KWBU News

For many Texans, Waco might just be a pitstop along I-35. Yet, the emergence of competitive races over the last several years has been drawing more and more visitors into the city. The economic impact is evident but the future of these types of races seemed uncertain after an accident at a triathlon in July left city officials, local police, and race organizers at odds. KWBU's Becky Fogel reports.

With numerous cases of West Nile Virus reported throughout Central Texas, including one death in McLennan County, Wacoans are looking for ways to beat the mosquitos. While a citywide mosquito program is unlikely in Waco, KWBU's Becky Fogel hears from a local pest control agency about how to protect yourself from West Nile Virus.

It's August, and that means it's "Back to School" time. A flurry of ads for backpacks, pencils, and scholastically-themed graphic tees, might have your kids horrified or excited. Either way, there's no denying that school is just a few weeks away. A new program at the Waco Independent School District is hoping that parents might get caught up in the back-to-school spirit as well, and consider doing back to school themselves. KWBU's Becky Fogel has more.

On August 2, 2012, the Waco Independent School District?s Board of Trustees convened a special meeting. While several issues were on the agenda, the main event was an overview of the proposed budget and Tax rate for the 2012 to 2013 fiscal year. KWBU?s Becky Fogel has more.

"Tax and Spend Moderate." "Typical, Washington, Lawyer." These are characterizations that the two candidates for the Republican nomination for Texas' open U.S. Senate seat have been slinging at each other leading up to the July 31st run-off. Yet Ashley Cruseturner, from McLennan Community College, tells KWBU's Becky Fogel that Dewhurst and Cruz really aren't that different.

The 2012 Olympics are underway. Over 20 athletes who are either from Texas or have a tie to the Lone Star state will be competing in the games. Waco will have one of it's own in London, Pastor Gaylon Foreman of Carver Park Baptist Church. He joins members of Texas-based ministry Lay Witnesses for Christ International as the International Pastoral Chairman and will be working with local churches in London to hold a series of religious events throughout the games. KWBU's Becky Fogel has more.

Homeownership is central to the American Dream. In Part II of this look at the American Dream in Waco, KWBU's Becky Fogel visits with a couple who purchased their first home this year. The two met while living with their parents and for awhile it wasn't clear they would be able to become homeowners themselves. After discovering the Homebuyer Education course at NeighborWorks Waco though, the dream of having their own home became real. The Trimmer's reflect on their journey to homeownership, a process that took incredible perseverance and what they call "patient tenacity."

This summer, NPR News is examining American Dreams: Then and Now. At KWBU, we're also looking at how people in Central Texas define this generations-old concept. For many the American Dream can feel out of reach, but what happens when you achieve it?only to lose it? In this 2-part series, KWBU's Becky Fogel looks at the role NeighborWorks Waco plays in helping to keep and get people into homes. In Part I, Fogel speaks with housing counselors about the emotional impact of foreclosure and the feeling that the American Dream has, at least temporarily, slipped away.

Whether you're a parent or a kid, the idea of having "the talk" might be enough to make you more than a little nervous. Still studies show, young people want to hear from their parents about sexual health and receiving age-appropriate and medically-accurate information allows them to make healthy and safe decisions. Knowing that might not make starting the conversation any easier though. At Nobody's Fool?in it's 23rd year in Waco?Planned Parenthood seeks to provide parents and kids with the tools to start a life-long conversation about these issues. Yet some local residents question the intent of an event hosted by Planned Parenthood claiming it promotes teen sex and seeks to drum up future business for itself as seen in recent letters to the editor featured in the Waco Tribune-Herald. Still, one parent protesting the event shared the same concern of parents sending their kids to Nobody's Fool: How do I talk to my kids about this sensitive, awkward, but vital issue? Becky Fogel reports.

Two sodas have already been invented in Waco?Dr Pepper and Big Red?but this past week three new concoctions joined their ranks. Can you imagine yourself drinking a Peach-Vanilla Root Beer or a new soda called Tropical Blast? What about Liquid Skiddilz? These are just some of the creations that have emerged from the Dr Pepper Museum's Soda Jerk Camp, where kids between the ages of 8 and 13 learn the science of soda, invent a new drink, and learn how to be an old-fashioned soda jerk. KWBU's Becky Fogel has the story.

