News Center

How Individuals Ages 60 and Older Can Receive Help from HOTCOG's Health and Human Services Department
Jun 30 2022We want to get the word about what services are available to older individuals in the Heart of Texas! Here at the Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG), we provide beneficial services to these individuals.
The Health and Human Services Division of HOTCOG is made up of four service departments...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WACO, Texas - May 15, 2022 – AmeriCorps Seniors-RSVP is announcing Gary Luft as the 2022 RSVP Volunteer of the Year Award, which he will soon be recognized at the Volunteer Recognition Event occurring June 11, 2022.
The RSVP Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes and honors one communit...

Rural Counties in the Heart of Texas count on HOTCOG as a trusted community resource. HOTCOG is dedicated to delivering the tools needed to continuously improve the quality of life for Heart of Texas residents.
1. HOTCOG is a source of rural public transportation for Heart of Texas residents.
HOTCOG/RTD provides rura...

The Waco City Council finalized agreements Tuesday that will guide riverfront development between Franklin Avenue and Interstate 35 for years to come.
The deals with Baylor University and Catalyst Urban Development touch on land purchases and swaps, use agreements for Baylor’s planned $213 million basketball arena, and the size and intende...

The 2021 Governor’s Cups
Mar 14 2022Site Selection’s 2021 winners illustrate exactly why a per capita Governor’s Cup was added to this annual facilities race with the 2013 Governors’ Cups. The original Cup always recognized the state with the most qualified capital investment projects the previous calendar year. For eight years now, Site Selection has als...

TSTC pitching $23 million industrial training center, splitting cost with Waco, McLennan County
Mar 2 2022Every industry in McLennan County would benefit from a $23 million job training center Texas State Technical College hopes to open for students and non-students needing specialized training, TSTC officials said.
TSTC officials joined Kris Collins, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce’s industry recruiter, in touting such a center before McLenna...

The Lone Star State ended 2021 with a second consecutive month of record-setting employment at more than 13 million jobs and an unemployment rate of 5%, the Texas Workforce Commission has reported.
“It’s important to note here that Texas has not only recovered from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemi...

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) has created an in-depth regional directory for anyone interested in the area! HOTCOG is an organization that is comprised of local governments in the Heart of Texas region which includes Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan Counties. The purpose of HOTCO...

The Heart of Texas region is a very affordable place to live with a lower cost of living! This favorable cost of living extends to businesses and domestic housing. The cost of living here in the Heart of Texas is below the state and national averages. Housing costs here i...

The Heart of Texas is a wonderful place to live thanks to its amazing quality of life! The Heart of Texas is located in the middle of the “Texas Triangle,” which is formed by Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The Heart of Texas offers plenty of arts and cultur...

The Heart of Texas Economic Development District (HOTEDD) is helping Texas businesses by providing financial assistance with the Rural Business Enterprise Grant Revolving Loan Fund (HOTRLF). HOTEDD was awarded funds from USDA-Rural Development to provide loans to rural small businesses in the region. This Rural Business Enterprise Grant Revolving Loa...

The Heart of Texas Economic Development District (HOTEDD) is helping area businesses by providing several incentive programs to them! HOTEDD is dedicated to helping businesses develop and thrive in this region. This is why we go the extra mile to provide businesses with incentives that will help with this goal...

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) has the workforce to help your business succeed! The Heart of Texas region is located in the middle of the “Texas Triangle,” which is formed by Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The region is known for great things, including our talente...

The Heart of Texas region has opportunity zones that can benefit your business! Locating your business in an opportunity zone has several benefits while simultaneously helping improve the economy of low-income communities. The Federal Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 implemented opportunity zones to help improve economic development i...

Downtown Bears Waco, Baylor partner on $185 million basketball, concert venue in downtown
Dec 29 2021The city of Waco will partner with Baylor University to fund a $185 million home for the university’s basketball teams on the downtown riverfront, one that would double as a city-run performance venue and anchor a larger development.
The Waco City Council will vote Tuesday on an agreement to seek $6...

Hello Bello in Waco
Nov 4 2021Hollywood actors Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard celebrated the opening of their Hello Bello diaper plant Tuesday in Waco.
“We sincerely couldn’t be prouder to have planted a flag here,” Bell said. “We needed a dedicated, hardworking workforce, and our co-founders (co-CEOs Sean Kane and Jay McGraw) are from Texas an...