PHOTOS: Murdo, South Dakota had only just gotten started as a town when disaster struck on a cold February night in 1910. A fire that was likely started by a hot stovepipe in a printing business on Main Street quickly spread to nearby buildings and destroyed an entire block of businesses before it finally burned itself out.
- PUB DATE: 11/23/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: South Dakota Public Broadcasting

The latest U.S. COVID-19 wave is taking its toll on some states’ intensive-care units, with several parts of the country seeing outbreaks that are as bad as ever. In 15 states, patients with confirmed or suspected COVID are taking up more ICU beds than a year earlier, according to Department of Health and Human Services data.
- PUB DATE: 11/23/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bloomberg - Metered Site

An East Valley School bus with no kids inside flipped over after a car crash in the Otis Orchards area of Spokane Valley on Monday morning. According to Spokane County Sheriff's Corporal Mark Gregory, the bus driver had finished his routes and was returning the bus when a BMW collided with it near the intersection of N Kenney Road and E Wellesley Avenue.
- PUB DATE: 11/23/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail will be happening in 2021. Santa will be driving a route throughout Burlington (Ontario) neighborhoods on an antique firetruck December 4 and 5, 2021* from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Santa will not be stopping to accept letters, milk, or cookies, or posing for photos,” the department says. “Please use caution and stay safe when near the road.”

Exact routes and times can be found here.

* December 12, 2021 is an inclement weather date. This date will be scheduled if a previous date is cancelled due to poor weather conditions. If more than one cancellation occurs, the first group of neighborhoods will be scheduled on this date. Cancellations will be announced by 9 a.m. that day and will be posted on this page and on the City’s social media channels.

Jackson (NH) officials approved the fire department’s request to order a new Class A pumper, reports conwaydailysun.com.

Though the board lacks the authority to actually buy the truck, it recommended acting quick as any delays could result in rising costs. The potential purchase/lease will go to voters at town meeting next spring, but the board has the authority to pre-order one immediately; should voters vote not to fund it, there would be an out clause in the contract, the report says.

There’s a 15- to 18-month wait time for delivery.

Related: Jackson (NH) Fire Department Pleas for New Station

The apparatus would replace the department’s 1989 Mack tanker, which is one of four in the department’s fleet; the other three are a 1996 Mack pumper, a 2004 Mack Central States, and a 2016 HMR Ahrens Fox STO, the report says.

Voters have approved allocating about $80,000 per year over the past several years to add to the fire equipment capital reserve fund, which now stands around $480,000, according to the report.