(Thanks to Beatriz S. Wharton, Senior Planner, Planning Services, City of Waco, for providing most of this information. – ABT)

By Ashley Bean Thornton

Waco Walks and the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are hosting a walk on LaSalle Avenue.  We hope you will join us!  We’ll meet up on Saturday, March 2, at 9:30 at the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce offices at 915 LaSalle Aevenue. (Click here for the details.)

As usual, we will be sharing some history and telling some stories as we explore part of Waco on foot.  As is often the case, we will also be learning a little bit about urban planning and, in particular, what “steps” (Get it?) we can take to help make Waco a more walkable community.  

One of the tools a community can use to improve walkability is to create an “overlay district.” The term “overlay” or “overlay district” has been in the news quite a bit lately as the city and business owners consider the future of development on LaSalle Avenue.  With that in mind, it seemed like a good time to learn a little bit more about the whole concept of overlay districts and in particular what is being proposed for LaSalle.

What is an “overlay district?”

An “overlay district” is a tool that a community can use to regulate development in a particular part of town or “zone.”  Almost all land within Waco is “zoned” for a particular use.  For example, some land is zoned for commercial use and some for residential use.  Each zone has a particular set of rules that govern what may or may not be built in the zone as well as regulations and restrictions about design elements, for example, sidewalks, set-backs, parking, windows, landscaping, etc.  

An overlay district is a set of rules that “overlays” the existing base zoning district in a particular area. It provides additional design regulations that address issues that are unique to a specific area. It can include increased regulations/ restrictions or relaxed restriction/ codes. Waco has five existing overlay districts: Brazos River Corridor District, Downtown District, West End District, Neighborhood Conservation District, and College and University Neighborhoods District.

Who can propose an overlay district?

Overlays in Waco have typically been proposed by the city, but can also be proposed by a group who is interested in implementing guidelines to protect or preserve a specific area’s characteristics and/or guide future development.  The proposed LaSalle Avenue overlay, for example, has been more of a grassroots effort. A group of owners of property along La Salle Avenue organized public meetings and brought a proposal to the city.

Who makes the final decision as to whether an overlay district will be implemented?

Overlays are ordinance regulations and therefore must go through the public process. This means public hearings before Plan Commission and City Council (with two required readings). City Council makes the final decision. City Council can approve, disapprove, or approve an amended overlay. Notices are mailed to all property owners within the proposed overlay boundaries, as well as property owners within 200 feet of the proposed overlay boundaries, prior to public hearings.

What are some of the Pros and Cons of an overlay district?*

Highlights from LaSalle Avenue Proposal

(The full proposal can be found here: https://www.waco-texas.com/userfiles/cms-root/file/Planning/LaSalle%20Ave%20Overlay.pdf )

Purpose:

The purpose of the LaSalle Corridor District is to preserve and enhance a business district that is rich in heritage, historic architecture, business activity and significance as both a destination and a connector.  It further aims to guide the LaSalle Corridor’s development into an area that serves: nearby neighborhoods and neighboring institutions; Waco residents and visitors; and vehicular and pedestrian travelers.  

Application of Regulations:

Within the LaSalle Corridor district, the regulations of each respective base district shall continue to apply to property located in that district, except as expressly supplemented or modified herein. These regulations only apply to new development or a substantial renovation to an existing structure. Designated historical landmarks located in the LaSalle Corridor district may be exempt from section “Architectural Requirements”.

The following uses would be specifically prohibited in the LaSalle Corridor District: 

• HUD-Code manufactured homes.
• Television and radio broadcasting towers.
• Automobile sale (except as incidental to primary use).
• Repair and servicing of automobiles and other passenger vehicles.
• Automobile car-washing establishments (unless screened and/or architecturally compatible with surroundings)
• Heavy machinery storage, rental, sales and repair.
• Machinery, farm sales, repairing and overhauling.
• Warehouse storage.
• Feed processing and grain elevators.
• Tire retreading, recapping or rebuilding.
• Motor freight and truck service terminals.
• Sand and gravel extraction except from the bed of the river.
• Junkyards, automobile-wrecking yards, salvage yards and scrap operations.
• Acid manufacturing.
• Cement, lime, gypsum or plaster of Paris manufacturing.
• Distillation of bones.
• Fat rendering.
• Fertilizer manufacturing.
• Gas manufacturing.
• Garbage, offal or dead animals, reduction or dumping.
• Glue manufacturing.
• Storage or refining of petroleum or its products.
• Smelting of tin, copper, zinc or iron ores.
• Stockyards or slaughter of animals.
• Agriculture feed lots.
• Asphalt batching.
• Screened or unscreened open storage.
• Sexually oriented businesses.
• Enclosed outside storage.
• Smoke shops
• Pawn Shops
• Payday Lending
• Well drilling shops.

