Waco, Texas Part II

 

Government

McLennan County Courthouse

Waco has a council-manager form of government. Citizens are represented on the City Council by six elected members; five from single-member districts and a mayor who is elected at-large. The city offers a full line of city services typical of an American city this size, including: police, fire, Waco Transit buses, electric utilities, water and wastewater, solid waste, and the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments is headquartered in Waco on South New Road. This regional agency is a voluntary association of cities, counties, and special districts in the Central Texas area.

The Texas Tenth Court of Appeals is in the McLennan County Courthouse in Waco.

The Waco Fire Department operates 13 fire stations throughout the city.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Waco Parole Office in Waco.

The United States Postal Service operates the Waco Main Post Office along Texas State Highway 6. In addition, it operates other post offices throughout Waco.

Politics

Though the rest of McLennan County is deeply Republican, in statewide elections, Waco is a swing city. It voted for Republican Donald Trump in 2016, but flipped to Joe Biden in 2020.

Education

Waco Independent School District serves most of the city of Waco. Portions of the city also lie in the boundaries of Midway Independent School District, Bosqueville ISD, China Spring ISD, Connally ISD, and La Vega ISD. Three large public high schools are in the Waco city limits: Waco High School (Waco ISD), University High School (Waco ISD), and Midway High School (Midway ISD). The schools are all rivals in sports, academics, and pride. Former high schools in Waco ISD were A.J. Moore High School, G.W. Carver High School, Richfield High School, Jefferson-Moore High School, and a magnet school known as A.J. Moore Academy.

Charter high schools in Waco include Harmony Science Academy, Methodist Children's Home, Premier High School of Waco, Rapoport Academy Public School, and Waco Charter School (EOAC). Local private and parochial schools include Live Oak Classical School, Parkview Christian Academy, Reicher Catholic High School, Texas Christian Academy, Vanguard College Preparatory School, and Waco Montessori School.

The three institutions of higher learning in Waco are:

Baylor University

McLennan Community College

Texas State Technical College

In the past, several other higher education institutions were in Waco:

A&M College

AddRan Male & Female College (relocated to Fort Worth, now Texas Christian University)

The Catholic College

Central Texas College (HBCU)

The Gurley School

The Independent Biblical and Industrial School

Paul Quinn College (HBCU) (relocated to Dallas)

Provident Sanatarium

Toby's Practical Business College

The Training School

Waco Business College

Media

The major daily newspaper is the Waco Tribune-Herald. Other publications include The Waco Citizen, The Anchor News, The Baylor Lariat, Tiempo, Wacoan, and Waco Today Magazine.

The Waco television market (shared with the Killeen/Temple and Bryan/College Station areas) is the 89th-largest television market in the US and includes these stations:

KCEN 6 (NBC)

KWTX 10 (CBS, Telemundo on DT2)

KAMU 12 (PBS)

KXXV 25 (ABC)

KWKT 44 (Fox)

KNCT 46 (CW)

KAKW 62 (Univision)

The Waco radio market is the 190th-largest radio market in the US and includes:

KRMX-FM 92.9 (Country)

KWBT-FM 94.5 (Urban adult contemporary)

KBGO-FM 95.7 (Classic Hits)

KBGO-FM 95.7 HD-2 (Rhythmic Top-40) (Z-95.1)

KWRA-FM 96.7 (Spanish Religious)

KWTX-FM 97.5 (Pop)

WACO-FM 99.9 (Country)

KXZY-FM 100.7 (Spanish religious)

KBRQ-FM 102.5 (Rock)

KWBU-FM 103.3 (NPR)

KWOW-FM 104.1 (Spanish)

KBHT-FM 104.9 (Variety Hits)

KIXT-FM 106.7 (Classic Rock)

KWPW-FM 107.9 (Pop)

KBBW-AM 1010 / FM 105.9 (Religious/Talk Radio)

KWTX-AM 1230 (News talk)

KRZI-AM 1660 / FM 92.3 (ESPN)

