Day of Mourning

President Barack Obama joins crowd of mourners at West memorial service

Thousands of people gathered at Baylor University's Ferrell Center in Waco to remember 12 people who died fighting a devastating fertilizer plant fire on April 17. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended the service, flying in from the morning dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center at SMU.

"We are here to say you are not alone. You are not forgotten. We may not all live here in Texas, but we’re neighbors too. We’re Americans too," Obama said to great applause. He then added, "We’ll be there even after the cameras leave."

"We may not all live here in Texas, but we’re neighbors too. We’re Americans too," President Obama said.

The victims honored at the April 25 memorial were Morris Bridges, 41; Perry Calvin, 37; Jerry Chapman, 26; Cody Dragoo, 50; Kenneth Harris, 52; Jimmy Matus, 52; Joey Pustejovsky, 29; Cyrus Reed, 29; Kevin Sanders, 33; Doug Snokhaus, 50; Robert Snokhaus, 48; and William "Buck" Uptmor Jr., 45.

The Waco Tribune-Herald reports that "honorary firefighters" Matus and Uptmor joined the flag-draped caskets of 10 firefighters for a total of 12 memorial honorees.

Baylor president Kenneth Starr, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Gov. Rick Perry all spoke at the service, praising the bravery and selflessness of the men who lost their lives.

"First responders know better than anyone that there is no such thing as a routine emergency," Perry said. "We will never forget what happened here, nor forget the sacrifices of those who first responded."

Each of the families offered heartfelt video tributes to the departed. They told stories about their everyday lives, from first jobs at ice cream shops to a love of riding horses and going fishing, as well as their selfless service to others.

Morris Bridges lost his life fighting the fertilizer plant fire. His wife says before leaving to fight the fire, Bridges picked up his 2-year-old son and said, "Daddy loves you, and I’ll be right back."

Thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to 12 of the victims of the West fertilizer plant explosion.

West, Texas, memorial service April 2013 faces in the crowd

WFAA.com live streaming

Thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to 12 of the victims of the West fertilizer plant explosion.

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income news

Here is how Texans' income compares to the rest of the U.S. in 2025

SimplifyYourMoney.com

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Hardworking Texans are making less money per year than the national median, a new WalletHub study has revealed.

The just-released report, "States Where People Have the Highest Income," found Texas workers are making a median annual income of $73,718, compared to the national median of $81,000 per year.

The study examined the average annual income of the top five percent, the average income of the bottom 20 percent, and the median income for all residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Income was adjusted for the cost of living.

Texas ranked 11th in the study's rankings of states where residents have the highest incomes, moving up one spot from its 2024 ranking. Virginia claimed the No. 1 spot, followed by New Jersey (No. 2) and New York (No. 3).

Based on WalletHub's findings, the top five percent of Texans are making more than $504,000 per year. Meanwhile, the bottom 20 percent of Texas residents are making only $17,461 annually.

In a major city like Dallas, income disparities may appear to be even wider than other Texas cities. Earning a "comfortable" wage in Dallas now costs $4,000 more than it did last year, and being a middle-class earner means making a minimum of $46,743 a year and as much as $140,242. Making a six-figure salar y doesn't even go as far as it used to.

Yet Dallas still ranks among the top 10 wealthiest cities in America with 16 billionaires and 135 multi-millionaires calling the city home. Even Dallas' suburbs are attracting more high-income households than many other U.S. cities.

"The highest-earning 10 percent of individuals in the United States earn over 12 times more than those in the lowest-earning 10 percent, based on the latest Census data," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "By measuring the income of various percentiles against a state's median income, we can better identify where income disparities are more prevalent, which could help us better understand why residents of certain states struggle more to make ends meet."

The top 10 states with residents earning the highest income are:

No. 1 – Virginia
No. 2 – New Jersey
No. 3 – New York
No. 4 – Connecticut
No. 5 – Washington
No. 6 – Utah
No. 7 – Minnesota
No. 8 – Colorado
No. 9 – Illinois
No. 10 – Massachusetts

texas wallethub reports income dallas