Sidewalks 

• All new developments and substantial renovations fronting on LaSalle must construct and maintain a 10-foot-wide pedestrian way along the pavement of the street. 
• Fronting LaSalle, the pedestrian way must consist of a minimum 6-foot-wide sidewalk and a minimum 4-foot-planter strip between the sidewalk and street.
• Fronting other streets, the pedestrian way must consist of a minimum 5-foot-sidewalk and a minimum 4-foot-planter strip between the sidewalk and street. 
• If the paved portion of the pedestrian way exceeds 8 feet in width then streetscape and landscaping must be incorporated into the design of the pedestrian way. 

Want to learn more about LaSalle Avenue and how all this might look “in real life?” Join us for our walk!  See you Saturday!  Want to find our more about Waco Walks?  Follow our Facebook page or join our email list. 

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This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say, “Hi!”

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

by Jaja Chen

On January 17, 2019 at Baylor University, we had the opportunity to hear Jemar Tisby (see news report) speak on fighting racism in our communities, cities, and congregations.

We can see through Waco history the impacts racism had on our city through the lynching of Jesse Washington in May 1916. Regardless of what one may think regarding Washington’s case, the fact that there was a lynching in downtown Waco with thousands of spectators should be enough to reveal the deep, pervasive, and horrific impacts that racism can have on people and our town.

While this blogpost is too limited of a space to expand on what Tisby shared regarding the history of racism and present realities of racism in the United States, I encourage you to follow-up with his newly released book The Color of Compromise and/or podcast series Pass the Mic to learn more.  

Some practical application points that Tisby challenged us with include the A.R.C. response in the fight against racism. Awareness, Relationships, and Commitment (A.R.C) framed the latter part of his lecture and is a response to racism in our nation. Tisby defined racism as a “narrative of racial difference” – meaning the ongoing story and narrative in our culture and communities in which people are seen or treated differently as a result of the color of their skin. And in order to be anti-racist, Tisby called for intentionality amongst peoples to go against racist thought, responses, behaviors, and/or complacency.

Seeking to be anti-racist means having Awareness of the issues – learning about what racism is, how it impacts individuals and systems around us, and the impacts racial trauma has on people. Reading books can help you to learn more about racism and increase your perspective on the history of racial issues in America. Some books I often recommend include: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown, Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah, and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Documentaries like 13^th on Netflix can also be informative.

Building Relationships with people requires us to step outside of our own spheres and to get to know people from backgrounds different than our own.

As you think of the friendships and relationships in your life, how diverse are they? Do you know and spend time with people from different racial/ethnic and/or cultural backgrounds?

Seeking to build bridges takes time and requires us to get out of our comfort zones. This can be a challenge for us as individuals and for organizations and businesses. At Waco Cha, we have strived to intentionally network and build relationships amongst individuals, businesses, and organizations with cultural backgrounds different than our own. Our lives are enriched when we have friends and community that value each other for who we are, the culture we are a part of, and the gifts and talents that we each bring to our Wacotown.

When it comes to engagement with people different from your culture, our local Community Race Relations Coalition hosts events and community gatherings throughout the year for members of the Greater Waco community. Visiting restaurants, stores, or churches different from your own racial or ethnic background can also help introduce you to new cultures. For business owners – consider joining the Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce and Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to build bridges and community amongst people of color whom you may not otherwise have connected with.

And lastly C for Commitment. This is often where we get stuck. We may be informed about racism and have friends of different cultures; however, in the end, if we do not seek to fight again social injustice in our own midst, the effects go only so far.

