A Houston Republican is starting to pay a hefty price as she runs for re-election for running afoul with police and firefighter unions in Texas. In the last to Legislature sessions, State Sen. Joan Huffman has sponsored legislation to make it harder for many public worker unions to collect membership dues.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

The bitter contract dispute between the city and the firefighters’ union could last much longer than the year deadline that City Council members hope. Syracuse attorney Nathaniel Lambright, who is representing the Watertown Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 191, warned on Tuesday that the labor dispute may not be resolved for another two to 2½ years while it continues through the lengthy appeal process.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Watertown Daily Times

Hillsborough County officials fired a Fire Rescue medic Tuesday after an internal investigation concluded he had "unwavering loyalty" to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club — the state’s dominant biker gang. Clinton Neal Walker, 33, of Bradenton is the first Hillsborough County employee to be investigated for gang activity under a series of countywide ordinances sparked by Walker’s own arrest last September over starting a bar fight in Key West.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Bay.com

The Wichita Fire Department has completed an administrative investigation and concluded that no employee gave a rapper permission to use a fire truck in a music video posted to YouTube. In the video, rappers Blue Scrilla and Pj can be seen rapping both inside of and in front of a Station 15 Wichita Fire Department truck.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Wichita Eagle & Kansas.com

Longview (TX) Fire Department 100-foot rear-mount platform quint. Velocity cab and chassis; Detroit DD13 525-hp engine; Pierce PUC 1,500-gpm single-stage pump.