Gretchen Eichenberg

Wacoan •

Taste of Waco: Editor's Picks

Every year, we celebrate the Best of Waco, as voted by you, our readers. This year, we had many categories we wanted to highlight. So many, that we couldn’t even get to all of them because of how many exciting submissions we received from our team and our contributors. From the painter who captured the spirit of a beloved family member to the new spot in town for an exhilarating date night to the cozy atmosphere in the jazzy little wine bar, these are the places and the people that have made an impact in our lives. I hope the following pages will lead you to your next beloved spot.
Fox News •

Some alcohol choices like dry red wine and clear liquor are less harmful than others, experts say

You may have heard that red wine is good for your heart health — or that vodka is a better option than darker liquors like bourbon. A recent study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology even found that Champagne could reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Yet according to the World Health Organization and others, no alcohol is considered healthy for the body. A few factors, however, such as the amount consumed and its sugar content, could offer drinkers a slightly less damaging choice."There...
Fox News •

Craft brewers navigate rising costs without passing hefty price hikes to customers

America's craft brewers may be facing the sobering reality of inflation and looming tariffs, but a number of them are using creative problem-solving to navigate tight economic times. Many of these artisans — traditionally known for their boldness and innovation — are finding ways to maintain quality and brand integrity without asking loyal customers to choke on the price."Pretty much everything that goes into making beer got more expensive over the past five years," Bart Watson, president and CE...
Fox News •

Deli meat, cucumbers top list of 'really risky foods' you might have in the fridge

Cucumbers, deli meat and eggs are just a few of the everyday grocery items that made a list from Consumer Reports of "10 Really Risky Foods Right Now."It's based on the number of illnesses and deaths in 2024, how widespread the outbreaks were, the number of recalls and the amount of food recalled.There was a 41% jump in food recalls due to possible contamination with salmonella, E. coli and listeria in 2024 compared with the year before, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Educa...
Fox News •

New England fights invasive green crabs with innovative 'eat them' strategy

If you can't beat them, eat them. That's become a slogan of sorts for the New England seafood industry and some of the fishermen who supply them, as they try to eradicate – or at least control – the population of one of the world's most invasive species: the green crab.These pesky creatures offer little meat but have a voracious appetite of their own, wreaking havoc on the shellfish industry and the ecosystem. "They're omnivor...
Fox News •

McDonald's chef reveals why coffee from fast-food giant tastes so good

Coffee aficionados probably weren't expecting to read news items about McDonald's McCafé, yet the fast-food giant made headlines this month for its coffee's understated quality and loyal cult following."It's consistently good," Donna Locklin, of Salado, Texas, told Fox News Digital.She started drinking McDonald's coffee about 20 years ago, she said, when she became eligible for the 25-cent "senior cup," but it quickly became one of her favorite brews.
Fox News •

Restaurant tipping etiquette: Should you tip for fast food or takeout?

These days, customers who visit a restaurant to pick up a carryout order, or even a fast-food drive-thru, may be greeted by a prompt on the screen asking how much they'd like to tip.In some cases, it's just a kiosk making the request, but other times the cashier might be waiting for the customer's response."It usually catches me off-guard," Chris Nordstrom, a commercial real estate executive in Kansas City, Missouri, told Fox News Digital.
Fox News •

Chick-fil-A food and employees helped man lose weight and change his life

Chest pains — plus a concern for his weight and health — prompted a Rhode Island man to take a wellness journey that he said saved his life. The unlikely rescuer? A Chick-fil-A salad. "I knew I needed to make a change," Tom Carroll, 32, a digital content producer from Lincoln, Rhode Island, told Fox News Digital. At 360 pounds, Carroll had tried and failed to change his diet and lifestyle. But after Thanksgiving 2023, he had "the most serious chest pain" he'd ever experienced.
Fox News •

Chewing gum may release thousands of microplastics into the saliva, study says

If you enjoy a refreshing stick of gum now and then, you may be biting off more than you should chew. A recent pilot study found that chewing gum – even those labeled "natural" – can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into the body, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).Lisa Lowe and Jamie Leonard, graduate students at UCLA, along with Sanjay Mohanty, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA, shared the findings at the...