LAURA A. SCHIFTER USA TODAY

Gary Varvel for Jun 25, 2026

Man dies in ICE custody in Texas, at least the 20th fatality this year

A 63-year-old man died in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Laredo this month, marking at least the fifth death in Texas ICE detention centers this year, a quarter of the nationwide total, as the fatalities have skyrocketed to…

Baylor hires Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua as assistant basketball coach

Former Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua has joined the men's basketball coaching staff. He spent the last two seasons working with the San Antonio Spurs.

I-35 frontage road closures planned this week between New Road, Irving Lee

The closures are planned nightly from Thursday through Sunday morning.

Bruce Thornton taken first in Round 2 as teams look to find gems

The second round of the NBA draft is the main time for the afterthoughts and project players to hear their names.

South 1st St. construction to shut down lanes Monday, leaving nearby businesses blindsided

Construction on South 1st Street is set to shut down lanes Monday, and nearby business owners say they received no direct notice from the city about the upcoming project.Watch the story here: South 1st Street construction set to shut down lanes Monday, leaving nearby businesses blindsidedAlicia B...

Local nonprofit offers free camp teaching kids reading, business skills and leadership

Project Lifeforce is a community-funded nonprofit offering free camps that teach children reading, financial literacy, and business skills to help them become young leaders.. The program assesses each child's reading level at the start of camp, with participants advancing 2 or 3 reading levels by...

Jobs versus trust: Grimes County residents concerned about tax break deal with SpaceX

SpaceX tax abatement deal in Grimes County draws scrutiny from Grimes County residentsWatch the full story here: Jobs versus trust: Grimes County residents concerned about approved SpaceX tax abatementDetails of a tax abatement agreement between Grimes County leaders and SpaceX are now public, re...

Harry Harelik: America 250 concert at MCC invoked spirit of unity

Irving Berlin became a famous composer in his adopted home, and he loved America for the humanity and opportunity with which it blessed him.

LETTERS: Singing songs of America; we're all paying for AI costs; science experts excluded

A special fourth

Laura A. Schifter: Summer camps aren't ready for the summers we have now

Every camp in the country should be ready for the summers we actually have, not the ones we used to have.

Waco-area news briefs: Woodway, others host Fourth of July parades

Items of interest around the Waco area, in brief.

Midway 12U All-Stars Capture District 9 Title, Advance to Sectionals

WACO, Texas (FOX 44) -- The Midway 12U All-Stars opened the Little League District 9 Championship doubleheader against Salado with a dominant 15-1 run-rule victory in four innings in Game 1. Midway completed the sweep with a 13-1 victory in Game 2, securing the District 9 championship and punchin...

Trump cancels plan to sign bipartisan housing bill, reportedly leads to shouting match

The stage was set on Capitol Hill Wednesday for President Trump to sign an overwhelmingly bipartisan Housing affordability bill hailed as the most significant housing reform in three decades.But the president had other plans, canceling the signing via social media post.Trump wrote he would not s...

Scripps News' 'ICE Inc.' investigation tracks tax dollars flowing to companies running immigration lockups

The Scripps News ICE Inc. investigation cast a light on the business of immigration detention, exposing record revenues for corporate owners of jails given government contracts to help carry out President Trumps mass deportation campaign.The investigation traveled across the country, unearthing m...

Torture Museums in Europe

The endless security lines at the airport may seem torturous — but they are child's play compared with what heretics and criminals faced in the Middle Ages. Medieval torture was used both to extract confessions and to punish the convicted…

Texas Youth Classic Golf Tournament set to return in second year

WACO, Texas (FOX 44) - The best youth golf tournament in Texas, the Texas Youth Classic, is returning for a second-straight year - and FOX 44 is once again the proud official media sponsor! The event spans from Tuesday, June 30th to July 1st, with registration open until this Thursday! If you wou...

Trump administration asks Congress for $87.6 billion, mostly for Iran war

It also includes $500 million for Global Health Security to prevent, detect and respond to the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

Texas Youth Classic Tournament returning to Waco

WACO, Texas (FOX 44) - The best of the best youth golfers in this region will call Central Texas home with the return of the Texas Youth Classic to the Waco area next week! For more information about this event, you can watch our interview above. If you would like to register for the Texas [...]

Gracie the Giraffe's Great Adventure

TEXAS (FOX 44) - A giraffe by the name of Gracie has escaped from the Cedar Hollow Ranch and has taken the internet by storm. Chief Meteorologist Mike LaPoint has been tracking Gracie's movements across the state, and she's been spotted in plenty of places with a $5,000 reward for her capture. He...

High school notebook: Centex girls flag football takes hold with Vanguard debut

Girls flag football is on the rise, and Vanguard is at the center of it. The Lady Vikings finished second at the inaugural TAPPS state showcase over the weekend.

NATO's Rutte looks to soothe Trump's criticisms ahead of alliance summit next month

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, pressing the case for a military alliance that the volatile U.S. leader has sharply criticized as the Pentagon reviews the size of the U.S. military footprint in Europe.Trump has slammed NATO, arguing the U.S. carries...