We need to have a commitment to fighting against injustices in our community. Engagement can include giving of our time or resources to supporting local non-profit and advocacy organizations. Advocacy organizations such as Waco Immigrants Alliance strive to advocate on behalf of immigrants, families, and those impacted by detention and mass incarceration in our community. Non-profits such as Greater Waco Legal Services and American Gateways strive to provide affordable legal services for individuals and families in our midst. And organizations such as Grassroots Community Development, formerly Waco Community Development, strive to cultivate healthy and diverse neighborhoods in Waco.

These are just a few of the many non-profit and advocacy organizations doing the work of justice daily in our town.

As I have challenged you all before – what is your response in being part of the change in our city? Is it to increase your awareness of racial issues? To begin or continue to build relationships with those whom are different from yourself? Or to commit to further or increased engagement against social injustices in our town?

May we each strive to be anti-racist Wacoans and to recognize that the fight against racism did not just begin or end with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the many courageous civil rights advocates that came before us. We each have a responsibility in building a better Waco.

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Jaja Chen, LCSW, CDWF is a private practice therapist through Enrichment Training & Counseling Solutions specializing in PTSD, trauma, maternal mental health, and compassion fatigue. As an EMDR Trained Therapist, Jaja loves providing holistic trauma recovery to the Greater Waco community. Alongside her trauma therapy work, Jaja and her husband also run Waco Cha, an organic bubble milk tea stand, at the Waco Downtown Farmer’s Market. Jaja can be contacted via email at [email protected] or via webpage at http://enrichmenttcs.com/meet-jaja-chen/.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]for more information.

By Jeremiah Banks

Matt, Marci, Trista, Donna, Kevin, Kayla – these are the names of people who came into my life and helped me learn about work. They pushed me to grow when I least expected it and needed it the most. As I stumbled (or more personally for me – overthought) my way through each job I’ve had, from bagging groceries at Albertson’s, to interning with my Youth Pastor, to working with neighborhood youth, and now as a school social worker here in Waco at Communities in Schools (CIS) of the Heart of Texas, these people walked alongside me and helped me in my journey into the sometimes weird and confusing world of work.

Here at the Workforce Development Program at CIS of the Heart of Texas, we talk a lot about the world of work. We serve young people from 16-24 years old. We meet them in school and out in the community looking for jobs, trying to get into college, going back to get a GED, and exploring careers. Our job through the Temporary Work Experience Program is to walk alongside them in their journey into the world of work.

Work plays a central role in each and every one of our lives. You can’t escape it. Think about it. What’s one of the first questions you ask someone new when you meet them? If you’re like most, “What do you do?” is one of the first questions off of your lips.

Yet, if I can be honest for a second, who hasn’t had a moment in life when that question caused anxiety – a point of transition in your life, a switch to a new job, or a time when you didn’t know what you were “doing?” It can make you feel a bit lost.

This is where we meet nearly every one of the young people in our Workforce Development Program — in transition. Imagine a young mother, balancing GED classes and a part-time job that is just enough to pay the bills, or a young man looking for a job while living with family after graduating high school.  Each young person we meet is in transition, trying to “take that next step” or “get back on their feet.” They are not quite sure which way to turn, meanwhile the world continues to spin around them. In the midst of the uncertainty and the spinning, the one thing each and every one of them unflinchingly knows is that they need to find work.  But there a plenty of things they don’t know: What do I want to do?  What CAN I do? How do I find work?  How do I keep at it even when I run into roadblocks?  How do I succeed and move up and build a career?  How do I even get started?

Relationships

I have found that in times of transition — where these young people find themselves — relationships make all the difference.

At CIS, we believe in the power of relationships. Through our Temporary Work Experience Program, CIS partners with local businesses/organizations to provide internships for young people.  The interns work for up to 20 hours per week for 6-8 weeks. I am convinced that the internships that make the biggest difference are the ones where the young interns make a key relationship.  They find their own “Matt” or “Donna,” a person who helps them develop good work habits and basic work skills, and beyond that, invests in them personally. In my own personal experiences and in my work with the Temporary Work Experience Program, I have learned that relationships help us grow in ways we never expected.  They can help us understand ourselves. They can help us gain crucial insights into our skills, character, and interests.   We gain opportunities to grow through the relationships we build. Relationships help us grow personally, help us overcome barriers, and help us enjoy our place in life while moving toward whatever is next.

