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When the West fertilizer plant suddenly exploded last April, the media and emergency response teams scrambled to respond. Now, nearly one year after the explosion that left 15 dead and over 160 wounded, a panel discussion and luncheon Thursday will spotlight the lessons, triumphs and mistakes made with the communication following the disaster.

West Independent School District was given $20.8 million Monday from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help repair the district’s high school and intermediate school, which were severely damaged during the April 2013 fertilizer plant explosion.

Bryce Ashley Reed, the West paramedic who turned from town hero to arrestee after the explosion April 17, has begun his 21-month prison sentence for illegal firearm possession and obstruction of justice. Reed pleaded guilty in October to both charges after his attorney, Jonathan Sibley, filed for an extension in the plea bargaining deadline with federal prosecutors. Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Walter Smith said Reed must serve 21 months for each charge concurrently. He will also have 3 years of supervised release when his sentence is complete.

With turkey on the mind, runners are lacing up for the eighth Annual Central Texas Turkey Trot, which will benefit West Independent School District libraries destroyed during the April 17 West Fertilizer Plant explosion that leveled hundreds of buildings. Registration for the event will begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Redwood Shelter in Cameron Park. The race will start at 9 a.m. It will include a 5K and 1K, 3.1 and 0.62 miles, respectively.

Anti-poverty workers from across the nation took on new roles Sunday when they put on hard hats and work boots to help rebuild recently devastated West. The National Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps, an AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America program, attended the Hunger Summit at Baylor Thursday and Friday with their sponsor, the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.

By Maleesa Johnson Staff Writer Two Baylor professors were awarded for their efforts in response to the fertilizer plant explosion in West. Dr. Sara Dolan, associate professor...

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.

The attorney for Bryce Ashley Reed, a former West paramedic who was charged in May for illegal firearm possession, filed for an extension in the plea bargaining deadline, according to an operations clerk at the United States District Courts office in Waco. Reed, who is out on bail, has a current trial date scheduled for Oct. 15 but Oct. 10 is the final date for Reed and his attorney to enter a plea deal for federal prosecutors to consider.

Five months after the West fertilizer plant explosion, the Long-Term Recovery Board has begun the distribution of funds for residents affected by the blast. At a press conference Thursday in West, Ronnie Sykora, a Long-Term Recovery Center Board member, said the roughly $3.5 million collected from donations will be dispersed after petitioners are assigned caseworkers and necessary paperwork is filed, such as copies of medical bills, insurance claims and contractor estimates. Sykora said West residents have an estimated $30 million in needs.

Baylor’s athletics department has invited the entire West community to the Big 12 opening game Oct. 5 free of charge. The Bears will take on West Virginia University’s Mountaineers. “Baylor has been a great friend to the West community and we want them to know we won’t forget about them,” said Nick Joos, executive associate athletics director for external affairs.

The American Red Cross has allocated $295,000 to long-term relief in West, five months after a fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people. The Red Cross announced this gift on its website on Friday. Those who work closely with recovery in West say the city is still in need, though opinions differ as to which areas of need are most pressing. The money the Red Cross is giving comes from donors all over the country, said Bristel Bowen, regional director of communications for the Central Texas region of the American Red Cross.

Among the carnival rides, polka music and slews of kolache stands, this year’s Labor Day weekend Westfest, celebrated much more than colorful Czech traditions and cuisine. This past weekend, residents and visitors alike gathered to support a community devastated by tragedy last spring by the West Fertilizer Company explosion. “It brings that healing factor to the city,” said Lisa Reynolds, visiting from Gun Barrel City. “It’s powerful when people come together like this.”

Among the carnival rides, polka music and slews of kolache stands, this year’s Labor Day weekend Westfest in West, Texas, celebrated much more than colorful Czech traditions and cuisine. This weekend, residents and visitors alike gathered to support a community devastated by tragedy last spring by the West Fertilizer Company explosion. “It brings that healing factor to the city,” said Lisa Reynolds, visiting from Gun Barrel City. “It’s powerful when people come together like this.”

Kolaches, music, Polka dancing and more are lined up for three days to honor West’s Czech heritage through the annual Westfest. Almost five months ago, an explosion from a fertilizer plant rocked West, causing injuries, devastation to nearby homes and casualties. In spite of the tragedy that took place, president of Westfest John Hurtick said the hosts of Westfest still want to focus on the celebration aspect of the event.