How to Find Free Food in Waco: Pantries, SNAP & WIC

Search 567,859+ verified resources for food, healthcare, and housing — all 50 states, DC, and US territories. Free. A practical guide for Waco: pantries, SNAP, WIC, the 211 referral line, and how to use the free Feed America directory at feedam.org.

Latest Forecast with Chief Meteorologist Mike LaPoint

Hot and humid conditions will continue through the end of the week into the weekend, with afternoon highs in the 90s to just around 100 and heat index values near or above 100 degrees each day. Make sure to stay cool and hydrated!

Back-to-back powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela, causing widespread damage

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing widespread damage, collapsing buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes roiled the region, with buildings evacuated in cities as far away...

White House requests $87 billion from Congress for Iran war, farm subsidies and DC renovations

The White House has made a request to Congress for supplemental funding to support the war against Iran and other initiatives.The request is for $87.6 billion. The Office of Management and Budget says the money would pay for "urgent needs related to Operation Epic Fury (OEF), in addition to other...

New bricks in the wall: Logan Moore bringing positive mindset to Baylor offensive line

Logan Moore was a coveted portal player. He said Utah offered him "a buttload of money" on his visit. Now, he's helping the new-look Baylor offensive line be positive.

Mandatory flu shots for all military recruits as outbreak sickens nearly 300

The Pentagon said Wednesday that boot camps for all the military services are once again requiring the flu vaccination for all recruits after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the shot optional for the military at the end of April.The development, confirmed to The Associated Press by a Pentagon...

Woodway tax base expected to eclipse $2 billion

Woodway is expecting a little more than $2 billion in taxable property value as it prepares next year's budget, a bump of about $106 million over last year.

Texas lawmakers want fixes to statewide voter registration system ahead of midterms

Texas lawmakers on Tuesday asked the Texas Secretary of State’s Office for assurances that issues with the state’s voter registration and election management system would be fixed before the November midterm election.

Texas lawmakers want fixes to statewide voter registration system ahead of midterms

Texas lawmakers on Tuesday asked the Texas Secretary of State’s Office for assurances that issues with the state’s voter registration and election management system would be fixed before the November midterm election.

Bryan 18-wheeler rollover accident causing traffic delays

BRYAN, Texas (FOX 44) - No major injuries have been reported in an 18-wheeler rollover accident in Bryan. The Police Department says the vehicle rolled over on the westside feeder road of Highway 21 at Highway 6. This crash is between the intersection and Old Kurten Road. Traffic delays are to be...

Amber Alert issued for Big Spring 14-year-old

Note: The video above shows the top local headlines for the morning of June 24, 2026. BIG SPRING, Texas -- As of Wednesday, June 24, an Amber Alert was issued for a missing 14-year-old white female, Audrey Rich, from Big Spring, Texas. According to the Amber Alert, the suspects (child was last s...

Former Baylor Bear returns to program to be assistant coach

Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua is back with the Baylor Bears.Instead of on the court, the former national champion has been named as an assistant coach for Baylor men's basketball.Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua reunites with head coach Scott Drew as Tchatchoua was a member of the Bears 2021 National Ch...

National Square Dance Convention Draws Global Crowd to Waco

Waco, TX (FOX 44) - Thousands of dancing enthusiasts gathered for the 75th annual National Square Dance Convention in Waco! People came together in a lively celebration of camaraderie, music, and traditions that keep the dance alive. It wasn't just Texans who came to do-si-do - square dance enthu...

USDA defends screwworm response amid congressional fingerpointing

WASHINGTON — At a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing earlier this month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was resolute — her agency was well-prepared for the New World screwworm, and had kept it at bay for months before the first case…

Boy falls down 50-foot waterfall track after getting off Disneyland ride early

A 13-year-old fell down a 50-foot waterfall track at Disneyland in California after getting off a ride early.Park officials said it happened Sunday on the Tiana's Bayou Adventure log ride. The ride does not use seat belts or lap bars.The teen was taken to the hospital but did not have any serious...

US airfares are at their highest in years as the Iran war shocks oil and energy prices

U.S. domestic airfares climbed to an average of $428 in the last quarter, thanks in large part to fuel price disruptions caused by the war in Iran.Data released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics on Wednesday shows in Q1 of 2026, airfare costs rose 4.7% from Q4 2025, and 7.7% from Q1 of 2...

It's hot...it will stay hot

It's summertime in Central Texas! Highs will be in the mid to upper 90s through next week. It will feel like 100-105 each afternoon when you factor in the humidity. Rain chances will remain very low, but there could be a slight change to isolated activity as we get closer to the 4th of July.Sahar...

Wanted: Missing giraffe on the loose in Texas

People in Texas are being asked to be on the lookout for something unusual: a missing giraffe.Gracie escaped about two weeks ago from Cedar Hollow Ranch, which is located in Texas Hill Country west of San Antonio.The Real County Animal Rescue-Shelter said Gracie was last seen on a game camera wes...