The Temporary Work Experience program at Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas is an opportunity for young adults ages 16-24 who are interested in increasing their job readiness skills. Participants work at a part-time internship with a local business or organization for up to 20 hours per week for 6-8 weeks.  Participants are also matched with a Career Coach at Communities In Schools who will support them with through counseling about financial literacy, resume development, job search assistance, and more.  

Are you interested in hosting an intern at your business or organization?  The interns are paid through the work experience program, so the only cost to you is your investment of time and interest in the young participant.  Who are the Matt’s and Marci’s in your life? Would you be willing to be a Trista or Kayla for a young person in transition? 

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Potential candidates for the internship program or local businesses/organizations who are interested in hosting an intern (for free!) are encouraged to contact Jeremiah Banks at [email protected] or by phone at 254-753-2006, ext. 2024 for more information on eligibility. The Workforce Development program at CIS is made possible through a partnership with the Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board.

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Jeremiah Banks is a Workforce Coordinator at Communities in Schools of the Heart of Texas where he works alongside local business/organizations to build internships for In-School & Out-of-School Youth to help students explore careers, build job skills, and foster key relationships that will help them succeed in work and achieve in life. If you are interested in learning more about how to host an intern through the CIS Temporary Work Experience Program, you can contact Jeremiah at j[email protected] or 254-753-6002 ext. 2024.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Ashley Bean Thornton

This past October, as I pulled into the convention center parking lot for the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce banquet, I will confess I had a bad attitude.  I did not feel like pretending to be friendly and “perky.” I wasn’t looking forward to an evening of chit chat, chicken breast, and cheesecake.  I didn’t want to spend my evening in an uncomfortable chair listening to a banquet speaker. I wanted to be home, flopped on the couch in front of the TV in my sweat pants, with my dog in my lap, eating macaroni and cheese. 

The huge Brazos Banquet Hall filled with people, many of them familiar, almost all of them congenial.  As I visited with friends and friendly folks, my mood improved a little, but I was still far from enthusiastic when…inevitably… it came time to introduce the speaker. I shifted in my chair, set my facial expression to “politely attentive,” and prepared to be bored.  Then the magic happened…

Alfred Solano, President of the Hispanic Chamber, stepped to the podium.  But, instead of introducing an economist or a politician or a motivational speaker, he introduced … a tenor.   

Specifically, he introduced Edgar Sierra: Waco native, Waco High grad, Baylor grad, and adjunct instructor of voice at MCC… one of our own.  

Mr. Sierra and his accompanist, Alex Kostadinov, performed three pieces of Spanish Opera: Bella enamorada by Soutullo y Vert, Pajarin tu que vuelas by P. Luna, and Granada by Augstin Lara. They filled the banquet hall with soaring beauty.  I am not familiar with any of those pieces.  I know very little about opera.  I don’t speak Spanish… but, I was absolutely transported, lifted up.  My eyes surprised me by brimming with tears. I had not realized how badly I needed a moment of wonder.  I fell a little bit in love with everyone in the banquet hall that night, just because we had experienced that beautiful moment together. 

That is the power of the arts. 

The performance at the banquet reminded me that – even though I am not an artist myself – many, many of the moments when I have felt the warmest sense of community have had something to do with the arts. 

I remember an extraordinary open mic poetry night at the Art Forum on 18^th Street. Saddiq Granger – tall, lanky, and dreadlocked – shared poems and stories about growing up as a young black man in Philadelphia.  He was followed at the mic by Gary Penney – a much shorter (sorry Gary!), older, white man in a cowboy hat – sharing poems about horses and cowboys and riding the range.   Afterwards, I took a picture of the two of them hugging.  They are funny and beautiful in their tallness/shortness, blackness/whiteness, cityness/countryness – both with huge smiles on their faces.  That picture reminds me of how the world should be.

I remember the party for the mural on the side of the East Waco Library.  We ate hot dogs and danced to Motown, celebrating this beautiful piece of art we had created together.  I remember celebrating the completion of the huge “1,000 Hopes for Waco” mural on University Parks Drive.  One of the high school students who worked on it stood up in front of the gathered crowd and told us it was the best thing he had ever done in his life.

