🐝 Summer is Coming

From secret comedy shows to summer passes—here’s what’s happening in Waco this week presented by Kustombilt Cabinets

Author

Sam Harper
May 20, 2025

Good morning, Waco! This is the Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that’s as thrilling as getting the whole row to yourself on the plane.

In today’s Waco Buzz:

  • Honoring Two Waco Leaders 👋

  • Luna Clean Food Cafe 🥑

  • Summer Passes 🏖️

  • Concerts, Trivia, and Events happening this week 🎶

  • RGIII Gives $5M to Baylor NIL 🐻

— Sam Harper

Buzzworthy News

👋 Passing the Baton: Alice Rodriguez & Stephanie Korteweg
After 26 years on Waco City Council, Alice Rodriguez officially passed the torch to Isabel Lozano, now representing District 2. Her final meeting included a mariachi celebration and the unveiling of Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park, coming to the former Floyd Casey Stadium site as a lasting tribute to her decades of work uplifting South Waco.
At Waco ISD, School Board President Stephanie Korteweg is stepping down after 10 years on the board and 25 years with the district. From navigating COVID to the closure of Transformation Waco and helping lead a $355 million bond project for four new schools, her leadership guided the district through major change.

It’s a reminder that what makes Waco Waco is the people. These two women are world-class leaders who served with heart and vision for years. And for that, we say: thank you!

🎤 Secret Comedy Shows in Waco? Don’t Tell Anyone (Actually, Do.)
Don’t Tell Comedy is bringing its pop-up, mystery-location comedy nights to Waco—think hilarious comedians, unique venues, and zero idea where you're going until the morning of the show. You book the ticket, they send the secret location at 8 AM the day of. The next show is happening this Friday night with surprise lineups. It’s like a speakeasy, but for stand-up. 🤫 Grab tickets here.

🎓 More Grads, More Celebrations, More Queso
Last weekend, we celebrated Baylor’s Class of 2025—and this weekend, it’s time to cheer on grads from Waco High, University High, and Midway as they walk the stage and head into what’s next. We asked what your last meal in Waco would be before moving on, and your answers did not disappoint: Chuy’s and Schmaltz’s were top picks. Turns out, nothing says “farewell, Waco” like creamy jalapeño dip or an Original with a side of cheese soup. For the rest of us not graduating? We get to keep enjoying those Waco spots—no final goodbyes needed.

🧳 Local Business

Luna Clean Food CafĂŠ
Waco keeps stepping up its healthy food game, and long gone are the days when the Jason’s Deli salad bar was your best “clean” option. Luna just opened on Austin Ave, offering moms and littles a safe, welcoming spot with seed oil-free meals, stroller parking, and sanitized play spaces. The menu features Moroccan eggs, avocado toast, and cold-pressed juices—all made with real, nourishing ingredients. Open Tues–Sat, 8 AM–2 PM at 1516 Austin Ave, Ste C. Check out the menu here.

🏖️ Summer Passes That Keep Kids Busy (and You Sane)

If you're already wondering how you're going to keep the kids entertained all summer long—you're not alone. These Waco spots are offering unlimited play passes to help burn off energy, stay cool, and save money in the long run:

🧗‍♂️ Basin Climbing Gym – $90 for 90 days of unlimited rock climbing. It’s air-conditioned, screen-free, and a fun way for kids (and teens!) to build confidence, strength, and problem-solving skills on the climbing wall.
🌊 Hawaiian Falls – For $59.99, enjoy unlimited swimming and slides with the Countdown to Summer pass. A classic way to beat the Texas heat.
Worth noting that this coming weekend they are honoring all military personell (active and retired) with free admission.
🏃‍♂️ Urban Air Waco – The Summer Unlimited Play pass is $59.99 and includes all-day access to trampolines, ropes courses, and more (plus air conditioning!).
🎳 Main Event Waco – Their Season Pass ($69.99) includes unlimited bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and other indoor activities for the whole family.

If you’ve got grandkids visiting or school’s out soon, these passes are a great way to keep them moving—and maybe even earn yourself a quiet afternoon.

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Civil News ⚖️

On the agenda for Tuesday’s Waco City Council Meeting:

💦 $10 Million Water Infrastructure Upgrade
The City is moving forward with a proposal to secure state funding to replace lead service lines across Waco. It’s a big step toward cleaner, safer drinking water

🏘️ Hilltop Heights Neighborhood Proposal
A new 63-home development is in the works near Loop 340 and Kendall Lane. Council will hold a public hearing to consider rezoning the land and greenlighting the project

🛣️ 29th Street Renaming
A second reading and final vote is scheduled to officially rename a portion of 29th Street to Ernesto Fraga Street, honoring a local leader and celebrating Hispanic heritage in Waco.

🌳 Park Naming + Senior Housing
Floyd Casey Park may soon become Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park, and Council will also vote on a $58 million development to build The Cottages at Warren Road, a new senior housing community with long-term affordability in mind.

🏢 Corridor Beautification Grants
Local businesses along key corridors—like Franklin Ave and Waco Drive—are up for city-funded beautification grants to spruce up their storefronts. These small investments add up to a more vibrant, welcoming Waco.

📄 See full agenda

The meeting is at 6 PM in the Waco Convention Center Bosque Theater, with work session at 3 PM. The public is welcome to attend and can register to speak online or at the meeting. — 100 Washington Avenue, Waco, TX

Midweek Live Music and Events

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Sports🐻

🏈 RGIII Gives Back in a Big Way
In a move that instantly made every Baylor alum look at their checking account and whisper “I gotta step it up,” Robert Griffin III is giving back in a big way. The former Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner just pledged a jaw-dropping $5.4 million to launch the Baylor Bears Legacy NIL Fund.

What’s NIL? It stands for Name, Image, and Likeness — basically the NCAA’s way of saying, “Okay fine, you can finally make money off your own face now.” This fund helps Baylor athletes do exactly that: build their personal brands, get paid, and still keep eligibility.

After watching Baylor’s basketball roster get gutted this offseason by players chasing bigger NIL deals elsewhere, this move feels less like generosity and more like survival. Want to keep your best players and enjoy life more when Baylor is winning football games? Somebody’s gotta pay to keep the talent here — and RGIII just picked up the tab.

⚾ Baylor Baseball:
The Bears are postseason bound! Baylor has secured the No. 10 seed in the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship and will take on Oklahoma State this Wednesday, May 21 at 4 PM at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Win that game, and they’ll face Kansas on Thursday at 4 PM. Catch it on ESPNU or ESPN+.

⚾ MCC Baseball: The Highlanders punched their ticket to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado with another strong season for a powerhouse program. Games will be held from May 24-31.

THANKS!

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