Posted on 22 Jul 2008

Miss Westfest entry forms now available Young ladies interested in participating in the Miss Westfest Pageant on Friday August 29, can call Barbara Talley at Flowers & Things 826-3273.

The pageant is held in conjunction with Friday Night's Preview Party. Entries should be from West or have relatives in the area, and be sponsored by a West business or individual.

Fee is $25. Deadline is August 18th, 5 p. m. Westfest itself is August 29, 30 and 31, 2008. We have a link to the official Westfest Website on our website.

Posted on 20 Jul 2008

The Greater Waco Chamber Waco Third Thursday series is a growing success downtown. The series July 17th was abig success/ The next free showing-will be the third Thursday, August 21st.

The movie begins at 8:45 p.m. following pre-movie festivities beginning at 6:30 p.m. Entertainment includes special performances by area dance teams, including Joy’s School of Dance, hosted by Channel 25 News anchors Ann Harder and Bruce Gietzen, as well as dance contests for both children and adults hosted by Star 92.9’s Dustin and Beth.

Other activities include face painting and balloon animals provided free by the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo Sweethearts and colorful temporary hair dye and extensions by Salon Wabi Sabi for $1.00. In addition, free popcorn will be provided
by the Green Room Grille, and other concessions will be available for sale, including pizza from Rosati’s; cookies and sub sandwiches from The Olive Branch; drinks, snow cones and candy benefiting St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School; and Frito pie, hot dogs, nachos and pickles from Simply Good Eatery.

Attendees should plan on bringing their own chairs and blankets to enjoy the movie. The movie’s title sponsors are Rosati’s Authentic Chicago Pizza and The Olive Branch, both of whom will soon occupy the anchors of the new Waco Town Square development in Heritage Square.

Waco Third Thursday is the creation of the Greater Waco Chamber and a partnership with the Waco
Downtown Merchants Association. The goal of the event is to re-establish downtown as Waco’s
entertainment destination and raise awareness of existing downtown businesses.
More information about Movies in the Square and Waco Third Thursdays can be found by visiting www.wacothirdthursday.com.

Posted on 10 Jul 2008

Bill Foster, Editor & Publisher

-At ribbon cutting Rick Brophy, David Lacy, Don Moes, Terry Stevens, Bob Davis, Tommy Salome, Johnny Mankin, Dr. Roland Goertz, and Jim Vaughan. Brophy was MC at the dedication. (Bill Foster photos)

It was like our old Jaycee days. Jim Hawkins, Bob Sheehy, Tommy Salome, Jim Sartain, Jack Stewart, James Bush in 1974 and a few we probably missed. We were all having a good time while promoting Waco. We won awards every year. Hawkins was the one to put the word Greater in the chamber heading when he became president of the chamber.
Now we're all going big time leading the way for a GREATER Waco.
We're proud of everyone who has had a part in this exciting new chamber headquarters.

We expect to get some national recognition being the first green chamber building in the U. S. according to Jim Vaughan, our President.
My newspaper started on this same property in Oct. 1946 at 315-319 Franklin. Tommy Salome's Lipsitz's co. was on Franklin between 1st and 2nd street. We agreed with Tommy that the city is making better use of our property. We got booted out by Urban Renewal.

Rick Brophy, MC and GWCC chair, said President Jim Vaughan is a visionary. Tommy Salome said people make things happen. He cited our early leaders built the Suspension bridge. Dallas wanted Baylor, but local leaders ponied up by building Waco Hall and giving it to Baylor to keep the school here for good. Other leaders created a giant new lake so we have adequate water. Current visionaries have built a new dependable dam in Lake Brazos and now we are set for unprecedented growth and the new chamber building will be the center of where it will happen, and in fact is already happening. Just look around the new golden domed building next to Heritage Square, and across 3rd street from the new Hilton Hotel.

Construction is underway on Washington for upscale student housing. The Roosevelt hotel is undergoing a $15 million renovation. Work will begin soon on the Waco Convention Center improvements. Next to the new Chamber building is a multi use building well underway. If you want part of this exciting new future of Waco better get on board now. Call 254-752-6551 and the chamber will tell you where to get onboard the Waco We Do wagon.

-Scott Felton at the podium said he was proud to have a part in this historic ribbon cutting by announcing that his bank, Wells Fargo, will erect a new headquarters across Franklin from the new chamber building. He is a member of the Board of Advisors. Felton sais he has been working downtown for 26 years, and is glad to see this WACO WE DO attitude.

Posted on 07 Jun 2008