LA Mayor Removes Fire Chief in Fallout From Palisades Blaze
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass removed Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, citing failures in the department’s response to the devastating Palisades wildfire. Bass appointed former LAFD Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as interim chief while the city launches …
SEC to Drop Lawsuit Against Coinbase, Firm Says
Coinbase said on Friday the U.S. securities regulator planned to withdraw its lawsuit against the crypto exchange, ending a contentious years-long legal battle once considered existential for the trading platform and the broader sector. The Securities and Exchange Commission has …
Ohio Ex-Police Officer Sentenced for Starting 26 Arson Fires in Wayne National Forest
A former Ohio fire department administrator and police officer was sentenced in federal court here to 18 months in prison for starting dozens of arson fires in Wayne National Forest. James A. Bartels, 52, of Rio Grande, Ohio, started 26 …
People Moves: People Moves: Brown & Riding appoints Conyers, Jr. Energy Practice Leader
Brown & Riding, headquartered in Dallas, appointed Robert Conyers, Jr., as energy practice leader. Conyers joined Brown & Riding in 2017 and became a principal in 2023. As energy practice leader, he will focus on developing and growing talent within …
People Moves: Alliant Hires Leadley, Pelletiere and Rhatigano as Commercial Surety VPs
Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Irvine, California, hired Jeff Leadley, Glenn Pelletiere and Tom Rhatigan as senior vice presidents in Alliant Specialty, within the company’s national commercial surety practice. The commercial surety industry leaders specialize in developing and managing large, …
Hawaii’s Kilauea Again Spewing Lava in Its 10th Episode
Kilauea volcano began shooting lava into the air once again on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has been erupting on and off for nearly two months since it burst to life on …
OID Announces Zip Codes for Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Grant Pilot Program
The Oklahoma Department of Insurance shared eight zip codes for the initial pilot launch of OKReady, the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes (SOH) program. SOH provides grants of up to $10,000 to homeowners to fortify homes pursuant to the IBHS Fortified standard. …
North Dakota Insurance Department Recovers Over $2M in 2024
The North Dakota Insurance Department recovered over $2 million for policyholders across the state in 2024, helping over 1,500 customers, Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread announced. As a consumer protection agency, the Department works with individuals facing issues with health, life, …
Texas Bill Would Allow Vacant Offices to be Converted Into Dwellings
As Texas’ major urban areas grapple with a glut of vacant offices, state lawmakers may make it easier to transform empty office and commercial space into dwellings. A bill by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican, would effectively allow …
AM Best: US P/C Industry Improves Despite 2024 Underwriting Loss
The U.S. property/casualty industry took another underwriting loss in 2024, but results improved thanks to rate increases and changes in risk selection. A report from industry rating agency AM Best this week said U.S. P/C insurers posted an underwriting loss …
Birkenstock Sandals Are Pieces of Design and Not Protected by Copyright: German Court
Birkenstock sandals, which have evolved from a symbol of counterculture to a trendy fashion item, do not qualify as art and are therefore not protected by copyright, Germany’s highest civil court ruled on Thursday. The Federal Court of Justice dismissed …
People Moves: Price Forbes Rebrands Turkey Operations, Making 3 Key Appointments
Price Forbes, the London-based broker, has announced three key appointments in Turkey and a rebranding of its local business. Gökçen Süer has been named chairman & CEO of Price Forbes Turkey while Ali Arısoy was appointed chief broking officer and …
Georgia Commissioner Proposes New Rules on Lithium Batteries, Mobile Homes
The Georgia Office of insurance commissioner will hold a hearing March 20 on new rules regarding fire safety, including the storage of lithium-ion batteries, as well as new permitting rules for mobile homes. The first set of rules would bring …
Tesla Recalls 380,000 Vehicles Over Power Steering Assist Issue
Tesla said on Friday it was recalling nearly 380,000 vehicles in the United States due to a power steering assist failure that could increase steering effort, particularly at low speeds, potentially raising the risk of a crash. The recall follows …
Chilean Men Charged With Burglarizing Homes of Mahomes, Burrow, Other Players
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seven men from Chile have been charged in Florida federal court with orchestrating burglaries at the homes of prominent professional athletes around the country, according to a criminal complaint. The FBI complaint doesn’t name the …
Woman Sues Georgia Fertility Clinic, Saying She Gave Birth to Another Woman’s Baby
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Krystena Murray became pregnant after undergoing in vitro fertilization two years ago, and said she was unaware until she gave birth that the fertility clinic had made a fateful mistake. In December 2023, Murray delivered a …
Intel Resolves Antisemitism Lawsuit, Case Is Dismissed
A Jewish former employee of Intel has resolved his lawsuit accusing the chipmaker of firing him after he complained about an openly antisemitic supervisor, the former employee’s lawyer said on Thursday. Lawyers for Intel and the anonymous plaintiff John Doe, …
People Moves: Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Names Swartz Chief Growth Officer
Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company, headquartered in Towson, Maryland, named Jodi M. Swartz as the company’s senior vice president and chief growth officer. Swartz has more than 20 years of C-suite and leadership experience, most recently serving as senior vice president, …
Update: Finland, Sweden Investigate Suspected Sabotage of Baltic Sea Telecoms Cable
Swedish and Finnish police are investigating a suspected case of sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea, and Sweden’s coast guard has deployed a vessel to the area where multiple seabed cables have been damaged in recent …
Pro-Russian Hackers Attack Italian Websites After President’s Comments About Ukraine
A pro-Russian hacker group attacked Italian government websites on Tuesday [Feb. 18] in what it said was a reaction to a speech by Italian President Sergio Mattarella that compared Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the Nazis ‘ “wars of conquest.” …