Infrastructure

Transportation

Interstate 35 is the major north–south highway serving Waco. It directly connects the city with Dallas (I-35E), Fort Worth (I-35W), Austin, and San Antonio. Texas State Highway 6 runs northwest–southeast and connects Waco to Bryan/College Station and Houston. US Highway 84 is the major east–west thoroughfare in the area. It is also known as Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive (as it passes through the city of Bellmead), Woodway Drive or the George W. Bush Parkway. Loop 340 bypasses the city to the east and south. State Highway 31 splits off US 84 just east of Waco and connects the city to Tyler, Longview, and Shreveport, Louisiana.

The first traffic circle in Texas was constructed in Waco in 1933 at the intersections of US 81 and US 77. It was later expanded to include intersections with Valley Mills Dr. and La Salle Ave. Drivers were confused and upset by the circle when it was first constructed, which even led to lawsuits. In 2013 a lone star was added to the center of the circle. Lane markings and new signage were added in 2018 to improve traffic flow and to help guide drivers.

The Waco area is home to three airports. Waco Regional Airport (ACT) serves the city with daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International via American eagle. TSTC Waco Airport (CNW) is the site of the former James Connally AFB and was the primary fly-in point for former President George W. Bush when he was visiting his ranch in Crawford. It also serves as a hub airport for L3 and several other aviation companies. McGregor Executive Airport (PWG) is a general-aviation facility west of Waco.

Local transportation is provided by the Waco Transit System, which offers bus service Monday–Saturday to most of the city. Nearby passenger train service is offered via Amtrak. The Texas Eagle route includes daily stops in McGregor, 20 miles west of the city.

Notable people

Sports

Lee Ballanfant, born in Waco, was a Major League Baseball umpire

Lamar Batista, born in Waco, soccer player

Kwame Cavil, born in Waco, is a Canadian Football League wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos

Edwin Cerrillo, born in Waco, soccer player

Perrish Cox, former NFL cornerback for the Tennessee Titans, was born in Waco, grew up in Waco, and went to University High School

Zach Duke, graduated from Midway High School in Waco, is a former major league baseball pitcher for nine teams between 2005 and 2019

Dave Eichelberger, born in Waco, is a professional golfer who has won several tournaments on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour levels

Casey Fossum, graduated from Midway High School in Waco, pitched in Major League Baseball player for five different teams over nine seasons

Ken Grandberry, born in Waco, is a former NFL running back for the Chicago Bears

Rufus Granderson, born in Waco, is a former AFL defensive tackle for the Dallas Texans

Ty Harrington is the head coach for the Texas State University baseball team. He was born in Waco and attended Midway High School

Andy Hawkins, born in Waco, is a former MLB pitcher

Sherrill Headrick, born in Waco, came to the American Football League's Dallas Texans as an undrafted linebacker

Dwight Johnson, born and raised in Waco, was an NFL Defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants

Derrick Johnson, born and raised in Waco, was an NFL Linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs

Michael Johnson, United States sprinter; graduated from Baylor University in 1990

Jim Jones, born in Waco, American football player

Rob Powell, fitness coach who has two certificates of Guinness World Records

Dominic Rhodes, born in Waco, is a professional football running back who played for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League

John Richards, born in Waco, is a former racing driver and motorcycle racer

Bill Rogers, born in Waco, is a professional golfer who won the 1981 Open Championship and was voted 1981 PGA Tour Player of the Year

LaDainian Tomlinson is a former NFL football player for the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers; born in Rosebud, he grew up in Waco, and went to University High School

D. L. Wilson, born in Waco, is an American professional stock car racing driver

Antwone Taulton, raised in Waco, founder of the Heritage Bowl (Corsicana)

