☕Three Grand Slams in Waco

Good morning, Waco. This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that’s like your friend texting, “I grabbed you coffee too.”

Let’s get to it!

— Sam Harper

If you’ve been inside Waco Bodymend, you know it’s not a typical gym. It’s built around recovery, energy, and long-term performance.

Their Superhuman Protocol focuses on what’s happening at the cellular level, combining:

• PEMF therapy for circulation
• Oxygen therapy (EWOT) to increase oxygen delivery to muscles and brain
• Red light therapy for recovery and repair

They’ve also introduced Universal Wellness Credits so you can build a routine around what your body actually needs.

Take a tour of Waco Bodymend and get $80 off your first month (non-recurring) which includes mobility tools, massage chair, the hottest sauna in town, polar shower, hot tub, locker rooms, lounges, vibration plates, spin classes and one on one stretching.

It takes about 21 days to build a habit. One month is enough to start noticing the difference.

Staffed Hours To Get You Started (Once established, you are able to enter the facilities with mobile access): Monday–Friday: 10 AM – 5 PM & Saturday: 9 AM – 3 PM

📍116 Mary Avenue, Enter through Oh My Juice
www.wacobodymend.com

⚾ Three Grand Slams
Maybe it is in the water. Maybe it was the new field name (Magnolia Field). But Friday night in Waco, Tyce Armstrong hit three grand slams in one game in Baylor’s 15–2 win over New Mexico State, something that hadn’t been done since the 1970s. For context, a grand slam is the best possible outcome in an at-bat. Bases loaded. Ball leaves the park. Doing it once is big. Doing it three times in one night is the kind of stat that you aim for in video games. Baseball season is officially underway at Baylor and MCC and it may be the perfect time to grab this 254 + Baylor collab jersey.

💰 No Cost Tax Help for 1,500 Local Families

The Gist: This tax season, 140 Baylor accounting students are partnering with students from University High and La Vega High to prepare more than 1,500 free tax returns through the Waco VITA program. In-person sessions run through April 9 at University High on Tuesdays and Thursdays and La Vega High on Wednesdays, with doors opening at 4:30 PM.

Why It Matters: For many families, access to credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit can mean real breathing room. This is Baylor students using their skills in a way that directly impacts neighbors across McLennan County.

🔐 Cybersecurity Workforce Pipeline Starts in High School

The Gist: Baylor is leading the launch of a K-12 Cyber Security Pathways Program through the Central Texas Cyber Hub, partnering with eight area school districts including Bosqueville and McGregor. Students will work toward industry certifications like CompTIA Security+ and Network+ starting in high school.

Why It Matters: Texas has more than 42,000 open cybersecurity jobs. Building that workforce locally means creating high-paying, in-demand career paths for Central Texas students before they even graduate.

💬 Community Corner

Today is Fat Tuesday. Tomorrow kicks off Lent for a lot of folks here in Waco.

I saw the Pope encouraged people to fast from gossip and online hostility this Lent. That made me think about something closer to home. Waco gets talked about a lot. Some of it fair. Some of it lazy. Some of it just incomplete. You realize this city isn’t finished. It becomes what the people who show up decide to make it.

But when you start learning the history, meeting people, sitting across the table from someone new… your tone changes. The story is still being written for Waco. And when people show up, get involved, and care about it, the future looks bright.

That is part of why I am launching Social Studies.

On March 5 from 6:30–8:30 PM at Barnett’s patio (420 Franklin Ave), we are hosting “Waco Time Machine: Waco History at 50, 100, and 150 years ago” with Dr. Stephen Sloan. It is a 45-minute deep dive into how Waco evolved across three pivotal eras, followed by Q&A and time to connect over food and drinks. Grab a ticket.

Waco (ACT) → Miami (MIA) for $206 round-trip in March.

You connect once and land in Miami for less than many people spend on a night out. If you have been waiting for a “that’s too cheap not to at least look” kind of deal, this is it. See Flight Deal*

If this flight deal caught your eye, Denae at Traveluxe can handle the flights, hotels, and insider perks at no cost to you. Just email [email protected] and she’ll take it from there.* ✈️
*_{^{Price is subject to change and may no longer be available at the time you check the link.}}

🏪 Casey’s Enters Waco
Casey’s has officially planted its flag in Waco, converting former CEFCO locations at 6201 Bagby Ave. and 3001 Gholson Road into full Casey’s stores over the past couple of months. If you have lived in the Midwest, you already know the headline: people love Casey’s for their made-from-scratch pizza, breakfast pizza, and surprisingly loyal fan base.

🍝 Union Hall Gets a New Spot
Union Grove may be closing, but Union Hall is still rolling and just added Urban Pasta Co. to the lineup. Early word is chicken parm and alfredo are the early favorites, which feels like exactly what you want when you walk in hungry and indecisive.

