West, Texas is a small town of 2,807 people which has been utterly devastated by an explosion and fire at a fertilizer plant that has killed 15 to 70 people and injured another 160 or more. Waco, Texas is a small city of 124,805 about 19 miles away from West.
So why all are the news media reporting an explosion in Waco?
(1) West, Texas is a confusing name because West Texas also refers to a region in a different part of Texas.
(2) The 1993 Waco siege between the FBI and the Branch Davidians took place outside of Waco.
(3) President George W. Bush appeared in a lot of news reports at his ranch near Waco (actually nearer to Crawford, Texas).
(4) New reporters are geographically impaired, and so deserve our sympathy not our contempt.
Waco may make a better story but the actual tragedy occurred in West. My heart goes out to the people of West.
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