As Texas Burns, Contract Dispute Grounds Firefighting Aircraft in California

A contract dispute with a California aviation company is keeping close to half the US Government's firefighting aircraft idle on the tarmac thousands of miles from fast-moving wildfires in Texas that have killed at least two people, scored more than 100,000 acres and destroyed nearly 1400 homes in the Lone Star state.

The U.S. Forest Service terminated the contract with Aero Union five weeks ago to operate seven P-3 Orions that are critical to the agency’s firefighting mission, leaving the federal government with 11 tankers under contract to help battle more than 50 large uncontained wildfires now burning nationwide.

That’s down from 40 tankers used by the Forest Service just a decade ago, according to Rep. Dan Lungren (R.-Calif.), chairman of the House Committee on Administration, who is challenging the decision to dismiss the largest provider of heavy air-tanker support to the federal government.

“We were certified to fly all season, but they just terminated us and threw 60 people out of work and left the country vulnerable to fires, as you can see right now in Texas,” said Britt Gourley, CEO for Aero Union.

“This is our 50th anniversary fighting fires for the Forest Service. It’s not quite the way we wanted to celebrate it,” Gourley said.

Gourley said the government did not provide details on why the contract was canceled, but that they did not agree with Aero Union’s 15-year maintenance plan.

“We wanted to sit down with them and ask why it was canceled and find a quick resolution, but they didn’t want to talk about it. They just said, ‘We don’t want the airplanes, have a nice life,’ ” Gourley said. “I had to let go of my staff–60 people and their families were devastated,” Gourley said. “It’s really been tragic.”

The Forest Service says it will not use aircraft that does not meet its requirements, and in this case that included the long-term airworthiness inspection program, although the company passed its annual inspection.

“Our main priority is protecting and saving lives, and we can’t in good conscience maintain an aviation contract where we feel lives may be put at risk due to inadequate safety practices,” said Tom Harbour, director of the Forest Services fire and aviation management program.

“This contract termination notwithstanding, we possess the aircraft support needed for this year’s fire season,” Harbour said.

The California-based comany has been in dire financial straights since the cancellation of the US Forest Service contract, missing their first lease payment on their space at the Chico, CA airport and had to lay off 60 employees.

In April 2011, the US State Department requested the use of two specially equipped C-130 cargo planes from the US Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing in Peterson AFB, Colorado to combat wildfires in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. Contrast that with taking nearly two months for any kind of federal disaster declaration from the Obama Administration when those same fires jumped the border and burned thousands and thousands of acres in west Texas.

Firefighters had made inroads Wednesday against the most destructive of the nearly two dozen wildfires that have scorched the Lone Star state since Labor Day weekend. The Bartsop county complex fire, just east of the state capital of Austin, has scorched at least 34,000 acres and nearly 500 homes and is thought to have killed two people as of Thursday.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who announced his presidential bid last month, cut short campaigning in South Carolina and help a new conference in Barstop on Monday after being briefed by public safety officials (although he did attend Wednesday night's televised GOP debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA).

Other wildfires in Texas include a 7000 acre fire southeast of spicewood and a 150 acre fire in Travis County that's burned 25 homes.

Tempest Sports Chowdah in a Tea Cup, Come on Irene Edition- Aug 29, 2011

RED SOX: After dealing with 104° heat in Arlington, TX for their four-game series against the Rangers (which the Red Sox won the final three in convincing fashion), the Red Sox headed back to Boston just in time for the approach of Hurricane Irene.



Upon returning to Fenway, not only did they have to deal with forces of nature, but an Oakland A's team that was still smarting from allowing an unprecedented three grand slams in one game to the New York Yankees in last Thursday's 22-9 spanking of Oakland (although the A's took the first two to win the series).



Tim Wakefield continued his futile, almost Groundhog Day-esque quest for 200 wins on Friday night- it did not end well, with A's starter Gio Gonzalez getting plenty of run support in Oakland's 15-5 win.



As bad as that was, Hurricane Irene's approach was of more concern. Although the worst of the storm was expected to move out of the region by Monday and the Red Sox had the day off, Oakland was supposed to play Cleveland that day. With the storm expected to arrive on Sunday, it was decided to play Sunday's game as part of a doubleheader on Saturday.