I remember watching the girls from “Miriam’s Army,” a dance troop based in the Estella Maxey housing complex, perform at an NAACP banquet.  Later that evening, I got a kick out of watching four or five of the girls – still dressed in their sequined, peacock-feathered dance uniforms – visiting confidently with WISD school board president, Pat Atkins.

The symbolism of an opera performance at a Chamber of Commerce event is significant.  Commerce is about making a living, and art reminds us what we are living for…who we want to be.  Art woven into our lives, created by us, shared with all of us — It helps us understand each other deeply and delight in each other.  It binds us together.  It helps us to be better humans together, a better community. 

I am excited to see that on Thursday, January 24, the Community Race Relations Coalition is presenting a program called “Being Purposeful in Including Everyone in the Arts.”  I’m going to try to go because I am deeply thankful for the extraordinary art-filled moments I have already enjoyed as a part of this community and I want our future together to be filled with many more of them. 

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Meeting Details: 5:30 to 7:30pm at First Presbyterian Church parish hall, 1100 Austin Avenue in Waco.  Dinner is provided by the CRRC board, with donations accepted. Reservations are required by calling 254-717-7903 or emailing [email protected].”

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This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say, “Hi!”

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Lulu Henderson

As I sit and watch the women on the television recount their experiences of domestic violence, tears begin to stream down my face and I turn the television off. I cannot take the pain that is surging through my body as I relive my own past.  As a child I watched my mother being abused by multiple men in her life. I also had my own experiences. The heartbreaking part is the comments I see on Facebook and posts from those who take the issue so lightly. They joke about continuing to support the man.  They blame the women who are reporting the crimes years later.  As one comment said, “We all was fast and tried being with an older man.”  They blame the parents of children who were molested.

Is this what our society has come to that we start blaming the victims instead of the aggressors? I vividly remember my mother’s boyfriend standing over my mother’s lifeless body screaming “Where the f*** are you going? I’ll kill you and the kids before I let you leave.” To this day I am terrified of men when they start using a loud voice. I start to go into panic mode, crying inside, trying to find that safe place within myself. It took me three years and some professional counselling to realize that I was suffering from post-traumatic stress.

I’d also like to address the people who blame parents when their children are molested. “Where was the parents?” they comment.  One of my most heartbreaking memories is my father crying when he found out I was being molested and had been molested over a period of time.  Like most parents, both of my parents were protective and very selective about who I was around. They would have never thought the person they trusted with my safety would expose me to this predator. I didn’t say anything because who would believe a 16-year-old talking about a man who was well known in the community? He had groomed me to believe that I had seduced him, and that it was twisted act of love he was showing me by doing this to me.

We need to be more sensitive whenever someone tells us about an incident that occurs to them and not blame them. I have gone to support groups and met many others who had the same experience I did. They were assaulted by someone prominent in the community or who was respected in their circle.  They were groomed to believe that no one would believe them, and that they would have no place to turn to for help.  And when they finally told their story, they were not believed.

When are we going to start taking these accusations and reports more seriously and stop with the victim blaming? Sometimes our financial ties and status get in the way — no one wants to be seen as too liberal or too vocal.

When groups such as social clubs start frowning on the behavior of these predators and start taking it seriously, then we can start healing those being victimized. Then we give them a platform to voice their concerns. All too often we strip the voice of the victims and they become silent. My hope is that we will do better and try to support these women rather than victimize them again with comments and ideas that do not help their healing. We make a positive difference when we stop and educate ourselves about what’s really going on rather than commenting and speaking out of ignorance.  

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Louise Henderson has four daughters — one at Texas A&M (Elizabeth), two at University High School (Rachel and Naomi) and one at Cesar Chavez Middle School (Rebecca) — and puppy named Rico. She and her family have lived in Waco for six years and are very active in our community. She is a member of the Junior League of Waco, NAACP of Waco, and Waco Knight Riders.  She graduated from McLennan Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Child Development and is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family studies at Tarleton State University.  She loves Taco Tuesday at Rosas Café and volunteering in Waco.  She is the founder of the Central Texas Divas, a social club for women and young girls to empower and educate about them about self-improvement and our community.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Ashley Bean Thornton

I’m a big believer in New Year’s Resolutions.  I come up with one or two every year and probably every other year or so, I stick with one.  Sometimes they are quite dramatic. One year I decided to make walking my default form of transportation; that was life-changing.  Most years they are small and concrete, e.g. floss every night.  Some years they are personal – spend one hour a week on cleaning the house. (Don’t judge!)  Some years they have more of a community focus – pick up a bag of trash once a week. 