Over the next few months 2 acres of land in East Waco will be transformed into a training farm. The Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition (HOT UGC) launched this new project on July 9th, and will be providing paid internships that equip young people between the ages of 15 and 20 with both agricultural and entrepreneurial skills. The farm will help fill a need for local food sources and economic development, says HOT UGC. KWBU's Becky Fogel joined a crowd under the hot Texas sun for the groundbreaking ceremony.

The monthly jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has become a frenzied and political event, as Republicans and Democrats prepare to duke it out during this year's presidential campaign. Understanding the local impact of national job creation numbers is no easy feat, and so earlier this spring the Greater Waco Chamber commissioned a report to see what just one-hundred new jobs could do for McLennan County's economy. It turns out it's not all about job numbers. The type of jobs created and the cost of bringing business to the city are factors too. KWBU's Becky Fogel reports.

What if your dad was a dinosaur?literally? Local filmmaker and recent Baylor University graduate, Philip Heinrich, imagined what it would be like to have a Tyrannosaurus Rex as a father. Turns out, it's kind of a bummer. After strong responses to the original short film, Heinrich decided to turn this concept into a live action feature-length film that he will be working on this summer. He joined KWBU's Becky Fogel in the studio to discuss how he came up with the idea for the movie, the differences between making a short and full-length film, and learning to appreciate what you've got. You can view the original short here: My Father is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJyTdKA8HRM" target="_blank">Tyrannosaurus Rex</a>

Larry Groth has been the City Manager of Waco since 2003. Over that time he has worked with 6 different mayors, most recently the newly elected Malcolm Duncan, Jr. KWBU's Becky Fogel spoke to Groth about finding consistency under a variety of leaders who may have different visions for the city. He says they're all united by one thing: they want what's best for Waco.

When Waco's Poverty Solutions Steering Committee presented a 100-page report to City Council on June 19th, the committee chair said that middle class people need to be engaged in addressing poverty. One local organization has already been doing this kind of work. Becky Fogel reports.

On June 15th, President Obama ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop deporting undocumented immigrants who would qualify for the yet to pass DREAM Act. News of the directive has been met with a variety of reactions from joy and praise to outrage. KWBU's Becky Fogel speaks to people from both sides of the debate and manages to find some common ground.

"Have you realized this has been to space?" That's what NASA Administrator Charles Bolden asked the crowd at the SpaceX Testing Facility in McGregor as he stood in front of the Dragon spacecraft. He and SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer, Elon Musk, were in Texas to talk about Dragon's historic mission and talk about future plans for the company. KWBU's Becky Fogel has the report.

In this segment of the Reclaiming Renewal series, we hear the second half of Becky Fogel's interview with Dalton Gooden, president of the Carver Neighborhood Association and member of the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative Leadership Team. During the first part of the interview, Gooden described the circumstances that led his family to move to East Waco in the 1960s, and how he has seen the community change over time. Now, Gooden describes why he has chosen to stay in East Waco and the changes he hopes to see by participating in the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative.

"East Waco used to be just like another city," says Dalton Gooden, president of the Carver Neighborhood Association. In this installment of the Reclaiming Renewal series KWBU's Becky Fogel speaks with Gooden about why is family moved to East Waco and how he has seen it change over the years. Gooden is a key part of Waco Habitat's Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative Leadership Team.

Last month, we heard from KWBU's Becky Fogel about a new community development project in East Waco called the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. This initiative is a collaborative effort between Waco Habitat, the Carver Neighborhood Association, and several other organizations. In this installment of the ongoing series, Reclaiming Renewal, Fogel looks at the work of the project's community-based Leadership Team.

On June 5th, Ford President and CEO, Alan Mulally, was in Bruceville to reveal the company's new F-150 truck and speak to members of the Future Farmers of America at their annual leadership camp. It is rare for Ford to introduce new vehicles outside of Michigan, and the event seemed to be a kind of victory lap for a company that experienced extensive financial turmoil but has again become a leader in the auto industry. Oddly enough, it seems that the onset of the financial crisis and the arrival of Mulally were the start of a turnaround for this iconic company.

