This week’s watchwords Fourth of July
Burn ban
Independence Day is Saturday, with a variety of local events and celebrations planned. See Page A4 for times and locations.
In effect for state forests, state parks and forests managed by the state Department of Natural Resources. Only campfires in designated firepits are allowed.
MONDAY, 06.29.2015
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EVERETT, WASHINGTON
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Summer slump Fight it with Sno-Isle Libraries’ Explore Summer program, which lets kids and teens track their reading and offers learning activities at local libraries while school is out, to keep kids from falling behind academically.
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Firework risks rise with heat Green
light for roads package Lawmakers agree to an 11.9-cent hike in the gas tax to pay for transportation projects. By Jerry Cornfield Herald Writer
part of his hand amputated after holding a Roman Candle that exploded. Fireworks behave in uncontrollable and unpredictable ways, in particular ones that shoot into the air, Robinson said. They can land on roofs and porches, or in bushes next to the siding on homes. “In my history, before fireworks were banned, it was quite common to go to fires where the entire roof would burn off the top of the house,” Robinson said.
OLYMPIA – It’s taken extra time but on Sunday state lawmakers said they have agreed to boost the gas tax to pay for billions of dollars of highway projects and public transportation. The proposal spans 16 years and would raise roughly $15 billion for the state’s transportation system, much of it from an 11.9cent increase in the gas tax. That money will be spent to maintain roads, build new ones, repair bridges and construct a new vessel for the Washington State Ferries. It also puts money into expanding bus services, pedestrian walkways and bike paths. “I think we reached a very fair place, a good middle ground on all the issues,” said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee. While a list of projects was not publicly released Sunday, Snohomish County fared well, according to two lawmakers. “We’re going to see massive investments,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, who along with Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, were involved in the final talks. “Our toughest bottlenecks
See FIREWORKS, Page A2
See ROADS, Page A2
KEVIN CLARK / THE HERALD
Gunner Hendricks stacks fireworks Saturday at a stand in the Fred Meyer parking lot in Monroe.
Extremely dry conditions add to worries as July 4th approaches By Rikki King and Noah Haglund Herald Writers
EVERETT — Hot, dry weather, mixed in with a holiday that’s celebrated with flames and flammables, has firefighters worried about the approaching Fourth of July. Nervous homeowners are making their fire concerns known, too. Usually, rain brings reprieve each year around the same time as the holiday, tamping down the concern of blazes, said
Brad Reading, an assistant chief at Snohomish County Fire District 1. “This year is really dry,” he said. “And we don’t see any rain coming.” Fireworks have been banned in Everett for nearly 20 years but can be seen and heard in the city every year, Fire Marshal Rick Robinson said. These are the worst conditions for the holiday he has ever seen. “We are extremely vulnerable to fires in general and, certainly, as we approach the Fourth, fires caused by fireworks,” he said.
Everett police plan to assign teams during the holiday weekend to enforce fireworks laws, officer Aaron Snell said. Any fireworks found being used illegally will be seized. People lighting them off face fines and jail time. Last year, 26 fireworks-related fires were reported in Snohomish County, according to a state report. And fires aren’t the only problem. Hospitals in the county reported 31 people being treated for injuries from fireworks. One victim was 5 years old, injured by sparklers. Another child had
$385K settlement reached in deadly Broadway crash EVERETT — Frank Blair will tell you Everett is a great city where he’s met some compassionate and caring people. There was the firefighter who never left his daughter’s side as others worked to cut apart her wrecked car to reach her. Two
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Everett police detectives were endlessly patient with Blair and his wife, Carol. The officers kept the couple up-to-date on the investigation and accompanied them to court hearings. Their daughter and her three friends were southbound on Broadway in 2010 when a drunken driver went the wrong way and smashed into them.
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Business . . . . .A6 Classified . . . . B5
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Sheena Blair, 24, and Martin “Tony” Ramirez, 19, died in Everett. Luis Reyna and Marco Ortiz were seriously injured. The city recently settled lawsuits with Reyna and Ortiz and the estates of the Blair and Ramirez. Everett agreed to pay out a total of $385,000. Reyna continues to suffer medical issues because of the crash,
Hello, Newman A museum about nothing: To mark its streaming release of all nine seasons of the sitcom “Seinfeld,” Hulu has recreated comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment and scenes familiar to fans, such as Monk’s Cafe and the Festivus Pole (Page B4). The museum is free but Dear Abby. . . . B3 Horoscope . . . B8
his attorney Kyle Olive said. This settlement doesn’t fully compensate him, but it does spare him from a trial. Reyna lives in Texas and has two small children. “We’re not vengeful people. This always has been about justice, not vengeance,” Frank Blair said. “We want our friends in Everett to be safe. We don’t want anyone else getting that knock on
the gift shop is selling items including “Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That” wedding invitations, “I Was in the Pool” swim trunks and “Spongeworthy” contraceptives. Harry! The Musical: A new Harry Potter story by author J.K. Rowling is in production, but this time
Lottery . . . . . .A2 Obituaries. . . .A4
Opinion. . . . . .A7 Short Takes . . . B4
it’s not a novel or movie but a theatrical play set to open at London’s Palace Theatre a year from now (Page B4). In light of the difficulties in staging the web-slinging scenes in the Broadway flop, “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” Rowling has replaced the big Quidditch fling broom scene with an epic game of cornhole. Sports . . . . . . . C1 Winners . . . . . B1
the door.” That was part of the reason that the Blairs filed the lawsuit against the city. They believe the intersection at Old Broadway just north of the Evergreen Cemetery is dangerous. The drunken driver missed the sharp right turn over the short See CRASH, Page A2
Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1613, a fire sparked by a cannon shot during a Shakespeare play destroyed London’s Globe Theatre (Today in History, Page B4). Note to J.K. Rowling: Instead of pyrotechnics, actors will have to yell “Pow!” when using magic wands. —Jon Bauer, Herald staff
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