It is official, the Springfield fire department's budget is getting back the $1.4 million that was cut from it less than five months ago. Springfield fire chief Brandon Blough said the city council was sending the fire department a message and that the message was received. Blough said the message was that the department has to be better stewards of the people's money and control costs whenever possible. Blough said he will continue to look at ways to run the department more effectively but is extremely happy the money is coming back. "They meant business," Blough said. "But at the same time, we are grateful that they were also able to understand that in order for us to operate as a fire department and provide the services that the community needs, we needed that money back."  

Arsons, bomb threats, and vandalism – we have been asking for months, and now for the first time, we are learning about the crimes keeping Illinois unemployment offices closed. Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary for Gov. JB Pritzker's office, said in a statement that more two dozen "significant incidents" have been investigated at 12 Illinois unemployment offices in every region of the state since March 2020. They include acts of arson, vandalism, and bomb threats, "among other acts of violence," Abudayyeh wrote. "Individuals have also shown up at IDES employees' private residences threatening physical violence. This is in addition to countless threats made over phone, via email, and mail throughout the pandemic," Abudayyeh wrote. "Due to the pending investigations IDES is not able to share specific information."  

Three fires happened in East St. Louis, Illinois within ten hours Tuesday into Wednesday. Assistant Chief George McClellan of the East St. Louis Fire Department explained the circumstances surrounding the fires. A fire started at about 5:00 p.m. Tuesday in a pallet yard. There was heavy smoke and some pallets and tires were on fire. McClellan said the pallet yard doesn't have any electricity or gas. He believes the fire was a result of arson, however, he said no one was on the scene at the time. The next two fires were structure fires. FOX 2's Nissan Rogue Runner reporter Jason Maxwell was at the scene.  

It was a terrifying lunch hour for some in downtown Evanston on Tuesday, as a car plowed into diners sitting outside at a café. As CBS 2's Jim Williams reported, regular customers at Aloha Poke, at Orrington Avenue and Davis Street, were sitting enjoying a meal as usual around 11 a.m. when a car hit the curb. "It appears they were sitting there eating lunch, and the car somehow lost control – police are investigating – and ended up striking two people," said Evanston Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Lynch. The workers at Aloha Poke were preparing meals at the time. They were startled by the sound right outside the restaurant. "I just saw a few of the customers run out, and all of a sudden I see this car, and two women on the ground," said employee Claire Price.  

PHOTOS: A beat-up, rose-red-and-gray metal bucket with a rounded bottom dangles from an iron hook at the Manassas Volunteer Fire Company Museum. In black capital letters, it bears the word "F-I-R-E." Because of its rounded bottom, it teeter-totters and spills its contents if you try to sit it upright. The bucket has this design to deter thefts, in case a 1941 firefighter left it unattended. It is one of hundreds of firefighting artifacts displayed in the museum by the company, established in 1892. There's more: a 1940s breathing apparatus for surviving in a smoky building and several alarms from pre-siren days. In 1910, a firefighter stomped on a pedal on a 1909 Howe truck's floorboard to sound a gong.  

The 59th Annual TEEX Industrial Fire School began this week. This week alone, around 500 students are gearing up at the TEEX Brayton Fire Training Field. They are gaining hands-on experience within the fire industry, including leadership and communication skills. "We are so blessed to have this facility so close to us," a student said. Since 1929, the Annual Fire Training Schools have trained thousands of fire service and emergency personnel. This week, the focus is on industrial workers. "These students are primarily from the energy sector... refining polymer plants... chemical plants.. Tank farms... They are people who produce a product," Gordon Lohmeyer, TEEX ESTI Division Director said. "So far it's been great... got world-class facilities, world-class instruction. A lot of learning opportunities," Joel White, a student with the TEEX Industrial Fire School said.  

VIDEO: Black smoke could be seen billowing from across the Mississippi River late Tuesday afternoon as firefighters responded to a warehouse fire in East St. Louis. The fire happened near the intersection of E. Broadway and N. 17th Street. The smoke began to be noticed around 5:30 p.m., though it's unclear exactly when the fire started. According to the East St. Louis Fire Department, scores of tires are ablaze inside the building.  

A D.C. firefighter who spent the night responding to emergency calls returned to the fire station Tuesday morning to find his car was gone. Engine 21 in the 1700 block of Lanier Place NW in Adams Morgan is one of the District's busier fire stations and spent the night responding to back-to-back emergency calls. At 5:30 a.m., firefighters discovered someone stole a Chevy Cruze that had been parked on a concrete pad in front of the station. The car thief entered the station and removed the victim's keys from his locker, according to the police report. The firefighter's car was the second car stolen in that same block of Lanier Place in three days. On Saturday evening, a driver who left her Toyota Camry running while making a delivery watched as someone drove away in her car.  

A rescue-turned-firedog in Orange County now has a book written about him - after the popular pooch became an internet sensation last year. Nick, the Newburgh firedog, is not only one of the guys at the city fire department, he's also an internet sensation on TikTok. His fame is due to Assistant Chief Tim Dexter, who posted Nick on TikTok last year, which got 86,000 views - and gave Dexter the idea to write a children's book about him. Nick's story began in 2016 when firefighters found him - ironically, tied to a fire hydrant. "He was just really kind and got along with all the firemen working. He ended up staying here forever," says Dexter. Nick goes on calls and helps firefighters teach kids about fire prevention. He's well known locally, but the book may take his stardom to the next level.