At the end of May, NPR's Renee Montagne interviewed Michelle Obama about the White House Garden that she started. The First Lady recently released the book, American Grown, that not only details her experiences as a novice gardener, but also highlights inspiring community gardens she has visited across the United States.

<p>"You happen to be in the Holy Land-I don't know that you know that, but this is the home of the nation's oldest major soft drink."</p> <p>That's Wilton Lanning, founding president of the Dr. Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute, and he's of course referring to Dr. Pepper. But this past Friday afternoon, visitors to the museum came out to celebrate the other soft drink invented here in Waco: Big Red. The museum is featuring an exhibit on the iconic and bright red beverage this summer in honor of the soft drink's 75th anniversary.</p> <p>Mary Beth Tait, Director of Collections and Technology at the museum:</p> <p>"We're always looking for the next anniversary or big milestone that's coming up in the soft drinks that we collect items of and like to tell the story of. And so, this is one of the big ones. It's really important because of the Waco connection, and we also like the underdog soft drinks cause Dr. Pepper is kind of an underdog. So we thought it would be fun and a really colorful exhibit also."</p> <p>Bright red bottles abound in the exhibit showcasing different packaging throughout the years. One of the items Tait points out though is a kind of display cabinet from the Perfection Barber and Beauty Supply, Co. The shop, which was located just around the corner from where the Dr. Pepper Museum stands today, is where Grover C. Thomsen, R.H. Roark, and R.T. Roark invented Big Red, originally called the Sun Tang Red Cream Soda in 1937. The cabinet is full of the original flavor extracts the inventors experimented with to create the soda.</p> <p>But, flavor isn't the only thing Thomsen and the Roarks experimented with.</p> <p>Joy Summer-Smith, Associate Director at the Dr. Pepper Museum:</p> <p>"As they were first experimenting with the cream soda, it was not originally red it was originally green."</p> <p>Apparently green soda wasn't very popular.</p> <p>"From what I heard, people just weren't really excited about a green soda but once they changed it to red, it really kind of took off from there."</p> <p>Scott Jackson, the Vice President of Supply Chain at Big Red, Inc. was among the visitors enjoying a Big Red ice cream float in the museums soda fountain. He grew up loving Big Red as a kid in San Antonio. I asked Jackson why he thought it was important to commemorate this soft drink.</p> <p>"Well there's so many products that come and go every year, and to have a product that's 75 years old and that's got such a long-standing history in the state of Texas and as well as in Kentucky...and just to know that it's out there and just to know that it's been around for 75 years is just fantastic."</p> <p>Joy Summer-Smith also shares what she hopes Wacoans will get out of the exhibit.</p> <p>"For people in Waco, I really hope that they just come to learn about the other soft drink that was invented here and really take some pride in the fact that Waco has two nationally recognized soft drinks that were invented just right here within a couple of blocks of each other."</p> <p>So, as the Dr. Pepper Museum commemorates 75 years of Big Red, I had to ask Wilton Lanning a tough question:</p> <p>"I don't want to make you choose, but if it came down to it and it could be Dr. Pepper or a Big Red, do you know which one you would choose? If you could only choose one."</p> <p>"That's not a fair question."</p> <p>No, it wasn't. And luckily this summer at the Dr. Pepper Museum, you don't have to choose either.</p> <p>For KWBU, I'm Becky Fogel.</p>

<p>Yesterday, the trial of Naser Jason Abdo concluded. KWBU's Becky Fogel was in the courtroom.</p> <p>Naser Jason Abdo-known for outbursts in court-sat quietly as he listened to the verdict in his trial. After a little over an hour of deliberation, the jury found Abdo guilty on all 6 counts, including the most serious charge: attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.</p> <p>During closing arguments, the lead Defense Attorney, Zachary Boyd, asserted that Abdo's actions did not constitute an attempt to commit an attack. Federal prosecutors contended that Abdo had both plans and intent to carry out the attack, and the most convincing evidence seemed to come from the words of Abdo himself captured in two separate videos.</p> <p>Greg Sofer a co-counsel with the Federal Prosecution:</p> <p>"The best person to explain that is going to be the person who is charged with the crime, and Mr. Abdo did that very well."</p> <p>Sentencing is set for July 20th and Abdo could face up to life in prison.</p> <p>For KWBU, I'm Becky Fogel.</p>

