🌧️ Will it rain on Elon's parade?

Good Morning Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the newsletter that feels like the smell of rain hitting hot pavement after a very long Texas summer.

In today's edition:
🌧️ Real Rain Is Coming. Even Elon Is Checking the Radar.
🏊 IRONMAN Returns for Year 8
🛍️ TJMaxx Finally Has an Opening Date
🗑️ Your Trash Pickup Changes Thursday

Let's get to it!
- Sam Harper

What would it look like to have a little more space, a little more quiet and still be close enough to town for a quick trip to H-E-B?

That's the idea behind Cedar Hollow, a new neighborhood being developed by Lindsay and Colton Nixon just across Lake Waco and close to your favorite Helberg Barbecue. Their goal is to create a place where people can slow down from the pace of everyday life, enjoy friendship with their neighbors and build multi-generational community for people to thrive. 

For anyone thinking about a new home, Cedar Hollow offers 33 spacious lots ranging from 1 to 3 acres and is just outside Waco city limits, which means no city taxes! Look at you already saving money. 

Since Cedar Hollow is currently being built (with a planned finished date by January), the best way to get a feel for it is to see the property. Take a look at the land, see how close it is to town, and get a feel for what the Nixons are building for themselves and 32 other neighbors. 

The first 12 neighbors get preferred pricing so see the lots still available and you can call/text Colton at 254-230-6061 if you want to find out more.^*

A cold front rolls into Central Texas Wednesday evening and hangs around through Friday. Thursday looks like the main event, with 1 to 3 inches of rain likely across much of Waco and 4+ inches possible in some spots.

We need every drop. The ground is dry enough to absorb a lot of it, but low spots and low-water crossings could become an issue if the higher totals materialize. Severe storms aren't expected, although a stray storm could bring some gusty winds.

Then comes the reward: a high of 77° Thursday, Waco's coolest day since June. Friday reaches 81°, and next Monday morning could start at a very un-Texas-like 58°.

Go ahead and dig out a sweater and your raincoat. You know you'll wear it.

The rain might ground Elon. Tesla picked Thursday night to reveal its new Roadster in Waco, with a demo reportedly using SpaceX-built thrusters at the McGregor test site. On Sunday, Tesla warned guests the outdoor event could be rescheduled because of weather. One forecast puts Thursday's chance of rain at 97%.

Turns out even a car with rocket thrusters has to check the radar like the rest of us.
👉 Read more

About 7,500 athletes and spectators will descend on Waco for IRONMAN 70.3 this Sunday, Oct. 4. It's the eighth time we've hosted the race, and Waco's deal with IRONMAN runs through 2028.

The race itself is bananas: a 1.2-mile swim in the Brazos River, 56-mile bike through the countryside around Waco, and a 13.1-mile run through Cameron Park and around Waco. All in one day.

Five Wacoans are taking it on as TEAM Waco athletes, a Greater Waco Sports Commission program that helps break down the physical, mental and financial barriers to competing in the race. There's Paul Payne, an aircraft mechanic who moved to Waco in 2012 to work for a local rocket company. After a doctor's visit in 2024 revealed he had diabetes, Paul decided to make some serious changes. Nine months later, he'd lost 70 pounds and was off his medications. Now he's racing an IRONMAN. Then there's Monica Rohre, Sean Noranbrock, Brenda Rodriguez and Waco ISD Superintendent Tiffany Spicer, four other Waco locals with their own stories of health, perseverance, service and pushing past limits.

Here's the fun part for the rest of us: IRONMAN will be back next year. So if you've ever thought about doing something that currently sounds a little crazy, your training plan could start this weekend.

I'm excited to cheer all five of them across the finish line on Sunday.

👉 Meet TEAM Waco

Want in? Volunteers hand out water, cheer at the finish, and keep the whole thing running. 👉 Sign up to volunteer

Plan around it Sunday: Expect delays from 7 AM to 5 PM, worst between 8 AM and noon. University Parks Dr./Cameron Park Dr. and the Washington Ave. bridge will be closed. Heritage Square parking is closed all week. Headed to church along the route? Leave early. 👉 Full road closure list

Waco to Phoenix, nonstop, this weekend. American flies straight from Waco to Phoenix Friday, Oct. 2, and back Sunday, Oct. 4. Baylor plays Arizona State in Tempe Saturday night, so the timing works out.

