Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: See how fast a Waco Christmas tree fire can turn deadly
And on the Waco Patch calendar - Open Mic Comedy Night — Waco Wise
Good day Waco! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- See how fast a Waco Christmas tree fire can turn deadly
- Why is a taller fence rising at Waco Center for Youth now?
- Why Waco’s hazmat team rushed to a Valley Mills chemical fire
Also on today's calendar: Waco Downtown Farmers Market and 6 more events.
Find out what's happening in Wacofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Waco? Post it to Waco photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Wacofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
From our Partner
Today's Waco Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T-Mobile and UScellular have joined forces to connect people from big cities to small towns and everywhere in between. UScellular is now a part of T-Mobile. Find out more at T-Mobile.com/Better-Together.
Find a T-Mobile store near Waco.
- Tuesday: Low clouds, with a high of 60 and low of 51 degrees.
- Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 64, low: 60.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny and breezy, with a high of 71 and low of 37 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Christmas Tree Fire Safety (fox44news.com) — Waco Fire Department is warning residents how quickly Christmas trees can ignite and offering free smoke alarm installations to improve home safety. A live tree needs daily watering, plastic trees can emit toxic smoke, and heaters, fireplaces, and overloaded cords should be kept away from decorations. Officials stress that most tree fires start at night, making working alarms essential. 
2. Taller fence at Waco Center for Youth no indication of operational changes (wacotrib.com) — Neighbors near the Waco Center for Youth may notice a much taller, more secure-looking chain-link perimeter fence going up at 19th Street and Park Lake Drive, but officials say it won’t change how the facility operates. Funded by past state legislative appropriations, the project also includes building renovations and HVAC upgrades, and is exempt from city fence-height rules.
3. Multiple depts., agencies respond to Valley Mills fire (fox44news.com) — Waco Fire Department’s HazMat team and Waco Firefighters Local-478 helped tackle a major chemical-related structure fire in Valley Mills, underscoring the region’s shared emergency resources. Multiple nearby volunteer departments, including China Spring and Speegleville, also responded, and officials say details on the incident and any ongoing risks are still developing.
4. Baylor Football's Michael Trigg Garners AP All-America Honors (kwtx.com) — Baylor tight end Michael Trigg, playing here in Waco, has earned Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors, becoming the first All-American tight end in Baylor history. His record-breaking 2025 season set new program marks for yards, catches, and touchdowns by a tight end, capping a standout college career that also included stops at USC and Ole Miss.
5. Sink or Swim: A Central Texas woman's life-changing story of survival (kwtx.com) — Nearly a decade after plunging from the twin bridges over Lake Waco during a storm, Central Texas resident Brittney Garrett is sharing how she survived the icy water and rebuilt her life. Her journey from trauma and addiction to sobriety and stability now fuels her mission to support others in recovery across the community.
📸 Around Waco
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Waco
★ Featured events ★
- Open Mic Comedy Night — Waco Wise
Southern Roots Brewing Co., 219 N 8th St, Waco
8:00 pm
Thursday December 18
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- RHS V Boys Soccer Scrim @ Midway
Challenge Academy Waco, TX 76704
7:45 pm - Credit by Exam (request made 6 wks prior to test date)
Robinson H S Waco, TX 76706 - RHS JV Soccer Scrim vs University
Challenge Academy Waco, TX 76704
5:30 pm - Baylor University Men's Basketball vs Alcorn State
Baylor University - Athletics Waco, Texas, Foster Pavilion - RJH All-Region Six Flags Trip
Robinson ISD Waco, TX 76706 - Primary Holiday Parties
Robinson ISD Waco, TX 76706 - Last Day of 9 Weeks
Robinson ISD Waco, TX 76706 - Waco Downtown Farmers Market
Waco Downtown Farmers Market, 200 E Bridge St, Waco, TX, 76704
9:00 am
Tuesday December 16
Thursday December 18
Friday December 19
Saturday December 20
📣 Waco Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Date Night at the Arboretum - Painting Nutcrackers
Whitehall Center - at the Carleen Bright Arboretum , 9001 Bosque Blvd , Woodway
7:00 pm - Baylor University Men's Basketball vs Alcorn State
Foster Pavilion Waco, Texas,
Tuesday December 16
Friday December 19
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Please help, my dog got out of our backyard on Saturday December 13th.She is a German shepherd mix , She is wearing a pink collar with flowers on it & has her name Lola on it with my phone # my address is 508 A Woodall St. in Lacy Lakeview..Lola
is also microchipped. I don't think she would go far. Any help would be appreciated! I'm out of town but my husband is home his # 2544983982 James… (Nextdoor Old Northcrest) - Beautiful Alaskan husky lost at New Road in front of the High School.
He successfully crossed the street into the neighborhood directly across the street. (Nextdoor Arroyo/Cedar Point Dr)
- Chuy's Tex-Mex Restaurant posted a job opening for Janitorial in Waco. Apply here.
- Jack In The Box posted a job opening for Team Member in Waco. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Waco here.
Ok Waco! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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