Former pro baseball players from Waco

Kevin Belcher August 8, 1967, CF-RF MLB 1990–1990

Lance Berkman October 2, 1976, LF-RF MLB 1999–2011

Andy Cooper April 24, 1898 P NLB 1920–1939

Buzz Dozier August 31, 1927, P MLB 1947–1949

Louis Drucke March 12, 1888, P MLB 1909–1912

Boob Fowler November 11, 1900, SS MLB 1923–1926

Charlie Gorin June 2, 1928, P MLB 1954–1955

Donald Harris December 11, 1967, CF-RF MLB 1991–1993

Al Jackson December 25, 1935, P MLB 1959–1969

Scott Jordan May 27, 1963, CF MLB 1988–1988

 Rudy Law July 10, 1956, OF MLB 1978–1986

Dutch Meyer June 10, 1915, 2B MLB 1940–1946

Arthur Rhodes October 24, 1969, P MLB 1991–2011

Schoolboy Rowe November 1, 1910, P MLB 1933–1949

Ted Wilborn December 16, 1958, OF MLB 1979–1980

Movies and television

Jules Bledsoe, stage and screen actor and singer. When the Broadway premiere of Show Boat was delayed in 1927 by Ziegfeld, Paul Robeson became unavailable, so Bledsoe stepped in. He played and sang the role of Joe, introducing "Ol' Man River"

Shannon Elizabeth, actress of American Pie fame, was born in Houston and grew up in Waco

Chip and Joanna Gaines, Waco area home renovators and remodelers came to national attention with their TV show Fixer Upper. They have since expanded into a variety of local developments, including Magnolia Market, Hotel 1928 and are a major tourism draw for the Waco area

Peri Gilpin, actress, best known for her television character Roz Doyle on the series Frasier, was born in Waco and raised in Dallas

Texas Guinan, Hollywood actress from 1917 to 1933. She was active in vaudeville and theater, and was in many movies (often as the gun-toting hero in silent westerns, more than a match for any man). She also had a successful career as a hostess in nightclubs and speakeasies in New York City

Anne Gwynne, Hollywood actress who starred in a number of films of the 1940s; she was born in Waco

Thomas Harris, author of The Silence of the Lambs, was a student at Baylor University, and covered the police beat for the Waco Tribune-Herald

Jennifer Love Hewitt, actress, was born in Waco

Terrence Malick, director of The Thin Red Line, was raised in Waco. He also directed The Tree of Life, which was set in the town of Waco in the 1950s

Steve Martin, comedian, actor, author and musician, was born in Waco

Kevin Reynolds, director (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Count of Monte Cristo, Waterworld), born and raised in Waco

Music

Wade Bowen, Texas country artist and former lead singer of Wade Bowen and West 84, was born and raised in Waco

David Crowder Band (1996–2012), a Christian worship band, is from Waco

Johnny Gimble, two time Grammy Award winning pioneer in Texas Swing and country music * Pat Green, country music singer-songwriter, was raised in Waco

Roy Hargrove, a Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter, born and raised in Waco

Kari Jobe, a two-time Dove Award-winning Christian singer-songwriter was born in Waco

Willie Nelson, country music singer-songwriter, born in nearby Abbott

Ted Nugent, guitarist, along with his wife Shemane and son Rocco Nugent, live in Waco He filmed his VH1 show Surviving Nugent on his ranch in nearby China Spring.

Domingo Ortiz, percussionist for the band Widespread Panic, grew up in Waco

Bill Payne, keyboardist for the rock band Little Feat, was born and raised in the Waco area

Billy Joe Shaver, Country songwriter ("Honky Tonk Heroes") and singer ("Old Chunk of Coal")

Ashlee Simpson, pop music singer, was born in Waco

Jessica Simpson, pop music singer, was born in Abilene and raised in Waco

Strange Fruit Project, an underground hip hop trio, is from Waco

Hank Thompson, was born in Waco inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Tony Thompson, lead singer of Hi-Five, was born in Waco

Holly Tucker was born in Waco

Mercy Dee Walton was born in Waco

Tom Wilson, record producer, grew up in Waco

Forrest Frank, a two-time Dove Award - winning Christian artist was born and raised in Waco.

