» Investigation Continues in Fourth of July Fire

Four origin-and-cause investigators continue to study the blaze that consumed the restaurant and home belonging to Ione residents Scott and Chris Baumgardner around 11 p.m. the Fourth of July. Although the log cabin still stands, everything else the Baumgardners had has been reduced to cinder. Fire investigators Chris Smith from Fire District No. 8 and Leonard Pielli from Fire District No. 3 began work on the fire Saturday, July 5. Two more origin-and-cause investigators from Spokane fire districts assisted Monday, July 7: investigator Gary McBride from Spokane Fire District No. 4 and origin-and-cause instructor Doug Bleeker from Spokane Fire District No. 9. Pielli and Smith lead the investigation, which collected the last written witness statements Monday afternoon, July 14.  READ MORE

» Fire Districts Seek Merger at Election

Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 will host two informational meetings for public input on the merger of three south county fire districts. The first meeting will be held July 14 at 7:00 p.m. at Fire District No. 3’s station 31 on Highway 2 near Diamond Lake. The second meeting will be held July 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Sacheen Lake fire station No. 32 on Highway 211. 

The public meetings will be held to answer questions from the fire commissioners and the public. District No. 3 Fire chief Mark Havener has invited the commissioners, leaders and community of Fire District Nos. 1, 3 and 7 to attend.

Each meeting will include a discussion of ongoing consolidation efforts. Paperwork for the merger will be presented for the boards’ review. The paperwork includes an environmental impact statement and a petition for merger. Fire District No. 3 commissioners are expected to review the documents and then rule on those documents July 28. READ MORE

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 INFORMATION