Patricia Wells

California, New Mexico, and Washington could lose a total of $46 million a year in federal trucking safety funding after the U.S. Department of Transportation accused them of ignoring English language rules for commercial truck drivers. Secretary Sean Duffy demanded these states comply within 30 days with a federal rule that requires truckers to speak, … Read more

In the early hours of July 4, a sudden and fierce flash flood swept through Central Texas’s Hill Country, catching many off guard and leading to a tragic loss of life. The flood, which struck mainly Kerr County, claimed at least 136 lives, including over two dozen children and counselors at Camp Mystic, a long-standing … Read more

More than two years after a major train derailment in eastern Ohio released dangerous chemicals into the air, the country’s biggest freight rail companies have yet to fully join a federal safety program aimed at preventing accidents. The Confidential Close Call Reporting System, or C³RS, encourages railroad workers to report safety concerns and near misses … Read more

Northwestern University and former football coach Pat Fitzgerald have quietly settled a legal dispute that began two years ago amid a hazing scandal on the school’s football team. The details of the settlement have not been made public. Fitzgerald, who led Northwestern’s football program for many years, sued the university for $130 million, claiming the … Read more

Two construction workers in New York City have taken legal action after falling ill with Legionnaires’ disease while working at separate sites near Harlem Hospital. Nunzio Quinto and Duane Headley were hospitalized in July following exposure linked to contaminated cooling towers in a nearby building complex. These towers use water and fans to cool the … Read more

Stonetrust Commercial Insurance Company, a workers’ compensation insurer based in Baton Rouge, has received an upgrade in its financial strength and credit ratings from AM Best. The rating was raised from A– (Excellent) to A (Excellent), signaling growing confidence in the company’s stability and performance. Stonetrust provides workers’ compensation coverage to over 5,000 policyholders across … Read more

Farmers Insurance recently revealed that over one million of its customers may have had their personal information exposed in a data breach linked to a third-party vendor. The company alerted Maine’s Attorney General in a notification detailing the incident, which involves about 1,071,172 policyholders. The issue came to light on May 30, 2025, when the … Read more

The global reinsurance market is showing signs of stability and discipline after a major reset at the start of 2023. According to a recent report by AM Best, reinsurers have kept a firm grip on risk by maintaining strict terms, raising attachment points, and increasing rates, especially in property catastrophe insurance. These changes have helped … Read more

On the North Carolina Outer Banks, two homes in the small village of Rodanthe now stand on the edge of the ocean, their fate uncertain. Since 2020, 11 nearby houses have already crumbled into the Atlantic, swallowed by relentless waves and shifting sands. The problem isn’t just the big storms like Hurricane Erin, which recently … Read more

Marsh has made key leadership moves in its aviation and space insurance sectors, with Brian Glod and Tony Ambrose stepping into new global roles starting September 1. Glod will take charge as the global head of aviation and space, while Ambrose becomes the global chairman for the same business. Both will oversee Marsh’s aviation and … Read more