My resolutions aren’t earth shattering, but they help me remember that even a little effort applied consistently toward a goal can make a difference, and having a goal makes it more likely I will make the effort.  The smallest thing I actually do has more impact than the biggest dream with no action behind it.   

Here’s a handful of ideas for resolutions with an “Act Locally Waco” twist. Maybe one of these will spark your imagination and inspire you to make a resolution or two of your own.    Whether it inspires action, or a yawn and a nap, I hope you have a terrific 2019!  Happy New Year! – ABT

Read one article from the newspaper every day (or once a week, or whatever…) – We are lucky to have devoted and talented journalists at the Waco Trib who keep us up to date and informed about local issues.  At least once a week, and often many times more than that, I am impressed with well-written coverage of issues I care about or a thought provoking editorial (whether I agree with it or not).  The first step to getting involved is getting informed.

Walk in your neighborhood once a week. – I have heard it said that air conditioning and TV killed neighborhoods. Since those two things were invented, people stay locked up in their homes when we used to sit on the front porch and visit with each other.  I’m not willing to give up air conditioning and TV, but I’ll confess I don’t know my neighbors very well…and that is bad.  Every speck of research I have ever read on this subject says that when neighbors are strangers, the community suffers.  Crime increases, people are not as happy, we have less empathy and care for one another.  I am a little bit too much of an introvert to be the one who organizes block parties and neighborhood socials, but I have found that by walking in the neighborhood regularly, I strike up casual conversations and have at least a waving acquaintance with more of my neighbors and that is – literally – a step in the right direction.

Pick up one bag of trash a week.  – One year I combined my neighborhood walks with picking up a bag of trash a week. I’ll admit it was a little depressing to see how quickly I could fill up a bag of trash in my own neighborhood, but I loved the feeling of concrete accomplishment as I dropped the full bag into my gray bin with a satisfying “thunk.”  This is a great resolution for a family to do together. I even know some folks who combine litter picking with jogging.  If your neighborhood is not trashy enough, “adopt” a local park or another spot in town where you have noticed litter collecting.   Check out the Group W Bench Litter Patrol or Keep Waco Beautiful for opportunities to participate in community clean-ups.

Find a regular volunteer gig. – A couple of places in town that do terrific work and ALWAYS need volunteers are Meals & Wheels (Contact Rachel Salazar at [email protected] ) and Caritas (Contact Andrew Bryngelson at [email protected]).   The United Way is also working on setting up a long-needed volunteer portal (https://unitedwaywaco.galaxydigital.com/ ) to make it easier for all of us to find a place to plug in.

Give consistently, even if it’s just a little.  –  The other day I heard someone say dismissively, “Well, some people think they can just write a check, when really what they should do is get out and get involved.”  I am a big proponent of getting out and getting involved, but I also want to emphasize that giving is a BIG deal.  Our local non-profits depend on giving from individuals.  Money they get from grants or the government often comes with many, many strings attached. That is all fine and good, but our local non-profits need money to pay the light bill and fix the washing machine when it breaks.  Most grants don’t pay for those kind of every day operational expenses.  We may not all have millions or thousands to give, but if a whole bunch of us would get in the habit of giving ten or twenty bucks a month to support our local organizations, it would make a huge difference in our community.  Click here for a list of local non-profits who have appeared in The WHOLE Enchilada in the last year, with handy links to their donation pages.  Pick one and sign up to give a little each month.   By this time next year, your small gifts each month can add up to a nice sum.  You might even pay the electricity bill for one month!

