Gretchen Eichenberg

On a weeknight in Waco, the pop of a pickleball bounces off a paddle, the low thump of a basketball echoes and a burst of laughter rings out from somewhere near the sideline. One person sets down their drink while someone else arrives for a game where they don’t yet know they’ll stay for longer than expected. And after the friendly competition ends, hugs and high fives are given as plans are made to do it again soon.

It feels as if no matter who you are, you can find your community in Waco — that little corner of our city that is your respite, your haven. Maybe it’s the family-friendly spaces like that welcome young readers to a weekly story time or the recently discovered special little picnic spot along the river. Or it’s the people that make an impact — the professors, the leaders, the voices we hear on the radio. Perhaps, even, it’s the little escapes we find like a cocktail class or an art fair. Evey year, we gather all these little spaces to share with you, our readers. It’s a glimpse into the diversity of Waco. From different professions, various walks of life, differing stages of life, our team and contributors bring just a handful of the reasons why we love Waco.

Like the long-awaited winds that allowed the Greek fleet to sail for Troy, a local playwright’s career-spanning work of theater will blow, sweep and surge onto the stage this month in a rare world premiere at McLennan Community College (MCC). “The Song of Iphigenia,” written by 20-year MCC English professor Nick Webb, is the culmination of a five-year writing process and a love of Greek tragedy that began during his college years in the late 1980s and ‘90s. Adapted from “The Oresteia,” a trilogy of ancient Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, the play confronts ethical dilemmas and societal change, reflecting challenges that remain strikingly relevant today.

Ever wondered what it takes to join the ranks of Oklahoma’s most lauded performing arts companies? We profile three such artists from the OKC Ballet, Tulsa Opera and OKC Philharmonic to explore their day-to-days, education and interests outside the world of performance.

An anonymous woman in California turned the unthinkable into the unforgettable last month when, instead of cutting a cake and tossing a bouquet, she donated her wedding reception to charity. "I was incredibly touched that a bride, facing an extremely stressful and difficult situation, was willing to look past her own pain and consider how to use the significant financial deposit for the wedding to bring joy to others," Maria Daane, executive director of Parents Helping Parents (PHP), the San Jo

Hooves clopping along cobblestone streets. People gathering with excitement to witness a piece of history. Red dirt flying up inside the rodeo arena. Live music belting from the world’s largest honky tonk. Shops bustling with folks looking for both modern and traditional treasures with a Western flair. Restaurants offering everything from old-fashioned barbecue to more

Sure you passed through many times on your way to Austin or maybe you visited on a class trip to explore Inner Space Caverns, but if you haven't take time to hang out in the town that boasts "the most beautiful town square in Texas" and was recently named "The Texas Heartland's Most Underrated Destination" by the travel.com (June 2022), this holiday season might just be the right occasion.

During what might have been the worst of times, two local visionaries spent the tumultuous past two years of the pandemic dreaming, planning, working and building vacation rental properties that they hoped would breathe new life into the local hospitality scene. One focused on remodeling older homes in urban Waco neighborhoods and transforming them into

When Beth Allison Barr walked out the doors of her local evangelical church almost five years ago — a church whose leaders had just fired her husband, a youth pastor, for challenging the church’s position on women not being allowed to serve as Sunday school teachers — you might like to think she never looked back. But she did look back — and way back — in her book “The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth.”

Waco mom Stephanie Wolfe doesn't want people to look away politely when they see her daughter Addie, 6, riding in a wheelchair. She doesn't want other children to nervously cast their eyes away when they notice Addie breathing with the help of a tracheotomy and ventilator and wearing cochlear implants in order to hear. And she doesn't want people to stare and wonder about the differences in her appearance or all the equipment that travels with her on an outing to the grocery store.

Ancient canyons carved by thousand-year-old rivers. Miles and miles of blue flora, dotted with red and yellow. Sandy beaches on endless shorelines. Historic buildings where decisions shape our future. Getting on the road and exploring the diverse natural landscape, stunning architecture and innovative industries of the Lone Star State is one of the greatest joys and freedoms of being a Texan. While travel has been discouraged and many Texas tourist attractions remain closed, you can visit some