Skagit County Fire District 6, which serves north Skagit County, is considering asking voters in the district to approve an increase in property taxes to help pay for services. According to news release from the fire district, revenue is not keeping up with an increase in demand for services, and higher call volumes are leading to longer response times.
- PUB DATE: 5/2/2023 9:00:00 PM - SOURCE: Skagit Valley Herald

Smoke is billowing into the air in Tacoma after a fire broke out at Buddy's Home Furnishings on Pacific Ave. Fire officials told FOX 13 there were no immediate reports of injuries. It's too soon to know what may have caused the fire.
- PUB DATE: 5/2/2023 2:24:00 PM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Seattle

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A huge fire totally engulfed and destroyed a Bedminster Florist this past weekend. The Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department was called to the fire at 15 Tuttle Ave. at the corner of Route 2o2 in Bedminster on Saturday, April 29 at 12:10 a.m. Firefighters arrived at 12:16 a.m. to a fully involved structure fire and two partially involved secondary structures, according to Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 5/2/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Basking Ridge Patch

The Kittitas County Fire Chiefs Association has raised their concerns about existing road variance procedures within Kittitas County’s government. According to a letter obtained by a Daily Record public records request sent April 13 to Kittitas County’s Dan Carlson, the director of Community Development Services and the Variance Committee from the Kittitas County Fire Chiefs Association President Brandon Schmidt, the fire chiefs are seeing variances granted “strictly for aesthetic or economic reasons with no consideration as to mitigation of risk.
- PUB DATE: 5/2/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Daily Record

VIDEOS: A dust storm in central Illinois led to a pile-up crash of more than 70 cars that killed six people and injured more than 30 others Monday. Crushed vehicles lined the expressway south of Springfield, closing a nearly 20-mile stretch of I-55. Authorities continued to work to clear that stretch of the expressway, which they said was back open to traffic shortly after 6 a.
- PUB DATE: 5/2/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago