Posts by Ashley Thornton
2018 Greatest Hits # 8: Jacob deCordova – Founding Father of Waco
(During these last few weeks of December we will be reprising the Top 10 Most Opened Blog Posts for 2018 from the Act Locally Waco blog. I couldn’t possibly pick my favorites – so I used the simple (cop out?) approach of pulling up the 10 blog posts that got the most “opens” according to…
Read MoreWant our kids to have great jobs? Let’s teach them about concrete!
By Robert Saucedo If you are a student looking for a job with longevity, you should look into the concrete industry. If we citizens want to invest our tax dollars into vocational training for trades that have withstood the test of time, then we tax payers and parents should take a serious look at the…
Read MoreMental Health: The Ripple Effect Of Suicide
By Elana Premack Sandler, LCSW, MPH “A suicide is like a pebble in a pond. The waves ripple outward.” Many years ago, my colleague Ken Norton, LICSW, director of NAMI New Hampshire, shared this quote, and it has stuck with me. Visually, when you see a pebble drop into a pond, it’s something small that…
Read MoreProsper Waco: Making the switch from “Sick Care” to “Health Care”
By Wendy Cox If you’ve paid attention to the news over the last 10 years, you’ve likely heard debate around our nation’s healthcare system. In many respects it seems Americans really have a “sick care” system instead. We visit our clinics most often when we are already sick, and physicians are paid almost exclusively for…
Read MoreBetter Living for Texans: Creating opportunities, changing lives
By Lindsey Breunig In the acronym alphabet soup, you are bound to have a couple repeats. If I told you that the BLT program creates opportunities and changes lives, I can understand how you might have a glimmer of doubt. Now, how does a Bacon Lettuce Tomato sandwich have such a strong impact? You see,…
Read MoreCommunities of Waco: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Ukulele Time!
By Shelley Cotten (FYI – Dates and times for Ukulele Orchestra may change from time to time — for most up to date information please check their Facebook Page. Thank you! – ABT) In June of 2015, my husband and I were on vacation with a dear friend in Sedona, AZ and happened upon the…
Read MoreThe Business of Health: Understanding your Health Insurance Policy
By Glenn Robinson One of the hallmarks of the information age economy is consumerism – in this instance, defined as businesses making their goods and services more convenient, affordable, or otherwise desirable to customers. For years, virtually every segment of our economy has embraced this trend… except healthcare. At least until recently. Increasingly, healthcare consumers…
Read MoreTrails & Trials: Don’t Tri Alone
(This post is a part of a regular series “Trails & Trials,” a monthly adventure series inspiring others to experience the physical, mental, and social benefits of cycling, running or swimming in Central Texas. For more posts in this series, click here: Trails and Trials. – ALW) By Natasha van der Merwe “Have you ever decided…
Read MoreKnowing history compels me to share it and make it.
(Gloria Conatser, a student at Waco High, was one of 25 students nationwide selected to present their National History Day documentaries at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture at this year’s National History Day event. In today’s blog post she shares a bit about what this opportunity meant to her. —…
Read MoreBe a Waco, Texas Voter!
by Rebecca McCumbers Flavin Election Day is right around the corner, and the League of Women Voters of Waco wants you (YES, YOU!) to be a Waco, Texas voter! In this blog post, we provide a step-by-step guide with something for everyone – from first time voters to those who have never missed an election.…
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