Do something regularly and intentionally to support Waco ISD. – I could write a whole column about how our school district is the heart of our community, and how our kids are our most important natural resource, and how we will not be able to maintain our current Magnolia- fueled “sugar rush” of economic development unless we educate our work force etc. etc. and all those things are incredibly important.  But, I will confess that the main reason I try to keep connected to Waco ISD is because it’s fun. Even though there are some serious challenges — maybe because there are serious challenges — it makes me proud and happy to be a part of it.  “Support” can range anywhere from volunteering regularly in the lunchtime reading club program being organized by local churches (Contact [email protected] to volunteer), to making the effort to attend the annual (AMAZING!) high school musicals or other fine arts events, to talking to your employer about becoming an adopt-a-school partner.

Do something downtown once a month/Be a local tourist once a month/shop local. – People are coming from all over the world to visit Waco and sometimes those of us who live here are the ones who don’t take advantage of all our town has to offer.   The Waco Convention and Visitor’s Bureau maintains a terrific events calendar and their app is easy to use and even offers coupons! (There’s no rule that says people from Waco can’t use the coupons!) The DowntownWacoTX website and Facebook page are always full of great information about enjoying downtown and The First Friday Facebook page is another good downtown resource. Follow Cultivate 7Twelve to keep up with art happenings downtown. The Towny app can help you identify local businesses and they also offer deals and coupons.  Make it a goal to shop local as much as possible, to regularly attend First Friday, or to enjoy one Waco “attraction” a month. Why should the visitors be having all the fun? 

This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say, “Hi!”

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

The enrollment window is now open for Lake Air Montessori Magnet School and Hillcrest Professional Development School. Both campuses use a random lottery system for enrollment instead of specific attendance boundaries.

To enter the lottery, parents and guardians complete the application form found online at wacoisd.org/magnetapp. A separate application is required for each campus for each prospective student, and the deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on Jan. 25.

“From outstanding neighborhood schools to exceptional magnet programs, we are committed to creating a Waco ISD where every child receives a world-class education,” Dr. A. Marcus Nelson, superintendent, said. “Not every child learns in the same way. That’s why enhancing special programs is one of the bold changes fueling the transformation underway in Waco ISD. It’s also why we have great magnet schools like Lake Air and Hillcrest. We encourage parents to take a look at these campuses and see if one of them is the right choice for their child.”

Lake Air is one of the largest public Montessori schools in the nation serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. To enroll in pre-kindergarten at Lake Air, a child must be 3 years old by Sept. 1, 2019.

The Montessori model groups students in multiage classrooms. At Lake Air, 3 and 4-year-old pre-kindergarteners learn with kindergarteners. First through third graders are in the same classroom as are fourth through sixth graders and seventh through eighth graders.

Lake Air merges the Montessori philosophy, which emphasizes development of the whole child, with public education curriculum standards. Among the school’s many unique enrichment experiences, students of all ages have extensive opportunities for hands-on learning in environmental science.

“The students and staff at Lake Air believe in lifelong learning, respect, independence, global citizenship and community,” Lake Air Principal Stephanie Tankersley said. “These values are at the core of everything that we do from building fundamental literacy skills to cultivating global citizens through our middle school trip to the United Nations.”

Hillcrest is a professional development school serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. To enroll in pre-kindergarten at Hillcrest, a child must be 4 years old by Sept. 1, 2019.

Professional development schools are innovative partnerships between universities and school districts to further the professional preparation of teacher candidates and enhance student learning. At Hillcrest, Baylor students work alongside mentor teachers and clinical instructors in the classroom to hone their craft. Last year, the partnership between Waco ISD and Baylor University was recognized with the Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award from the National Association for Professional Development Schools.

In Hillcrest’s annual Showtime Company productions, students have the opportunity to bring learning to life through performances that they develop from concept to curtain call. The productions are one example of the school’s commitment to “everywhere learning.” Others have included an overnight experience at Cameron Park Zoo, a stay on the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, and a tour of Little Rock Central High School to study integration.

“I love school, and I want my students to love it too,” Hillcrest Principal Amy Mathews-Perez said. “With a focus on fine arts and experiential learning, Hillcrest is a place where students can discover their passions, hone their talents and embark on a journey as lifelong learners.”

Both schools offer evening showcases for prospective students and their families. The events are an opportunity to tour the campuses and visit with administrators and teachers. Lake Air will open its doors to prospective families at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, and Hillcrest will hold its showcase at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 17.

