Kootenai County Fire and Rescue service district approved the addition of a temporary levy ballot for the May 19, 2026 election, which aims to find funding to meet increased service demands. The temporary levy would authorize the district to collect up to $5.2 million per year starting on October 1, 2026 and ending on September 30, 2028. The district said the estimated annual cost to taxpayers would be $37.77 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property value.

The funding would be used for staffing, equipment and operational needs for emergency response services, the district said. The district wrote that it operates under a state law limiting property tax budget growth to 3% a year, “even as communities grow and emergency service demands increase.” “Recent community outreach helped clarify what residents want from us,” Chief Peter Holley said.

“People understand our core fire and EMS services, but they also want clearer information about the full range of services we provide, how those services are funded, and what this measure would mean for taxpayers. We also heard that many residents were more open to a temporary levy than a permanent one. We strive to listen to the community we serve, and that feedback helped inform the proposal voters will see on the May ballot,” he continued.

KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

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VIDEO: One person was hospitalized due to smoke inhalation and cuts after a neighbor helped rescue them from a house fire in Monroe on Wednesday morning. The fire department said they were investigating a heating blanket used outside for cats as the potential cause. Crews responded to the fire in the 13800 block of Chain Lake Road near Rainier View Road around 5:37 a.m. on Wednesday, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue said. Two adults and a child escaped the fire when it broke out and realized there was one other people still inside the home.

The person became trapped in an upstairs room when conditions deteriorated.A neighbor put a ladder against the second-story window, and the person got out. The person was transported to Harborview Medical Center with smoke and cut injuries, according to the fire agency. Fire crews got the fire under control within 40 minutes, according to Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue. The house sustained “significant damage,” and a Snohomish County Fire Marshal was on scene to determine the official cause.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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Stryker, a U.S. medical equipment company in Portage, Michigan, reported a cyberattack disrupting its global networks.

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A barn burned down Monday morning near Everson, impacting some livestock inside, according to Whatcom County Fire District 1 Chief Rachel Carlson. Firefighters were dispatched to the building on Hampton Road at 4:24 a.m. on March 9, Carlson told The Bellingham Herald. The fire was already fully involved when the 911 call came in, and the barn had collapsed in on itself, she said.

The barn was located in a remote location with no nearby fire hydrants, so crews had to use water tenders to put out the flames, according to Carlson. Crews cleared the scene around 9:20 a.m. No human injuries were reported. Carlson said she was unsure how many animals were impacted. The cause of the fire appears to have been accidental. There was no evidence of suspicious circumstances, according to Deb Slater with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

The Bellingham Herald – Metered Site

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A barn burned down Monday morning near Everson, impacting some livestock inside, according to Whatcom County Fire District 1 Chief Rachel Carlson. Firefighters were dispatched to the building on Hampton Road at 4:24 a.m. on March 9, Carlson told The Bellingham Herald. The fire was already fully involved when the 911 call came in, and the barn had collapsed in on itself, she said.

The barn was located in a remote location with no nearby fire hydrants, so crews had to use water tenders to put out the flames, according to Carlson. Crews cleared the scene around 9:20 a.m. No human injuries were reported. Carlson said she was unsure how many animals were impacted. The cause of the fire appears to have been accidental. There was no evidence of suspicious circumstances, according to Deb Slater with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

The Bellingham Herald – Metered Site

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