Politics

Kip Averitt, State senator from District 22 from 2002 to 2010, and State Representative from District 56 from 1994 to 2002, and currently is a lobbyist

Joe Barton, former US congressman representing Texas's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 to 2019, was born and reared in Waco

Leon Jaworski, who prosecuted Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg trials and then was the special prosecutor who brought down the Nixon administration during the Watergate scandal, was born and raised in Waco

Charles R. Matthews, former mayor of Garland, Texas, member of the Texas Railroad Commission, and chancellor of the Texas State University System, is a Waco native

Lyndon Lowell Olson Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden under President Bill Clinton, was born and raised in Waco

William R. Poage, US Congressman who represented Texas's 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1937 to 1978, was born in Waco

Ann Richards, former governor of Texas and keynote speaker at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, was born in the Waco suburb of Lacy Lakeview and graduated from Baylor University

Pete Sessions, US congressman who represented Texas's 32nd and 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2019, was born and raised in Waco

Ralph Sheffield, member of the Texas House of Representatives from Bell County and restaurateur in Temple, was born in Waco in 1955

David McAdams Sibley Sr., former state senator (1991–2002), was mayor of Waco (1987–1988)

Other

Shawn Achor, born in Waco, is a best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage. He was featured on Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul Sunday. He also co-authored a best-selling children's book with his sister Amy Blankson called How to Make a Shark Smile.

T. Berry Brazelton, born in Waco, was a pediatrician and author. He developed the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale

Tony Castro, bestselling author of several books and syndicated columnist, was born in Waco. He graduated from Baylor University and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard

Brigham Paul Doane, born in Waco, is a professional wrestler. Under the ring name "Masada", Doane achieved international recognition in the Hardcore wrestling scene

Hallie Earle (1880–1963) was the first licensed female physician in Waco, a 1902 M.S. from Baylor, and the only female graduate of 1907 Baylor University Medical School in Dallas

Frank Shelby Groner (1877–1943) pastor of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church

Heloise, of the "Hints from Heloise" column, was born in Waco. Her column addresses lifestyle hints, including consumer issues, pets, travel, food, home improvement, health, and much more

Allene Jeanes (1906–1995), a chemical engineer whose work included the development of Dextran and Xanthan gum, was born in Waco and received her bachelor's degree from Baylor University in 1928

Reh Jones, born in Waco, American YouTube personality, owner, producer

David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians, died along with 75 others in the blaze during the Waco siege

Robert L. Leuschner Jr. was born in Waco. He attended Rice University, followed a career in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Rear Admiral

Vivienne Malone-Mayes, Waco-born mathematician, the first African-American faculty member of Baylor University who developed novel methods of teaching mathematics

Robert W. McCollum (1925–2010), virologist who made important discoveries regarding polio and hepatitis

Glenn McGee, born in Waco, is a bioethicist, syndicated columnist for Hearst Newspapers and for The Scientist and scholar.

Doris (Dorie) Miller, born in Waco, was an African American cook in the United States Navy and a hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was the first African American to be awarded the Navy's second-highest honor, the Navy Cross. Portrayed in the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor

C. Wright Mills, born in Waco, was a sociologist. Among other topics, he was concerned with the responsibilities of intellectuals in post-World War II society, and advocated relevance and engagement over disinterested academic observation

Mark W. Muesse, born in Waco, is a philosopher and author

William R. Munroe, born in Waco, vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, Commander-in-Chief, United States Fourth Fleet during World War II

Felix Huston Robertson, born in Washington-on-the-Brazos, was a former Confederate Civil War general who became a wealthy lawyer, railroad director, and land speculator in Waco during Reconstruction

Ford O. Rogers, born in Waco, major general in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, recipient of the Navy Cross

Fred I. Stalkup, chemical engineer, graduated from Rice University and became a recognized expert in enhanced oil recovery

John Willingham, a writer and historian born in Waco, served as McLennan County elections administrator from 1984 through 1992

Robert Wilson, born in Waco, is a stage director

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco,_Texas