Even if football isn't your thing, here's my pitch: if we want more nonstop flights that skip DFW, the ones we already have need to fill up.
👉 See the flight*
*_{^{Price is subject to change and may no longer be available at the time you check the link.}}

🛍️ TJ Maxx Picks Its Opening Day
Waco's first TJ Maxx opens Sunday, Oct. 18, from 8 AM to 8 PM at 4328 W. Waco Dr., the old OfficeMax near Jason’s Deli. That's also the day of our Paper Airplane Championship at McLane Stadium, so shop in the morning and throw planes at 4.

🍋 Pop's Lemonade Wins $25K: The Waco beverage company took home the grand prize in Extraco Banks' 2026 Extrapreneur Award, earning $25,000 to put toward growing the business. You can grab a cup at 3428 Franklin Ave or at any Baylor home football game.

🏓 The Picklr Is Still Coming
Nearly a year ago, I told you The Picklr was going in next to Academy on New Rd. Driving by, you'd never know it. The owner emailed me last week to say the project is still moving forward, with development expected to start soon. The plan is an indoor pickleball club at 230 N New Rd. 👉 Get on the founder list

More space. Still close to Waco. Cedar Hollow offers 1- to 3-acre homesites just across Lake Waco, giving you room to slow down without giving up an easy trip into town. With 33 spacious lots, no city taxes and preferred pricing for the first 12 neighbors, it’s a chance to build something a little different. See the available lots and explore Cedar Hollow today.*

📚 West Waco Library Reopens Thursday
After a month closed for updates, the West Waco Library reopens Thursday at 10 AM with cookies and refreshments. It's open until 8 PM, which makes it a great rainy-day plan in town.

🗑️ Your Trash Pickup Changes Thursday
The city's new solid waste rules start Oct. 1. What's changing:

A small number of homes are also getting a new pickup day. If that's you, there's a letter in your mailbox and a sticker on your cart. 👉 See all the changes

🏈 Baylor Is Winning Again. Waco Notices. Baylor has won three straight at home, including Saturday’s 23-13 win over Colorado. Now the Bears head to Tempe to take on Arizona State Saturday at 9:30 PM, then return to McLane on Oct. 17 against TCU.

Every win brings a little more energy back to McLane. When that place is packed, Waco feels it. Good for the Bears. Good for Waco.

⚽ Baylor Soccer is rolling. The Bears are No. 11 in the nation with a record of 9-1-1. Kansas visits Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 PM at Betty Lou Mays Field for Hispanic Heritage Night. Wear gold: the first 100 fans get a gold Vamos Osos t-shirt.

🏐 Volleyball is home twice this week at the Ferrell Center: UCF Friday at 7 PM and Colorado Sunday at 2 PM. They're coming off two tough losses in Utah, so they could use a loud crowd. 👉 Tickets

Tuesday, September 29:

Wednesday, September 30:

Thursday, October 1:

📅 See what else is happening this week in Waco→
🤝 25 ways to make Waco better this week →
🍝 Where to meet people in Waco →

Want your event featured? Reserve a spot here.

✈️ Paper Airplanes at McLane Stadium: On Sunday, Oct. 18 from 4-6 PM, we're taking over McLane Stadium for the first Waco Buzz Paper Airplane Championship, presented by L3Harris. Fold a plane, aim for the end zone target, and the closest throw wins 52 weeks of Joyride Candy. Dinner from The Baylor Club is included. Early bird tickets are $12 →

💧 A Better Way to Beat September Colds: I-Vit's Immune Boost IV supports immune function, hydration, and overall wellness, right on time for the season everyone starts trading the same cough back and forth. 20% off for the month.*

🌳 Room to build: Cedar Hollow is building 33 one- to three-acre lots near Lake Waco, with the first 12 neighbors getting preferred pricing. See the lots still available →

🚗 Silverado Selldown: Chevy of West is putting serious numbers on 2026 Silverado 1500s right now, 0% APR for 5 years for well-qualified buyers, or $6,000 cash allowance plus another $2,000 bonus cash on select models.*

✨ For a Skin Refresh: Skin & Body Refinery offers HydraFacials combining deep cleansing, gentle extraction, and hydration.*

💪 Move Better, Recover Faster: Waco Body Mend is a space designed for everyday movers, athletes, and anyone who wants to feel their best.*

🍽️ Making new friends as an adult is hard: That's why we started Dinner Club. More than 750 seats have been filled since we started last year, and we're doing it again Thursday, Oct. 15. Come by yourself or bring a friend. Take the short quiz, get matched, enjoy dinner. Save your seat →

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something helpful, share it with your neighbor who's been doing a rain dance in the backyard since mid-July.

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