The light attraction park is open from 6-10 p.m. every night from Nov. 27 to Dec. 30 and is located right off of I-35 in West. This Christmas attraction allows people to drive their vehicles through a 25-minute seasonal light display. The park also has activities for children, such as a petting zoo, pony rides for children, writing letters to Santa, watching Christmas movies, pictures with real life Santa and more.
Browsing: West
Officials from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board said Texas can learn a thing or two in light of the tragedy in West.
The sun set behind West, Texas Thursday evening while citizens gathered at a memorial service At the fairgrounds off Main Street to remember a terrible surprise in their backyard—the fertilizer plant explosion that claimed the lives of 15 people last year.
The small town of West, Texas pays tribute to those who lost their lives in the fertilizer plant explosion and looks ahead to the continued rebuilding of the city.
1. Jerry Chapman was born April 7, 1987 in Pampa, TX, and was a firefighter for Abbott Volunteer Fire Department. In his West Memorial eulogy, Chapman’s parents said he was blessed with a kind spirit from childhood onward – a child who had been unique in his love for helping people from the beginning. He was a hard worker, and was ultimately able to discover his passion for service through the Abbott Volunteer Fire Department. This is what inspired him to return school to become a certified emergency medical technician.
A handful of concrete slabs occupy the spaces where various homes once stood in the town of West. The newly erected beams of these houses rise like wooden skeletons, waiting for flesh in the form of floors, walls and ceilings.
“Blessed are those who give their lives for others.” Those words, inscribed on a memorial plaque, is one of the ways a small Texas town is commemorating those who lost their lives.
A year ago, citizens of West were faced with the horrific aftermath of the fertilizer explosion that left 15 dead, over 160 wounded and several homes destroyed.
The mayor for the city of West, Tommy Muska, has served as the face of his hometown in ways he never planned this past year. When a fertilizer plant exploded on April 17, 2013, and took the lives of 15 West residents, this small Texas town suddenly had the attention of the nation. Muska, mayor for less than two years, struggled with the devastation of losing his home while trying to rebuild a city covered in ashes.
On April 17, 2013, the fertilizer plant explosion in West killed 15 people — 12 of whom were first-response firefighters. Amber Adamson, part-time lecturer in the department of journalism, public relations and new media, wrote a book entitled “The Last Alarm,” which compiled accounts from just under 50 responders from the plant explosion.
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.
The Texas Rangers have made a stop in the Central Texas town devastated by a deadly fertilizer plant explosion last year.
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…
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.
As Baylor students, we have a few things to be proud of in our response to the West tragedy. We can be proud of students, faculty and staff who volunteered their time in the wake of the blast to help, who stood in line hours to donate blood, who gave supplies.
I’ve always wanted to change the world, and I thought that coming to Baylor would give me the right tools to go out and make a big impact. I’m a communications major, so I’m not going to cure any diseases over the course of my career, but I thought maybe I could make enough money to make a significant donation to help find a cure, or save up enough money to open up an orphanage in another country.
Twelve flag-draped caskets stood next to twelve smiling portraits of the first responders who died in last week’s explosion in West.
In front of each stood a uniformed figure. Some old and some young, some with the decorations of rank and office and some unadorned. Periodically a column of similar figures would march in front and raise a hand slowly in a salute. With a quick step to the side, the first responders change places and continue their vigil — a vigil they held from early Thursday morning until the service concluded Thursday evening.
The White House has announced several changes to today’s memorial service that will honor the 10 firefighters killed April 17 in the West fertilizer explosion.
Doors will now open at 11 a.m. and close at 1:45 p.m. or whenever the Ferrell Center reaches capacity, which is 10,284 people. In a statement released Wednesday night, the university said it expects more than 4,000 uniformed first responders to attend and are planning for a capacity crowd.
On Monday, the word got out fast that President Obama was speaking at Baylor University’s West memorial service.
As I attended class on Tuesday I heard more talk about his arrival.
Less than a week after the disastrous fertilizer plant explosion, West students returned to school Monday to finish out the year.
Pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students returned to West Elementary School, a little over a mile away from the West Fertilizer Co. plant that caught fire and exploded Wednesday night.
Baylor will host a memorial service Thursday at the Ferrell Center for the 11 first responders killed in the West explosion.
Doors open at 1 p.m. and the service begins at 2 p.m.. A procession beginning at 11 a.m. will immediately precede the service.
The center of the massive explosion at West Fertilizer Co., has been located.
According to Assistant Texas Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner at a press conference Sunday morning, the epicenter of the blast has been found and investigators will be working inward from areas with the least damage to areas with the most damage.
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.