled officers about how he was hurt. Detectives say security footage, deleted messages about a doctor's appointment, and a forensic interview with the child contradicted her story, leading to charges of injury to a child and making a false report.
   

📸 Around Waco

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Waco

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

📣 Waco Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

    Wednesday September 2
  • TIA BOY Makeups →
    Midway ISD The Center/ Library Collaborative Space,HS Library
    8:00 am
  • MHS XC @ Midway Middle School Invitational
    Midway ISD Off Campus Activities
    8:00 am
  • TIA Makeup testing →
    Midway ISD The Center/ Library Collaborative Space
    8:00 am
    • Thursday September 3
  • Dual Credit US History Class Meetings
    Midway ISD HS Distance Learning Center
    7:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hey neighbors I am sober and have e been for over 7 years I have 3 teens wonderful husband .....
    I haven't seen my biological brother the one I was raised with in over 15 years he recently got sober and I am finally going to see him this Saturday… (Nextdoor Melrose)
  • Was going though some photos and found a picture of the first quilt I made.
    This one was hand quilted. So glad I took a picture of it. (Nextdoor Herring-Park Lake/23-33rd)
  • ABM Industries, Inc. posted a job opening for School Custodial Cleaner in Waco. Apply here.
  • ABM Industries posted a job opening for Janitorial Cleaner 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: Don't you 2 start anything (Thank you Mary L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Waco