💐 From Hewitt Florist to Arran’s Flowers
After Hewitt Florist closed earlier this year, longtime manager Arran McLeod launched Arran’s Flowers, operating out of a garage studio just in time for Valentine’s Day. With only two weeks to prepare, family helped convert the space into a working shop, and she was even able to keep the longtime phone number so customers still hear a familiar voice on the other end. Read more on KWTX

🥬 Leadership Update at the Farmers Market
After 11 years, Bethel Erickson is stepping down as Executive Director of the Waco Downtown Farmers Market. If you’ve grabbed coffee, bought tomatoes, run into three people you didn’t expect to see, or let your kids roam on a Saturday morning downtown, you’ve experienced her leadership whether you realized it or not. What started as a small weekly market has become one of the most consistent, community-centered spaces in Waco. Bethel, thank you for more than a decade of leadership and for helping build something this city loves. Rachel Velasco will serve as Interim Executive Director while the role is posted.

🎓 Eden Prep Opening This Fall
A new university-model Christian school, Eden Preparatory Academy, is opening in Waco this fall and is now enrolling for 2026. The model includes on-campus classes Monday and Wednesday, with home learning the rest of the week for K–5 students. They are also accepting teaching resumes at [email protected] if you or someone you know is interested.

⚖️ City Council meeting

On the agenda for today’s City Council meeting:

• Police racial profiling report – The Waco Police Department will present its 2025 Racial Profiling Report during the 3:00 PM work session, reviewing traffic stop data and enforcement trends citywide.

• Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park update – Construction progress, budget adjustments, and next steps for the District 2 park project.

• Chapel Park splash pad and pavilion – Considering approval of a new splash pad project at Chapel Park for up to $744,168. A future summer hot spot potentially taking shape.

Still not seeing an ordinance to outlaw political campaign text messages that arrive at 9:42 PM from a random candidate. If someone wants to put that on a future agenda, you will have a lot of support.

See full agenda

The meeting begins at 6:00 PM at the Waco Convention Center – Bosque Theater. The public is welcome to attend. You can also watch live or submit public comments online. — 100 Washington Ave, Waco, TX 76701

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Looking Ahead

🎭 Mardi Gras Ball at BASE
On Saturday, February 21, 2026, the 14th Annual Mardi Gras Ball takes over BASE at the Extraco Events Center, 4289 Bosque Blvd, for a nearly five-hour evening benefiting the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children. It is one of those dress-up, show-up, celebrate-for-a-cause nights that reminds you how generous this city can be.

✨ Reza: Edge of Illusion at the Hippodrome
That same night at 7:30 PM, Reza brings Edge of Illusion to the Waco Hippodrome Theatre, 724 Austin Ave, with big-stage illusions, interactive moments, and full production energy. If your ideal Saturday involves downtown lights and leaving the theater wondering how in the world he pulled that off, this is your move.

🏀Women’s Basketball (20-5, Ranked No. 12)
Women’s basketball split the week but still moved up. An 83–67 loss to No. 17 TCU was not ideal, but they answered with a 93–63 win over UCF in Florida and are now ranked No. 12 in the country. They head to Lubbock Wednesday night to face Texas Tech at 6:00 PM before traveling to Arizona for a 7:00 PM tip on Saturday. Two road tests. Keep stacking wins and this group feels built for March.

🏀 Men’s Basketball (12–11)
Two hard losses last week to ranked teams. 99–94 to BYU at home. 82–71 to Louisville. They try to reset tonight at Kansas State at 8:00 PM, then return to Foster Pavilion Saturday at 3:00 PM to host Arizona State. And next week, it gets loud. No. 4 Arizona comes to town on February 24.

⚾ Baylor Baseball
Baseball opened the season the right way, sweeping New Mexico State in all three games. They host Texas State on Tuesday, then welcome teams from across the country for a weekend tournament here in Waco.

The Reset Experience at Holistic Bodywork Waco combines therapeutic bodywork with a complimentary nervous system check-in to get to the root of your aches. New clients save on their first booking through February 28th! Book your intentional start right here.

🔥Kick off 2026 with the Fit in ’26 deal from HOTWORX Woodway: just $99 all in for enrollment, February dues, plus a mat and towel. This Waco Buzz reader deal expires February 28, 2026. Call (254) 870-4508 or stop by 13701 Woodway Dr. to claim it.

✨ Skin & Body Refinery delivers top tier injectors, advanced treatments, and natural looking results that help you look and feel your best. They’re offering 15% off the Event Ready treatment plan right now.

💧 Need a boost? IViT Hydration & Wellness offers IV therapy and wellness treatments to help you feel better, recover faster, and boost energy. Waco Buzz readers get $35 off by clicking the link.

💪Move better. Recover Faster. Live Stronger. Waco Bodymend is a world class space built for everyday movers, athletes, and anyone who wants to feel their best. From red light therapy and PEMF to alterG anti gravity treadmill sessions & home to CrushCycle Waco, we combine science backed recovery with your training that fits your life. Click the link to the get the exclusive offer for Waco Buzz readers.

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something useful, please share it with the last person you went to a sporting event with (kid’s soccer games count).

Whenever you’re ready, there are three ways I can help you:

1. Dinner Club: Making new friends as an adult is hard. We make it easy by coordinating a dinner with five others at the table, provide conversation starters, and take the awkward part out of the evening. Next Dinner Club is on March 25.

2. Job Board: The best place to find open roles at growing companies in Waco with opportunities in media, marketing, sales, communication, tech, and engineering. Hiring? Use code STARTUP to post your first job today FOR FREE.

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