Sorry for my absence from the blog yesterday; I was knee deep in deadlines. But there's some good news today for the Rockford Fire Department. Last night's election results show the department's annual operations levy is passing with 67.8 percent approval. It will collect $12,500 in 2013 and represents 40 percent of the department's budget.

The department tried to pass the replacement levy last November and it failed with a 56 percent yes vote, short of the 60 percent supermajority needed. It was the first time the annual levy had failed in years.

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