Jon Lester had to wait out two rain delays in Game 1 to get the 9-3 win, including a 2 hour and 15 min dealy in the 7th. Apparently Game 1 couldn't have been made official after 7 innings because that would've effectively cancelled game 2 according to MLB rules.



For Game 2 of the doubleheader, Erik Bedard gave up his second single of the day before nature once again intervened in the top of the 5th. After another rain delay (the 3rd on the day) play resumed with Alfredo Aceves on the mound going three hitless innings to get credit for the win.



After riding out the remnants of Irene and an off day on Monday, the Red Sox will host the Yankees beginning Tuesday night. The Yankees took two out of three games played against Baltimore in a series that also required some shuffling and rescheduling thanks to Hurricane Irene. Game 1 will feature CC Sabathia (17-7; 2.99 ERA) going up against John Lackey (12-9; 5.98 ERA). First pitch will be at 7:10 ET and the game will be televised on NESN and the MLB Network.



OTHER RED SOX NEWS: The Red Sox sent Ryan Lavarnaway down to Pawtucket this week. The catcher filled in for Big Papi while he missed a week with bursitis, batting .303 and with 3 RBIs over 7 games with Boston. Boston then very briefly called up RHP Scott Atcheson before sending him down to Pawtucket for RHP Micheal Bowden over the weekend. Bowden is 3-3 with a 2.73 ERA for the Paw Sox this season.

Brownwood, TX firefighter Shannon Stone w/son Cooper at fire station- Heather Klein Photo

OTHER MLB NEWS- TEXAS: The Texas Rangers announced plans to erect a statue in honor of Brownwood, TX fireman Shannon Stone who was killed in a fall at Rangers ballpark in Arlington, TX earlier this season while trying to catch a ball tossed up from the field.

The statue will depict Mr. Stone and his six-year-old son Cooper attending a Rangers game. The full-size bronze statue is likely to be located outside the home plate gate of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.



“We feel that this statue will be a most fitting tribute,” commented Rangers CEO and President Nolan Ryan. “It will not only serve to honor Mr. Stone’s memory but also to recognize Rangers fans and baseball fans everywhere.



“I have discussed the project with Jenny Stone, and she and the Stone family will be involved in the design and creation of the statue.”



Jenny Stone issued the following statement:



“We continue to be appreciative of Nolan Ryan and the Texas Rangers as we deal with the loss of Shannon. Shannon and Cooper had a special relationship, and we are touched and grateful that it will be memorialized at one of their favorite places. Our hope is that this statue will not be a symbol of our family tragedy but rather a reminder of the importance of a family's love - love of each other, love of spending time together, and love of the game.”



The Rangers, who will fund the project, are in the early stages of considering sculptors to design and create the statue.

The statue is tentatively titled 'Rangers Fans' and is expected to be completed in time for the 2012 season.



CLEVELAND: Jim Thome arrived back in Cleveland after being placed on waivers by the Minnesota Twins last week. With Tribe DH Travis Hafner out for the season and possibly needing foot surgery, Thome was acquired by the Indians after the Twins went 20 games under .500 and were 16 games out of 1st place before Thome was dealt.



Thome was initially drafted in the 13th round of the 1989 MLB draft and made his debut as a third baseman towards the end of the 1991 season. Thome left for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003 and has since logged time with the White Sox and Dodgers before the Twins signed him to a 1-year deal in 2010.



Earlier this summer, Thome hit career home run #600 with the Twins- that number is now 602. The veteran DH has a .277 batting average in his 20 year MLB career.



BALTIMORE: UMass alum and Cy Young winner Mike Flannigan was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head on his Maryland property last week. The Maryland state medical examiner ruled his death a suicide and friends and family said he had seemed despondent over financial issues.



Flannigan started out with Baltimore in the 1975 season winning a Cy Young in 1979 and the World Series in 1983. In 1987, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays where before returning to the O's for the 1991 and 1992 season. The left-hander had a career record of 167-143 and a 3.90 ERA. After retiring, Flannigan worked in the front office in Baltimore before becoming a color commentator on the team's TV network.



