Several businesses in the area who have excelled in hiring and accommodating people with disabilities are being honored Friday at the third annual Walk ‘N Roll event downtown, said Kim Nunn, co-chair for Walk ‘N Roll.

Walk ‘N Roll will begin after the Lex Freiden Employment Awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in the Waco Convention Center, where Texas employers who have enhanced and empowered the employment of those with disabilities will be recognized. A walk to raise awareness for those with disabilities will be take place from 1:45 to 2 p.m. around the convention center, followed by the recognition of local businesses and a resource fair from 2 to 4 p.m.

In honor of domestic violence month, the Family Abuse Center of Waco is having a fundraiser to support victims of domestic violence.

It will take place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Phoenix Ballroom at 4101 S. Third St. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Family Abuse Center Services. The fundraiser will include food, a silent auction and entertainment featuring Waco talent.

West Fertilizer Co., the West plant where an explosion took place in April leaving 15 people dead and more than 100 homes destroyed, was fined $118,300 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 24 safety violations, said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

OSHA had not inspected the plant in more than 30 years. The findings of their latest investigation, according to Boxer, were failure to have an emergency response plan, unsafe handling and storage of anhydrous ammonia and ammonium nitrate, inadequate labeling of storage tanks, failing to pressure test replacement hoses and not having respiratory protection or appropriate fire extinguishers.

Waco Independent School District counts homelessness like no other.

Last spring, the district became the first in the state to use a federally endorsed confidential information system to collect and pool information about students who are referred to social services.

The Homeless Management Information System, also known as Bowman System’s Service Point Software, was mandated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to correlate HUD funding to a more precise, statistical idea of who it actually helps, said Katie Fager, Waco HMIS program analyst.