April 17 News Roundup + Dr. Cory Smith Interview

By J.B. Smith,

Andrea Kosar

Published April 17, 2026 at 11:15 AM CDT

This week, JB Smith is joined by guest co-host, Andrea Kosar, to discuss upcoming local elections and the contests to keep an eye on.

They'll also be looking at the local effects of rising gas prices and providing an update on a developing childcare facility established by The Heart of Texas Goodwill.

Plus, JB will be talking to Dr. Cory Smith about the grand opening and ongoing research of ARKTOS: A pioneering research project that helps military and civilian teams rapidly prepare for Arctic deployment.

And our trivia question this week: In what year did the Baylor tradition of Diadelos begin?

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Friday Forum with The Waco Bridge

J.B. Smith

Before joining The Waco Bridge in February as editor-in-chief, J.B. Smith had 33 years of Texas journalism experience, most of it as local government reporter and managing editor at the Tribune-Herald. He has won numerous statewide awards for enterprise journalism, including a series on migrant deaths on the Mexico border. A Sulphur Springs native and Southwestern University graduate, he is grateful for the opportunity to build a nonprofit newsroom in his adopted hometown of Waco.

See stories by J.B. Smith

Andrea Kosar

Andrea Kosar is the President of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a small business owner with a passion for connecting and uplifting individuals, and the small business community.

See stories by Andrea Kosar