<p>This week, AWOL Private First Class Naser Jason Abdo is being tried in the US District Court in Waco. Throughout the proceedings numerous surveillance videos of Abdo have been played. Yesterday, though, video of Abdo discussing his planned attack was entered as evidence. KWBU's Becky Fogel-who has been attending the proceedings, reports.</p> <p>Wednesday morning, jurors in the trial of Naser Jason Abdo-accused of plotting to bomb and shoot soldiers from Fort Hood at a restaurant in Killeen-watched a video of the defendant directly after his arrest. The video-taken in the cop car-does not show Killeen Police Sgt. Eric Bradley or Abdo, but a muffled recording of their conversation can be heard. During the conversation Abdo tells Bradleyabout his planned attack, saying "I don't appreciate what my unit did in Afghanistan."</p> <p>In a video recording of a jail visit between himself and his mother played for the jury in the afternoon, Abdo is heard telling her "You don't feel a relation to these people, but I do. Their suffering is my suffering." It seems he is referring to people in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p> <p>Abdo, himself, never served in Afghanistan, and had received conscientious objector status during the summer of 2010 arguing that his religious beliefs prevented him from serving in Afghanistan. He converted to Islam when he was 17 years old.</p> <p>As he did on Tuesday, Abdo-who was attentive throughout the proceedings-wore a white short-sleeved dress shirt and tie. However, he also donned a dark green skullcap also known as a kufi or taqiyah. This cap can be worn as sign of religious observance.</p> <p>Sgt. Bradley's testimony led to a brief, and rare, back and forth between the prosecution and defense. Lead Defense Attorney, Zachary Boyd asked Bradley whether he and his fellow officer had recovered an explosive device on Abdo's person during his arrest. Bradley responded that they had not found anything that could be detonated at the time. United States Attorney Mark Frazier, countered "Did he have a gun and ammunition in his backpack?" To which Bradley answered "Yes."</p> <p>The trial is expected to end today or tomorrow.</p> <p>For KWBU, I'm Becky Fogel.</p>

<p>The trial of AWOL Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo began in the U.S. District Court in Waco on Monday. Abdo was arrested on July 27th, 2011 on charges that he planned to attack a restaurant frequented by Fort Hood Soldiers in Killeen. KWBU's Becky Fogel was in the courtroom throughout the trial which concluded on May 24th. This story is part of a 3 part series summing up the proceedings.</p> <p>Past photos of Private First Class Naser Jason Abdo show a clean cut and athletic 21 year old. Sitting in the U.S. District Court in Waco on Tuesday, Abdo-now 22-looks slender and has longer unkempt hair and a beard.</p> <p>Abdo was arrested last summer on charges that he planned to bomb a restaurant in Killeen frequented by Fort Hood soldiers and shoot anysubsequent survivors. Abdo could face up to life in prison if convicted of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. He also faces five additional charges.</p> <p>Abdo was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, when he went AWOL over the July 4th weekend in 2011. He eventually made his way back to the Dallas-area where he grew up. But before leaving Kentucky, he raised suspicions when he tried to purchase a gun and ammunition at a storenear Fort Campbell. One store employee described Abdo as "a little arrogant and a little suspicious," stating that he never removed his sunglasses and seemed unfamiliar with the kind of weapons he was attempting to purchase, including black powder.</p> <p>Many of the other witnesses provided a similar profile of Abdo-someone who was a bit arrogant, standoffish, and did not remove his sunglasses. Surveillance footage from Dallas-area stores showing Abdo purchasing smokeless powder at a gunshop, a pressure cooker and clocks from a Walmart, and a US Army uniform and a "Smith" name patch from a military surplus store, was played for the jury.</p> <p>While the prosecution worked to build a timeline of steps Abdo took to build a bomb, the Defense, lead by Attorney Zachary Boyd, questioned several witnesses on the legality of Abdo's purchases. Questioning one witness, he asked was it illegal for you to sell this item? Was it illegal for Abdo to then purchase this item? The answer to both questions was no.</p> <p>For KWBU, I'm Becky Fogel.</p>

