Pinellas County, Florida fire: The vacant building that used to house the bar Big Ed’s Hideaway in Lealman was destroyed overnight. No injuries were reported in the two-alarm fire. Watch news coverage.  

Story in Loudoun County drags on: Reporters seem to keep asking questions but there are apparently few definitive answers as to why the chief of the Middleburg VFD and four firefighters resigned at the same time the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation of the department. Click here for the latest.  

Firefighters knife under bunkroom pillow may be the third strike: Jordan Jostes says he is getting ready to leave the South Bend Fire Department to join the Marines. But the department may hasten his departure. Backed by the union, Jostes is trying to explain why he would keep a Bowie knife under his pillow at the firehouse. The firefighter doesn’t consider the knife a weapon. The South Bend Tribune reports Jostes has had other troubles including calling in sick while working another job and we reported on an issue of a picture of a patient that ended up on the firefighters Facebook page. Here’s the most recent story.  

State investigators making sure Stockton, California firefighters don’t practice ALS: A long-standing dispute has forced Stockton out of the ALS business after 34-years. Read the details.  

Two from Geezer you should look at: An embezzler is forcing an Indiana fire department to shut down for lack of funds on January 1. Click here for that story. Also, in Plainfield, New Jersey and ambulance crew must have been thinking that medicinal marijuana is part of their ALS protocols. It isn’t. They have been busted. Here’s that story.  

Boston IAFF president back on the ladder with eyes on state post: Ed Kelly has made a lot of headlines as the president of IAFF Local 718 in his battles with Mayor Thomas Menino. Kelly is stepping down and hopping aboard Ladder 17, Boston’s busiest. But Kelly isn’t through with the union. He is considering running for president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts. Read more.   

Half-million dollars in fire SUVs sit without radios: Right after making headlines about 90 cop cars that sat idle, the fleet services folks in Memphis, Tennessee are having a similar problem with 20 Chevy Tahoes ordered by the fire department. The fire SUVs arrived in May but they still don’t have radios. Check it out.  

New Pierce dealer in mid-Atlantic as old one has charges dropped: Atlantic Emergency Solutions is now taking over the territory for Pierce that used to belong to Singer Associates Fire Equipment. Details are here. While we were on the road InsideNova.com had this update on molestation charges against Dick Singer- “Richard Dennis Singer was scheduled to stand trial on 13 felony charges Monday, but prosecutors declared the charges nolle prosequi, meaning they do not wish to prosecute him at this time. The charges can be brought again later.”