A Marysville construction worker is recovering from serious injuries after a firework he picked up exploded, blowing off one of his hands and injuring the other. “It blew one of them completely off past the wrist,” said Christopher Rankin, 32. “The other (hand) got torn to pieces, but I can still use my right hand, though.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: q13 fox

Snohomish County has launched a text-to-911 service, joining Kitsap County in offering the service. SNOCOM, which handles communications for Snohomish County, will accept text messages meant for situations when a phone call will not work. The system is aimed at helping people in dangerous situations like a domestic violence call, home invasion or kidnapping where a call cannot be made.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: king5

A 79-year-old man was killed when his house burned in a fire that investigators say started by a neighbor's trash burn. A man and woman were burning trash and other items in a backyard concrete pit behind their home near Olympia Tuesday night when the fire got out of hand and spread to a nearby bush, according to Thurston County Sheriff's officials.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO NEWS

A Yakima Fire Department lieutenant has been formally charged with having sex with a 17-year-old student he was teaching at a local school. Joseph Chinco, 51, was charged Tuesday with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and witness tampering, for trying to get her to withdraw her accusation, said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Steve Jackson.
- PUB DATE: 7/7/2015 6:36:06 PM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic