Patricia Wells

West Virginia is finally moving ahead with two important studies aimed at reducing flood risks, nearly ten years after deadly floods struck the state in 2016. Governor Patrick Morrisey recently announced the state will partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study flood management strategies across 20 counties in the Kanawha River Basin, … Read more

Starting August 18, 2025, Rockford Mutual is expanding its commercial insurance offerings into Michigan. The company will introduce a variety of products including Businessowners Policies (BOP), Commercial Package Policies (CPP), and Commercial Umbrella coverage. These options aim to help local businesses find the right protection for their needs. Rockford Mutual has built its reputation by … Read more

The Alabama Department of Insurance has asked insurance companies for new information on how liability coverage impacts the cost of claims. In a bulletin released Thursday, Commissioner Mark Fowler announced a data request targeting carriers that provide personal and commercial auto insurance, umbrella policies, general liability, and professional liability coverage. Homeowners insurance was specifically left … Read more

An explosion at a U.S. Steel coal-processing plant near Pittsburgh has left two people dead and sent 10 others to the hospital, the company confirmed Friday. The blast happened during preparations for routine maintenance, when workers were flushing a gas valve. The plant, located in Clairton along the Monongahela River, is the largest coking facility … Read more

Insurance broker Aon Plc is facing a lawsuit over the collapse of Israeli insurance startup Vesttoo Ltd., which once had a valuation of $1 billion before it went bankrupt. Vesttoo filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023 and later liquidated after revealing that key documents supporting its business were falsified. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware … Read more

The governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, has declared a state of emergency in northern New Mexico to address rising violent crime and drug trafficking. The declaration covers Rio Arriba County, which includes two Native American pueblos, and unlocks $750,000 in emergency funds to support local and tribal law enforcement efforts. Rio Arriba County … Read more

A school bus carrying more than 40 students rolled over on a rural road in Texas on the first day of classes, leaving several students injured. The crash happened on Wednesday afternoon in Leander, just after school let out, before any students were dropped off. The yellow bus was traveling on a narrow, two-lane road … Read more

Years ago, Nedra Sims Fears and her family faced a terrifying flood in their Chicago home. The flood led to an electrical fire, forcing them to escape into the pouring rain with nothing but the clothes they wore. Living in the city’s Chatham neighborhood, Sims Fears has been through this kind of ordeal four times … Read more

The Texas economy is showing signs of slowing down, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Job growth is cooling, construction is dropping, and inflation is creeping up. The report, based on surveys of business leaders across the state, paints a cautious picture. Job growth in Texas fell by 1.3% … Read more

Higginbotham has joined forces with Roehr Insurance, a prominent property and casualty agency based in Cincinnati, Ohio. This new partnership helps Higginbotham expand its reach in the Midwest, while giving Roehr Insurance access to more tools and support for its clients and staff. Roehr Insurance, started in 2012 by CEO Alvin Roehr, began as a … Read more