NFL: The Patriots might've missed Hurricane Irene with their preseason trip to the Motor City, but they came up empty against the Lions. In a game that was actually less exciting than any of the three rain delays at Fenway, Lions QB Matthew Stafford wetn 12-14 with 200 yards and 2 TDs in Detroit's 34-10 preseason win over New England.



A final preseason game is scheduled for Thursday night this week in which the Pats will take on the NY Giants at Foxboro.

Badger State Civility Update- Racine Firefighter Union Local Pulls Support of 9/11 Memorial Float

Rick Wood/Journal-Sentinel

An Oak Creek, WI fireman who invoked an obscure provision in Wisconsin state law to opt out of his union's political activities says that the union local that had initially supported his parade float has since backed out upon learning that he's a "fair share" union member

Under state law, public employees can drop out of the union and opt to pay just their "fair share" for the cost the union incurs for negotiating contracts. These nonvoting employees don't have to foot the bill for the union's political, social and ideological activities.

Officials say it is highly unusual for Wisconsin firefighters to ask to go fair share. But [Oak Grove FD Lieutenant] Gorniak - who describes himself as a born-again Christian who supports conservative politicians, including Gov. Scott Walker - filed his resignation letter and became a fair-share worker in late March or early April. He said he made the move in response to the protests in Madison over Walker's collective-bargaining plan.

The move is so rare that union officials are still, months later, trying to figure out how much Gorniak should pay to cover negotiating costs.

The theme of the parade float is the now-famous photo of the three New York firefighters raising the American flag amid the wreckage at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, with local firemen standing in for the FDNY firefighters in the photo.

In 2002, Gorniak and members of his church constructed the float that appeared in three different parades in Milwaukee County. It remained in storage until recently, when Gorniak and others were kicking around the idea of refurbishing it and participating in the Racine, WI Fourth Fest parade. Organizers of the Fourth Fest and the IAFF Local 321 were on board with Gorniak's float- at least until word got back to Local President Craig Ford. Gorniak said Ford, the union president, was on board initially.

"I think he would have hugged me at first," Gorniak said of Ford. The two even agreed to bring in a New York City Fire Department firefighter to march in the parade, with Racine picking up the cost. Gorniak continued, "I was beside myself with joy."

All of that changed a few days later.

"Craig said, 'I've got a question for you: Are you fair share?'" Gorniak said. "I said, 'What does that have to do with anything?' "

Ford decided to take the parade issue to his executive board. Before the vote, Gorniak said, he offered to back out and turn over the keys to the truck, letting Ford and other Racine firefighters lead the float through the parade.

It didn't work.

Gorniak said he was told a few days later that the board had voted not to support the float.

"The float is coming anyway," Gorniak said. "I'm going to run it with or without firefighters."

In 2002, three firefighters stood atop the float, and others from several South Shore fire departments walked solemnly along behind, often with their helmets under an arm.

Gorniak said he is offering an open invitation to any firefighter - union or not - who would like to join the float at Monday's parade.

The last thing he wants, he said, is the homemade tribute to become the latest battle ground in the state's collective-bargaining wars.

"I want to touch our community," Gorniak said. "I'm hoping patriotic people are out in droves, and they don't see this as union or nonunion."

While Ford and IAFF Local 321 officers in Racine may not have wanted anything to do with Gorniak's float, there have been requests for the float to appear in a parade for the upcoming Burger Days in Seymour, WI and South Milwaukee's Heritage Days parade, and its looks as though the float will still participate in Racine's Fourth Fest.

Forest Fire Kills 40, Forces Evacuation of 14,000 in Northern Israel

Evacuations continued across northern Israel as a massive wildfire was driven closer to the port city of Haifa by strong Easterly winds on Thursday night.

Over 15,000 residents, including 600 prison inmates, were evacuated as the blaze raged out of control, devastating hundreds of acres of pine forest before sweeping down the slopes of the Carmel plateau towards Israel's third largest city.

By mid-evening Thursday, fire chiefs had admitted publicly to losing control of the fire, believed to have started in an illegal landfill site.

As the flames neared the city limits, residents of Denya, an affluent district of Haifa – a busy port city and the north's economic heartland – were moved to safety.

Israeli firefighters are expected to get support from other countries- including the UK, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Greece- in the form of aircraft to help fight the out of control fire from above. Some of the aircraft arrived in Israel on early Friday morning.