When Daniel Baergen, a volunteer firefighter of over 20 years with Grant County Fire District No. 6, left church Sunday morning with his wife, Dawn Baergen, they had hoped to make a quick trip to the grocery store and get back home in time for the Seahawks game. Only hours after Gov. Jay Inslee announced that restaurants would have to close indoor dining by Wednesday, the pair decided to go out to eat one last time, grabbing lunch in Ephrata and ordering their groceries online while they waited.
- PUB DATE: 11/23/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Columbia Basin Herald

Across the United States, hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients have reached an all-time high. In Washington state, the story goes the same. As of Saturday, there are a record 762 people receiving care for the virus and now all hospitals are working to figure out ways to keep beds available. “I am very, very worried about it,” said Cassie Sauer, CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association.
- PUB DATE: 11/23/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KIMA-TV CBS/CW+ 29 Yakima

A massive fire destroyed at least one building in Orange County. A large fire broke out around 11 a.m. on Thursday in Middletown at a large commercial building on Midland Avenue. The blaze also started a number of brush fires behind the building. "On Thursday 11/19/2020 Middletown FD was alerted to a structure fire on Midland Avenue Extension.
- PUB DATE: 11/20/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Hudson Valley Post

The Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department says firefighters who have been exposed to COVID-19 but who have not tested positive should continue to work. The fire department says that since the virus hit, 67 members have tested positive. There are more than 400 members of the firefighters union. "I think it's creating a potentially dangerous situation for both the firefighters and the public," said union president J.
- PUB DATE: 11/20/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KMBC-TV ABC 9 Kansas City

The owners of two smoking and vaping supply stores in downtown Los Angeles where a large explosion left several firefighters seriously injured struck plea deals with prosecutors Thursday that call for their businesses to pay more than $100,000 to the city. As part of the agreement with the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, the retail businesses, Smoke Tokes and Green Buddha, must pay the Los Angeles Fire Department roughly $127,000 to compensate the agency for the investigation into the May 16 blast, which rocked downtown L.
- PUB DATE: 11/20/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times - Metered Site