Overtime costs at the Los Angeles County Fire Department surged 36% in the last five years, placing some firefighters among the highest-compensated workers in local government. The increase comes as the department grapples with staffing shortages and several seasons of extreme wildfires. Yet some county officials and outside experts question whether fire commanders are properly managing their $1-billion payroll.
- PUB DATE: 10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times

There wasn’t a dry eye in Sunday's "Shark Tank." Kaley, Christian and Keira Young may have wowed the sharks with their late father’s invention, but it’s the Young family’s story that broke their hearts. “It was his dream to pitch it on 'Shark Tank,' ” Kaley said of the Cup Board Pro, a chopping board with a detachable bowl for easy cleanup.
- PUB DATE: 10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: USA Today

Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued another rebuke of Verizon, telling the cell provider in a terse press release that he expects the company to give him a plan today to restore service to the areas hit by Hurricane Michael, and that all cell providers should waive bills for October. The press release was addressed to all cell phone providers, but it singled out Verizon, which has struggled to restore service in Bay County, where Michael made landfall.
- PUB DATE: 10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times

A top FDNY official in charge of assessing aspiring firefighters has been hosed out of that role, The Post has learned. Margaret “Peg” Quinn-Puppa, deputy director of the FDNY’s candidate investigation division, “is assuming other duties in human resources,” said department spokesman Jim Long. Those duties are “outside” of candidate investigation, Long added without further comment.
- PUB DATE: 10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post

City leaders in Camas are researching a plan to create a regional fire authority that would respond to fires and emergencies within southeastern Clark County. The district would need to be approved by voters. It could include Camas, Washougal and an area currently managed by East County Fire & Rescue.
- PUB DATE: 10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KATU 2