During the months following the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West that destroyed 100 homes and killed 15 people, the Baylor community has continued to offer support through a physical presence and large monetary donations. The university created a West Relief Fund the week the explosion happened and by July 10, the fund had raised more than $290,000, the entirety of which was donated to the First Baptist Church of West.

Investigators working to figure out what caused a massive, deadly fertilizer plant explosion in Texas have talked to more than 370 people and received more than 200 tips as they continue to search for a breakthrough. Two weeks after the April 17 blast that killed at least 14 people, agents compare their work to solving a puzzle or completing an archaeological dig.

Baylor students have a chance to turn their trash into someone else’s treasure at Mu Phi Epsilon’s “End-of-the-Year Yard Sale” fundraiser. The event will begin at 4 p.m. Friday outside the McCrary Music Building and the entire Baylor community is encouraged to not only shop around but to sell their own items. Students who choose to sell their personal items at the yard sale will not collect the profits, but all the funds raised will be donated to the West Relief Fund and Mu Phi Epsilon’s scholarship program, according to Christine Cookus, a Spring senior and Mu Phi Epsilon’s treasurer and fundraising chair.

Musicians are working to help a Texas town decimated in a deadly fertilizer plant explosion. Officials with the Texas Thunder Festival on Monday announced next month's performances will benefit emergency responders and schools in West, where 14 people were killed in a blast on April 17.

With more than 600 people still in Melody Ranch early Sunday evening and still more coming in, organizers expected the West First Benefit Concert to exceed their goal of $50,000 for victims of the deadly explosion by as much as $10,000. "You see over $41,000 on the board up there now, but there are a lot of donations and T-shirt sales we haven't counted yet," said Nick Fuentes, co-owner of the night spot at 2315 Robinson Drive in Waco.

Several West residents are continuing the search for missing loved ones after last week’s deadly explosion, and for some people those loved ones included four-legged friends. Following the explosion on April 17 almost 90 animals, mainly dogs and cats, were brought to the Humane Society of Central Texas, according to executive director Don Bland. Chickens, lizards and rabbits were also among those rescued. At the time of publication half of the lost animals have been reclaimed.

Gov. Rick Perry said Monday that spending more state money on inspections would not have prevented the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. plant that was last investigated by Texas environmental regulators in 2006.

West’s mayor pro tem, Steve Vanek announced today that stage one of “several upcoming reentry stages” will begin this afternoon at 3 p.m. According to Vanek, state fire marshalls and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms have been investigating the area devastated by Wednesday night’s fertilizer plant explosion and it has been determined that residents living between Oak Street and Walnut Street in West can assemble at the corner of Tokyo Road and Reagan Street to return to their home on a limited basis this afternoon. Vanek also assured citizens and media that the rumors of lingering health hazards and possible secondary explosions were unfounded.

Since the fertilizer plant explosion Wednesday in West, students have responded swiftly with prayers, donations and relief for victims.

Since the fertilizer plant explosion Wednesday in West, students have responded swiftly with prayers, donations and relief for victims.

The investigation is still ongoing into the Wednesday night explosion that destroyed the West Fertilizer Plant and rocked the small Texas community. Buildings bore traces of the blast, black plastic trash bags covering the places where panes of glass shattered, some taped to hold them in place. It is a city showing signs of life after Wednesday’s disaster, which resulted in the call for a voluntary evacuation of the small town, population 2,849.

The musical entertainment portion of Diadeloso had a different purpose this year. Rather than just celebrating the end of the semester, the Diadeloso final concert became another way for the Waco community to remember and raise money for those affected by the explosion in West.

Many places in the Waco community are taking donations and offering shelter to people affected by the West explosion. In particular, some Waco churches have been organization centers for the road to recovery.

It is with heavy hearts that we give our deepest condolences to those who were affected by the explosion in West on Wednesday night. The news releases speculate as to how many people were lost, but there are no exact words to truly express the magnitude of our grief and the grief of those who are lost.

The Texas Department of Public Safety and Attorney General Greg Abbott conducted a flyover and a ground examination of the damage caused by the explosion in West. In a press conference held at 6 p.m., Abbott said, “the area along the site is total devastation.”

In a press conference Thursday, officials gave an update on the explosion in West. Texas Governor Rick Perry has declared this a disaster, according to Abbott.