Posts by Ashley Thornton
Yes, You Can Say That: Respecting the Power of Dissent
by Liz Ligawa Chances are you have reached this article through a post on your Facebook newsfeed. Being well-versed in the ins and outs of this media outlet, you are probably well aware of a coveted, and infamous symbol. A symbol that is used to convey quick, but not necessarily thorough, feedback. A symbol that…
Read MoreHow do we fight youth substance abuse? Together!
by Stephanie Drum Did you know that alcohol is the most abused drug among youth and young adults in the state of Texas? Did you know that providing alcohol to minors is a more serious offense than a DWI? I am the new VASA coordinator for McLennan County. VASA stands for “VOICE Against Substance Abuse.”…
Read MoreSoftball and a beautiful kind of family
by Gretchen Eichenberg Last spring, a most unlikely group of fans never missed one of my daughter’s Lake Air Little League softball games. In my 10 years of sitting in those stands, I had never seen this group of softball enthusiasts before. I knew they hadn’t come to see my daughter — and for most…
Read MoreBig town? Small City? Just right! (If we work at it…)
by Ashley Bean Thornton I love that Waco is small-big town or maybe a big-small city. We are small enough that rush hour is still more like “rush 15-minutes” and big enough to have a public radio station to listen to if you happen to get stuck at a light. (Thank you KWBU!) We are…
Read MoreArt Forum of Waco : where the heART creates change
by Jenuine Poetess This month I had the pleasure of sitting down with Arturo Huron and Jesus Rivera the co-owner/directors of the Art Forum of Waco located in the heart of the Sanger Heights Neighborhood at 19th and Morrow. A gallery, artist studios, and event venue, this beautiful space serves as a multi-purpose community centro…
Read MoreWhat’s been happening with Prosper Waco?
by Pat Atkins The seven of us settle around the conference table into what have become our quasi-assigned seats. There’s no food. No drinks– except for those who have brought their own cup of coffee. Some have brought thick binders of documents. Others have in front of them only the papers to be reviewed at…
Read MoreWrestling with the Upjohn Report
by Ashley Bean Thornton On October 27 last year I used this blog-space to say how excited I was that the City of Waco was hiring the W.J. Upjohn institute to do a study of income and employment in Waco. The folks from Upjohn delivered their report to the City of Waco on May 16.…
Read MoreWhat is “healthy” eating anyway?
by Kelsey Miller Do you eat paleo? Primal? Local? Organic? Gluten-free? Refined sugar-free? Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Vegan? South Beach Diet? Atkins? Hunter-gatherer? Fast food junkie? Or are you overwhelmed by what appears to be an ever-evolving set of messages about what is healthy, what our bodies were created to eat, and how to make good food choices?…
Read MoreListening in on Waco, 2024
By Ashley Bean Thornton Listen to the chatter on the street in Waco right now and this is what you will hear: “Have you been to the new stadium yet?” “Did you go to the first game?” “Amazing, right?!?” You could probably throw a rock anywhere in Waco and hit fifteen people who are more devoted football…
Read MoreStir the Pot: Share in each Other’s Stories
by Fernando Arroyo She was only four feet tall. But, with a grip like a vice, she yanked at my arm while scolding me — in Mayan, in a voice that would rival Chef Gordon Ramsay of “Kitchen Nightmares” fame — to immediately stop stirring the pot of maize that was simmering on the open…
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