Waco Habitat for Humanity is leading a new effort to develop the Carver Park neighborhood in East Waco. While it is collaborating with several other non-profits, one of the most important partners is the Carver Neighborhood Association and Carver Park residents themselves. This is the first in an ongoing series that will examine community development in Waco through Habitat for Humanity's Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. KWBU's Becky Fogel attended the first Neighborhood Planning Initiative Meeting in April.

On election day, local candidates can be found in a similar spot: parking lots outside of polling locations. A rule that prevents candidates from standing within 100 feet of a polling location, puts them squarely in lots where they are permitted to talk with voters. Becky Fogel's KWBU spoke with several candidates as they waited for the polls to close.

Mother's Day is a time to appreciate all that Moms do. You might be celebrating in the typical way: buying a card, flowers, maybe even some chocolates. But you might want to consider another option?going to the Cameron Park Zoo. KWBU's Becky Fogel has the report.

Another Baylor alum has made a major gift to support the construction of Baylor Stadium, the proposed on-campus football stadium along the Brazos River. KWBU's Becky Fogel speaks with Lori Fogelman, Director of Media Communications at Baylor University, about the status of fundraising efforts for this project.

"Many Voices. One Vision." That's the motto of Waco's Community Visioning Project. Headed up by a Community Visioning Board consisting of civic, business, academic, and non-profit leaders, the group works to improve life for Waco-area residents. Every two years they hold a Community Visioning Expo to highlight development projects throughout the city. KWBU's Becky Fogel attended this event and learned about changes the city has undergone since the last Expo in 2010.

A local initiative is seeking to meet the needs of a growing population in McLennan County: Ex-offenders. The Cornerstone Assistance Network believes that churches and faith-based groups have a crucial role to play in supporting formerly incarcerated individuals as they reenter society. Becky Fogel reports.

Mi Familia, a Waco-based car club, has partnered with numerous non-profit organizations to hold benefits using the draw of classic cars to raise funds and awareness for these groups. Recently, the club rallied to support one of their own. KWBU's Becky Fogel speaks to the organizers and participants at this special car show.

In the second part of this look at the debate surrounding the DREAM Act, KWBU's Becky Fogel spoke with Duke Machado, head of a local Republican group that seeks to build support for the party amongst Latinos. Machado does not support the DREAM Act saying it fails to provide a comprehensive solution to the entire population of undocumented immigrants in the United Sates. Yet the question remains: If efforts to provide legal status to a select group of individuals has failed to gain traction, how will legislation that provides legal status to a much broader population succeed? Machado argues that the answer lies in offering a documentation program that may not lead to citizenship.

On April 30, 2012 Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, joined Baylor University President Ken Starr for his On Topic Series. During their conversation, she stressed the need for civic education in the United States arguing that the focus has shifted to math and science at the expense of civics. KWBU's Becky Fogel has the report.

For some, the need to pass the DREAM Act is a no-brainer, while others feel the bill is controversial. KWBU's Becky Fogel spoke to people on both sides of the debate. In this segment, she speaks with a Waco-based immigration attorney defending two young men who could potential benefit from the DREAM Act.

On April 24, 2012 the Waco Area League of Women Voters, KWBU-FM, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, and Parents for Public Schools, hosted a Candidate Forum in anticipation of the May 12th city and school board elections. The goal of the event was to increase voter turnout, but also to encourage more people to run in future elections. KWBU's Becky Fogel reports.

On April 19th, 2012 the Girl Scouts of Central Texas hosted their 20th annual Women of Distinction banquet. Among the honorees was Heather Beck, Development Officer at the Providence Foundation in Waco. Beck and Angie MacFarland, Senior Development Executive at Girl Scouts, sat down with Becky Fogel in the KWBU studio to discuss the importance of strong female role models and community involvement.