Tours of each campus are also available by appointment. Spaces and times are limited. To request a tour, prospective families should call Lake Air at 254-772-1910 or Hillcrest at 254-772-4286.  To learn more about enrolling, click here: Waco ISD Magnet School Enrollment.

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This information was provided by Waco Independent School District.

By Gwendolyn McNuckles

I am experiencing a transformational experience.  I am serving as an Election Official at The First Assembly of God Early Voting location on Bosque Street in Waco, Texas.  This location has recorded the highest number of early voters in Waco for this election thus far.  At the closing of the polls Saturday night more than 10,000 people had cast their ballot there.  Many commented this is a record turnout.

My assignment is to be a greeter.  I help people move through the line to the check-in desks judiciously.  It is a blessing to me to serve in this capacity.  Registered voters from all walks of life pass me.  No matter how people are categorized, at that moment we are ONE.  WE are a homogeneous group with one purpose.  To use our right as citizens of the United States to cast our vote for the candidates and issues of our choice freely and without hindrance.

The lines are longer than anyone can remember in recent history.  Some are frustrated for the wait time.  In previous elections, we have been able to walk in and out.  We forget short lines meant lack of participation.  To have a government that reflects our views and needs we must participate.   As I stand at my post, I celebrate these long lines.  Many people comment with the same pleasure at seeing people using their rights.  Although I realize no one wants to stand in a long line for any reason.  I am grateful for the challenge.  I enjoy the position.  You meet the nicest people in the voting lines.  I have personally met over 5,000 people while working.

This experience is growing and strengthening me.  For example, I am learning it is important to take the time to communicate to people when change occurs. I am learning when I explain things using my best logic, sometimes that is understandable to others…other times, not so much.  I am learning to listen to the opinions of others who don’t agree with my brilliant plan.  After I have listened with empathy and not anger, I ask them to provide suggestions that will better suit the situation.  I hear many thoughts that have not occurred to me and try as many as I can.  These experiences are teaching me to be loving, caring, flexible and to work together with people who don’t agree with me.

Voting in the United States of America is a precious right. It has been a long hard fought journey to ensure every citizen can take part in the process.  It is something we have grown to take for granted.  I often hear people say they don’t vote because one vote does not count.  Susan B. Anthony and the Women Suffragettes marched in the streets, were beaten and jailed fighting for the right for women to vote.  Martin Luther King, Jr. the Freedom Riders and many others marched, were beaten, bled and died for the right to vote.  The minimum age to vote was changed from 21 years old to 18 years old because our young people were dying in the Viet Nam War at the age of 18.  They were fighting and dying to preserve our freedoms that we now take for granted in this nation at 18, but could not vote until the age of 21.

Some think if they are prayed up and place all their trust in God, they need not vote.  They fail to remember even Jesus paid his taxes and instructed all of us to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.  No matter how spiritual and religious we may be, there has been a provision to have a voice in protecting the civil liberties we hold dear.  Our right to assembly in our churches was established through the governmental system.  Everything I have cited above requires prayer, to be sure, but they also required civic action.  We will continue to need prayers and faith in God, but we also have a civic duty to participate in the governmental process.

When I met my husband, Roosevelt McNuckles, our first date was Sunday school and our second date was to register me to vote.  Roosevelt was born and raised in Mississippi.  He said, “If people were being killed to keep them from voting; it must be important to vote.”  Although he is no longer with us, I remember the lesson well.  I have never missed an opportunity to cast my vote or encourage others to do so.  The system we use in this country is not perfect.  It is fraught with many complaints and challenges.  I charge you: Do not to allow anything to convince you to give up your right to express your wishes for the path this nation will take.  Exercise your right to vote.

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Early voting is available in McLennan County until Friday, November 2.  For dates and times for early voting, click here: Early Voting Times and locations.

After Friday, polls will be closed until election day, Tuesday, November 6.  Voting times and locations on election day are slightly different from early voting.  For election day voting times and locations, click here: Election Day Voting.

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Gwendolyn McNuckles moved to Waco, Texas in 2011.  She is a proud to call Waco her home.  Gwendolyn’s background is in human resources.  She enjoys public speaking, teaching and community service.  Gwendolyn is the proud owner of Connections and Reflections, an event planning company that works with individuals and organizations to plan any size event.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.