Research papers and exhibits are the norm at the annual Midway Middle School History Fair. Four students broke the mold this year when they created a play about Don Albert, a jazz musician who opened the first integrated nightclub in San Antonio. Inspired by the Riverwalk Jazz radio program heard on 103.3 KWBU FM, these students delved into Civil Rights history in Texas?a topic that had not been covered in school. This lively group of students spoke with KWBU's Becky Fogel about their project.

At Spring Farm Day, held by local non-profit World Hunger Relief, Inc., KWBU's Becky Fogel saw a surprising sight: Camels. It turns out that camels have a long and storied history in Texas dating back to the 1850s. She spoke with Doug Baum, owner of the Texas Camel Corps, a family farm in Valley Mills to learn more about this history and also to get some camel-myths busted.

This year the Jim Cullum Jazz Band celebrates its 50th anniversary. Anchoring the group is Jim Cullum, himself. While his career has seen him perform across the United States as well as in Mexico and Russia, his love of classical jazz music began in his childhood home of San Antonio, Texas. With a look at how it all started is Becky Fogel for KWBU FM.

On Thursday, April 5 2012, Waco lost of one the most impactful members of its community: Bernard Rapoport. He is known for his business success, political influence, and perhaps most importantly, for his vast philanthropic work. His commitment?and that of his wife?to education and social justice was so widely regarded that a local school, the Rapoport Academy was named in their honor. KWBU remembers Bernard Rapoport, a two-term board member at the station, through the stories of Dr. Nancy Grayson, founder and superintendent of the Rapoport Academy. Becky Fogel reports.

Women are largely underrepresented in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), comprising only 25 percent of the workforce in those fields. The Girl Scouts of Central Texas and Texas State Technical College are trying to change that figure. At the first ever Girl Genius STEM Conference held in Waco, they teamed up to offer a day of hands-on workshops to make STEM more accessible to girls and breakdown stereotypes that might prevent them from trying out these fields.

The economic crisis that has hit the nation affects Texas everyday. 25 percent of children in our state suffer from food insecurity. McLennan County is an area which has been hit harder than most. However, for a small portion of these children there is hope. Adam Harris reports for KWBU FM.

Ms. Frizzle's Magic School Bus has nothing on the Waco ISD SurPrize Patrol. At the end of March, the Waco ISD Education Foundation granted their one millionth dollar. To distribute the grants to the winning teachers, Waco ISD staff and supporters boarded a school bus and surprised unsuspecting teachers in their classrooms throughout the district. KWBU's Becky Fogel had the opportunity to join staff on the bus and learn about creative projects teachers are pioneering throughout Waco.

As KWBU continues to look at the climate for the aging in Central Texas, we look again at the spiritual needs that area churches and agencies seek to address. KWBU's Derek Smith visited a weekly worship service at Royal Manor Nursing Home and has more.

KWBU News is periodically looking at the climate for people as they age in Central Texas. This week, KWBU's Derek Smith looks at a way the spiritual needs of the aging are met in the Waco area.

A loud-talker in public. Being stuck at a stoplight. A long line. All annoying to some degree, moreso to some of us than others. But why is that? Why do we get annoyed to some things, but not others? Science Friday personalities Joe Palca and Flora Lichtman set out to discover just that in their new book ?Annoying: The Science Of What Bugs Us.? They spoke with KWBU?s Derek Smith about their work, starting with a how an annoying event led to the book.

KWBU is looking at the climate in Waco for people as they age in a periodic series. Issues related to retirement and health care for people as they age, or for their parents are often a cause for stress. Dr. Hap LeCrone says that the current times add to the stress. KWBU'S Derek Smith has more.

Candidates for Waco school board and city council addressed issues facing the city and its residents last night at aCandidates for Waco school board and city council addressed issues facing the city and its residents last night at a League of Women Voters Candidate Forum co-sponsored by KWBU, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, and Parents for Public Schools. KWBU's Derek Smith has more. League of Women Voters Candidate Forum co-sponsored by KWBU, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, and Parents for Public Schools. KWBU's Derek Smith has more.